Emily_Currier_HW_Sea Level NYC
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EES 0836
Sea Level Rise in New York City
Disasters: Geology vs. Hollywood
Introduction
We are going to start by examining some trends in relative sea level change.
“Relative sea level
changes”
refer to changes in sea level relative to a point on land that is also changing.
Individual
coastlines undergo their own vertical changes due to tectonic activity, erosion, coastal subsidence, etc., so
although global sea level as a whole is currently rising, different geographic areas are experiencing
different local relative rates of sea level rise. In some places (like parts of Alaska), tectonic activity is
causing gradual uplift of the coastline, so local relative sea level is actually falling, even while global sea
levels rise.
Learning Objectives
:
●
Indicate how sea level rise will have an impact on coastal areas in New York City.
(2, 5, c)
●
Criticize how the government responds to preparing our coastal areas for future flooding events.
(2,3, d)
Part 1
: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Navigate to the
NOAA Sea Level Trend
viewer. You should see a map like the one included that shows
parts of North America and Central America. Take a look at the legend below the map, illustrating sea
level trends listed in millimeters per year, and, in parentheses, feet per century. Every arrow on the map
represents a different station along the coast that collects sea level data. The sea level trend measurement
for each station can be viewed by clicking on the appropriate arrow.
EES 0836
Part 2
: New York City
Zoom in on the map by clicking on “East Coast”. Compare the colors of the relative sea level trend
arrows around Philadelphia and New Orleans.
1.
What is the average relative sea level trend around Philadelphia? Express your answers in
mm/year, and make sure that your answer includes whether the sea level trend is positive (rising)
or negative (dropping).
Around Philadelphia, has an average sea level trend of 3.07 mm/year and the sea level trend is
positive or rising.
2.
What is it around New Orleans? Express your answers in mm/year, and make sure that your
answer includes whether the sea level trend is positive (rising) or negative (dropping).
In New Orleans, there is an average sea level trend of 9.16 mm/year and it is positive.
3.
What do you think might explain the difference in relative sea level trends between Philadelphia
(and most of the East Coast) and the area of the Gulf Coast around New Orleans?
I think the difference in relative sea level trends between the two cities can be explained by
climate and location. Philadelphia is not even located directly on the sea, so the water
surrounding Philadelphia is less vulnerable to sea
level changes. As for New Orleans, the body of
water being measured is the Gulf of Mexico.
Louisiana is slowly, but surely, sinking because of
subsidence, as well as rising sea levels. Ultimately,
the two cities’ locations best explains the
differences.
Let’s focus on the area around NYC. Zoom in on the map
so you can see the 4 individual arrows in this area clearly.
For reference, here is a map of the five boroughs of New
York City. We are going to focus on the two sea level trend
arrows that fall within the limits of NYC itself. These are
“The Battery” at the southern tip of Manhattan, and
“Bergen Point” on the northern part of Staten Island.
1.
What is the relative sea level trend at each of these
two locations?
a.
The Battery:
Relative Sea level trend is 2.9 mm/year and positive.
b.
Bergen Point:
Relative Sea level trend is 4.37 mm/year and positive.
2.
What is the average trend for NYC if we take the average of these two points?
Express your
answers in mm/year, and make sure that your answer includes whether the sea level trend is
positive (rising) or negative (dropping).
3.635 mm/year is the average. This average trend would be positive.
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3.
NYC experienced significant coastal flooding as a result of the storm surge from Hurricane Sandy
in 2012. Based on your answer to Question 3, how much has relative sea level changed in NYC
since Hurricane Sandy hit? Express your answers in mm, and make sure that your answer
includes whether the sea level trend is positive (rising) or negative (dropping).
So I cannot find anywhere on the map/website/simulation where to find this trend. And this is the
third question so I am unsure of what is being referenced when said “
Based on your answer to
Question 3
”. But as an educated guess, I believe that the relative sea level change has decreased
since Hurricane Sandy hit. Overtime I believe it decreased but at first, when the hurricane hit, I
think the relative sea level trends were high, maybe anywhere from 6 or higher mm/year and
positive.
4.
If you own property along the coastline in New York City, would these trends concern you?
Explain your reasoning.
I don’t think these trends would concern me. Owning property along any coastline, you should be
cautious and aware that your property is vulnerable. However, I do not think the trends are
concerning enough.
Part 3
: Flooding
With a population of nearly 20 million
people and 2400 km of coastline, the
NYC region is susceptible to even small
changes in sea level. As sea levels rise,
the magnitude and frequency of coastal
flooding increases. While it is
impossible to attribute a single storm,
like Hurricane Sandy, entirely to climate
change, higher sea levels certainly did
increase the extent and magnitude of the
coastal flooding. When scientists and
stakeholders consider potential impacts
of sea level rise, they often consider a
particular area’s susceptibility to a
100-
year flood
event and how sea level rise
could increase the probability of a 100-
year flood in the area. The included
figure shows the extent of the 100-year
floodplain in 2013 (just post-Sandy) and
estimates of the extent of the 100-year floodplain in the 2020s and 2050s as it changes due to rising sea
levels.
1.
Compare the geographical extent of the floodplains and floodplain projections in the provided
figure. What can you say about the predicted future changes in the extent of the 100-year
floodplain compared to the location of the 2013 100-year floodplain?
The future floodplain projections are predicted to go more inland than the 2013 100-year
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EES 0836
floodplain.
2.
Which boroughs do you think are most at risk from increased coastal flooding as a result of rising
sea levels?
Staten Island, Brooklyn, and Queens.
3.
Given what you know about cities (population, waste, utilities, business, industry, etc.), what
would be the environmental impact from future flooding events in NYC?
Future flooding events would severely harm and disturb NYC. Such a populated city, businesses,
homes, schools, and many other infrastructures would be destroyed. Future flooding events could
destroy and ruin roads as well which is a necessity for people to go about their daily lives.
4.
Given everything you have seen in this exercise, what, if anything, do you think NYC should be
doing about all this?
NYC could plan/build new drainage systems that are more affective for future floods. Also, it is
pricey but NYC can extend the shoreline by building a man-made one.
5.
Considering that flooding events are relatively infrequent, does this frequency of flooding events
impact your answer?
No because my plans for NYC are long-term projects. If the floods were more frequent I would
think of a fast and easy answer.
Part 4
: Sea Walls?
Because of our warming climate and sea levels rising globally, many governments and/or agencies are
concerned with protecting our coastal areas from flooding. Since we focused on NYC throughout this
activity, we will continue to do so for this last part. Read the article from the
New York Times about a Sea
Wall in Staten Island
and answer the following questions.
1.
Do you think constructing a 6-mile-long sea wall is the best way to protect Staten Island? Explain
why or why not.
No, I do not think it is the best way to protect Staten Island. The article says that the sea wall
would not be able to protect Staten Island from flooding and that it could trap toxins and sewage
which would threaten the water supply. Also, building the sea wall is costly and takes a long time.
2.
Do you think constructing a wall addresses the issues associated with a warming climate and the
trends in sea level, or does this wall signify that we are accepting warming/sea level rise as being
inevitable?
I think it is accepting the warming/sea level rise as being inevitable. It seems like an easy way out
rather than addressing climate change and going through steps to prevent it.
3.
Does the cost of the wall challenge your thinking on its construction in any way?
I think the cost of the wall is absurd and the money can be better spent on environmental fixes.
4.
Is this a ‘one size fits all’ approach, or do you think we need to do more than just build walls to
fix the issues associated with rising sea levels? Explain your answer.
No, I think we need to do more than just build walls to fix the issues. We need to teach the public and
companies and businesses to be more environmentally friendly. Preventing/fixing climate change
starts with the people wanting to change and make things better. The sea wall seems like a easy way
of prevention.