As I’ve written before (here is but one example), I’ve been concerned that we have been rebuilding communities along the Mississippi for a long time.  Because the river floods its banks, destroying those communities along the shoreline.  We should consider rebuilding those cities and towns at higher elevations.

We made the town of Scottsville (VA) relocate some decades ago because it became too expensive to keep rebuilding it every time the James River overflowed the banks or even jumped the levees.  The same considerations have to be an issue before we decide to fully rebuild those communities destroyed by Sandy.

But, this phenomenon is going to get worse.  A lot worse.  The Union of Concerned Scientists have just published the results of their studies. The report is entitled: “Encroaching Tides: How sea level rise and tidal flooding threaten U.S. East Coast and Gulf Coast communities over the next 30 years,” The authors of this document are Drs.  Erika Spanger-Siegfried, Melanie Fitzpatrick, and Kristina Dahl.

One of the key facts I noted is that DC and Annapolis (Metropolitan Washington) will undergo 400 floods a year in 30 years.  Yes, that is more than 1 a day.

Before you gloat (oh, wait, maybe you are not part of that do-nothing party) and say,  “Who cares?”, let me remind you these locations are just emblematic.  Miami, Cape May (NJ), Norfolk (VA) are going to share in this wealth, too. 240 times a year.  Philadelphia, Baltimore, Charleston (SC) will be spared similar fates- since they will only flood 180 times a year.

Getting scared yet?  Keep denying global warming.  Because it will be causing a general rise in sea levels that will engulf the world’s seashores soon enough.  And, you should also consider that our waste treatment plants are along the shores- so they will be pretty useless if and when they are flooded.

And, this change is due not only to the rise in sea levels on the Atlantic Coast.  Nope.  The problem is compounded because the land is sinking two or three millimeters each year.  Now, that’s a combination for worry.

These facts are not new.  But, our governments- local, state, and federal- have been burying their heads in the sand.  They are about to drown in that position as the water levels rise.  Unless we begin demanding they take action.

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