Rising tides are encroaching on Sullivan’s Island, and local officials are scrambling to stay ahead of the water. WCBD News 2 provided the most recent report on the island’s long-term flood mitigation plan.
What’s happening?
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports that sea levels in Charleston, South Carolina, are rising by approximately 3.51 millimeters every year. This suggests that water levels near Sullivan’s Island are rising faster than the global average of 3.3 mm per year, as stated by NASA.
In fact, NOAA analysts predict that by 2050, sea levels in the area will rise by 14 to 18 inches. Local causes, such as land subsidence (the progressive sinking of land), also contribute to this increase.
As sea levels rise, the region might see up to 115 days of high-tide flooding per year by 2050, up from around 12 days this year, according to NOAA projections.
Why is this a concern?
What is happening on Sullivan’s Island demonstrates what other low-lying locations may experience next: rising sea levels and bigger storms changing entire populations.
Floods and other extreme weather have always occurred, but human-caused climate change is making them more severe and frequent. Communities such as Sullivan’s Island are experiencing the effects directly.
Heat-trapping pollution from fossil fuel combustion heats the oceans and melts land ice, raising sea levels. Even without hurricanes, flooding will become more common as tides migrate further inland and hit streets and yards more frequently.
Across the globe, some coastal communities are already facing comparable dangers. The indigenous Guna people are being evacuated to the mainland as rising sea levels render their island uninhabitable. Coastal villages in Florida and cities along the Gulf of Mexico are dealing with bigger hurricanes and coastal erosion.
What is being done to address the issue?
According to WCBD News 2, consultants delivered the final copy of the sea level adaptation and resilience strategy on October 21. The plan outlines techniques for conserving the island’s resources, restoring natural systems, and protecting the community from flooding, erosion, and high tides.
One of its primary recommendations is to elevate the Ben Sawyer Causeway, which is a critical evacuation and emergency route during hurricanes.
