Rising Water

Power Point Created By J. Drake Heath

An Introduction
Over the course and time of Earths History climates have
changed from Hot to Cold and vice versa. While some focus
has been placed on a Higher Frequency of warmer weather,
an alarming repercussion of due to the Heat has occurred.
That of course is rising sea levels. With a high population of
people living on coasts, only disasters and catastrophes are
in our future.

Why Talk about Rising Water?

For starters NOAAs National Ocean Service reports on
their website in 2010 that 39% of the U.S.s current
population lives on the coasts while expecting another 8%
increase by 2020. That would be a whopping 47% living as
the U.S.s coasts. That is nearly half of the Current
population. That is huge. (National Ocean Service, NOAA
article)

Here is the direct link to the Article as it better explains

the situation: http://
oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/population.html

With a large population of people living on the U.S.s

coasts, the two things that are likely causing rising Ocean
levels are Thermal Expansion and Glaciers melting.

Picture of Tijuana River

National Estuarine Research
Reserve Coastline.
Photo From: National Ocean
Service, NOAA

Thermal Expansion
The first potential reason for Rising Sea-Levels
Thermal Expansion is where water to expands due to heat
and with the effects of Global Warming, this problem is
very evident. (Natural Hazards, pg. 372)

Glaciers
The second way potential reason
Earths Glaciers are warming at an ever alarming Rate. This time period
as mentioned in book is , referred to as Interglacial Period. (Natural
Hazards, pg. 409)
When these Glaciers melt, it releases more water into the Ocean, which
in turn raises water levels at Coast Lines.
Melting of glacial ice is thought to be contributing to sea-level rise.
(Natural Hazards, pg. 429)
Though it is thought to be contributing factor, I feel that it is an
important factor.

Glaciers Cont. and Impact

With accelerated melting of ice from Glaciers, we are
seeing a positive feedback cycle warming leads to more
warming. ( Natural Hazards pg. 424)
The Loss of the glacial ice on both land masses during
this period is equivalent to increasing mean sea level by
11.2 [plus /minus] 3.8 mm (~0.44 in.)[32 Power]. (Natural
Hazards, pg. 425)
With a large majority of the U.S.s population living on a
coast, this could have serious repercussions, to both
money and loss of human life.

North of New York

BBC news reports that, Sea levels north of New York City
rose by 128mm in two years, according to a report in the
journal, Nature Communications.(Briggs, BBC News Feb.
24th)
It also mentions that, Coastal areas will need to prepare
for short term and extreme sea level events, say US
scientists. (Briggs, BBC News Feb 24th)
It article reports that in the 2009-2010 time period, the
rise was unprecedented as quoted from the article by
Prof Jianjun Yin of the University of Arizona. (Briggs, BBC
News 24th)

What Can We Do?

The first thing that we could do, would be to observe the
Kyoto Protocol. However, in the United States, we have
not even signed the Protocol and even removed ourselves
from talks in 2001. (Natural Hazards, pg. 436) (Allred
Notes) If we were to observe it, it could potentially help
reduce Climate Change, however I dont believe WE
WILL.
The second potential thing that we could do would be to
evacuate the Coast Lines and move inland. Really though,
are we going to entertain that notion. Probably not.

My Thoughts
So I feel that as Climate change has progressed and since we as
people have not done much to reduce Global climate change,
change is imminent.
As such we need to adjust the way we live at least at the coast
I cant help but feel that we will have to deal with a catastrophe
at the east Coast.
If I am to think like an American, then I would have to think and
hope that the ramifications that will happen, will not happen in
my life time. Time to hit the Tables!

Conclusion
Though the Human Race continues to persist, create and protect new
life, I can not help but feel that we are going to be the ends of our own
destruction. By producing more Greenhouse gasses, the earth is actually
absorbing more energy now than ever and as a result, heat is being
trapped which you guessed it, heats the earth. With Thermal Expansion
and Glaciation come the very likely possibility of Rising ocean level that
will actually begun to cause our current coasts to sink. This will cause
problems as a large majority of people live in Coastal cities. We also have
to remember that large amount of our economy. Though this very long
term, it something that we must prepare for as our coasts begin to sink.

Works Cited
Briggs, Helen. "US Sea Level North of New York City
'jumped by 128mm'"
BBC News Science &
Enviroment. BBC, 24 Feb. 2015. Web. 28 Feb. 2015.
<http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment31604953>.
Keller, Edward A. , and Duane E. Devecchio.Natural
Hazards. 4th ed. Pearson
Education, 2015. Print.
"What Percentage of the American Population Lives near the
Coast?"What
Percentage of the American Population
Lives near the Coast?NOAA. Web. 9
Mar. 2015.
<http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/population.html>.