Rising Sea Levels and Changing Flood Risks in Seattle

Figure 21.4

This figure appears in chapter 21 of the Climate Change Impacts in the United States: The Third National Climate Assessment report.

http://nca2014.globalchange.gov/report/regions/northwest/graphics/rising-sea-levels-and-changing-flood-risks-seattle

Areas of Seattle projected by Seattle Public Utilities to be below sea level during high tide (Mean Higher High Water) and therefore at risk of flooding or inundation are shaded in blue under three levels of sea level rise,6ed217d6-4e42-49bd-ba0a-80e8df462b45 assuming no adaptation. (High [50 inches] and medium [13 inches] levels are within the range projected for the Northwest by 2100; the highest level [88 inches] includes the compounding effect of storm surge, derived from the highest observed historical tide in Seattlefd73d381-d3df-4079-b48d-20027a7ba63b). Unconnected inland areas shown to be below sea level may not be inundated, but could experience problems due to areas of standing water caused by a rise in the water table and drainage pipes backed up with seawater. (Figure source: Seattle Public Utilities7fdde2b7-0a3a-4f98-8434-c4040a41f3ac).

When citing this figure, please reference Seattle Public Utilities7fdde2b7-0a3a-4f98-8434-c4040a41f3ac.

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This figure was created on November 18, 2013.

This figure was derived from Seattle Public Utilities and Sea Level Rise .

References :

• Sea level rise, Year 2100 (map). Scale not given (7fdde2b7)
• generic Response of extreme storm tide levels to long-term sea level change (fd73d381)
• Sea Level Rise in the Coastal Waters of Washington State. Report prepared by the Climate Impacts Group, Center for Science in the Earth System Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and Oceans (6ed217d6)

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