We often think of “sea level” as being the same all over the world, but that isn’t really the case. As was pointed out in a recent article in the Washington Post, sea level rise is particularly impacting the southern United States. During the period 2010-2023, locations in Massachusetts and Connecticut saw rises of only 2.7 inches while coastal sites in Texas experienced rises of 5.3 to 8.4 inches. In many cases, the increase was greater during the most recent 14 years than in the preceding 30 years. It was the Pier 21 gauge in Galveston that showed the highest increase in the entire study. There, the relative rise in sea level was magnified by subsidence of the land.
It seems clear that yet more change is on the way. Measures employing both “gray infrastructure” and “green” (nature based) infrastructure are being considered in response. You can learn more by reading the original Washington Post article HERE.
Washington Post