How will sea-level rise affect you?

The photos received from king tides participants will help communities and decision makers better understand what challenges we face with a changing climate.

Rising water levels will affect not only affect ecosystems but also infrastructure, agriculture and the economy.

Coastal hazards will increase in frequency, severity, and magnitude as a result of sea-level rise, leading to:

• Coastal flooding that is more frequent and severe
• Increased damage from storms, as higher sea levels lead to greater storm surge
• Greater stress on groundwater aquifers from saltwater intrusion
• Low-lying farming lands at risk of saltwater intrusion, decrease in available freshwater, flooding, permanent inundation
• Flooding and inundation can damage buildings, roads, and recreational areas, leading to greater costs to businesses and taxpayers

All of these hazards will impact where we live, work, and play along the coast, and the costs of maintaining communities near the shore.

Try out NOAA’s Sea Level Rise Viewer to get an idea of what sea-level rise will be like in your area.