Scientists tracking sea level rise in California have found that the land along coastlines is also rising and falling, significantly impacting local flood risk, wave exposure, and saltwater intrusion. By 2050, sea levels in California are expected to increase by up to 14.5 inches higher than year 2000 levels.
Researchers analyzed satellite radar data to track more than a thousand miles of California coast rising and sinking in new detail. They found areas with high rates of subsidence, including the San Francisco Bay Area, where land is sinking at a rate of over 0.4 inches per year due to sediment compaction.
However, not all coastal locations are sinking. The researchers mapped uplift hot spots in areas such as Long Beach and Santa Barbara, which have been replenished with groundwater. They also found slow-moving landslides associated with erosion in rugged coastal terrain like the Big Sur mountains below San Francisco.
The study’s findings will be used to update guidance for California, highlighting the importance of considering land motion when predicting sea level rise. The researchers hope that their work will inform adaptation strategies and provide a more accurate understanding of the complex factors driving sea level rise in California.
Source: https://www.nasa.gov/missions/nisar/nasa-led-study-pinpoints-areas-sinking-rising-along-california-coast