Fort Monroe, Virginia: Freedom’s Fortress at Risk from Higher Seas and Heavier Rains

Fort Monroe, a national monument in Virginia with significant history regarding the beginning and end of slavery in North America, is highly vulnerable to climate change. Water levels near the fort have risen nearly 1.5 feet since the 1920s, and projections suggest coastal waters could rise up to six feet by the end of the century. The site faces increased frequency and severity of flooding from storm surges and heavy rainfall, as evidenced by significant damage from Hurricane Isabel in 2003. Current protections, such as a seawall built by the Army Corps of Engineers, are based on historic rather than projected rates of sea level rise, leaving the site at risk of further inundation and sewage leaks into Chesapeake Bay.

• Fort Monroe is highly susceptible to sea level rise and coastal flooding, with local tide gauges indicating water levels have increased by nearly 1.5 feet since the 1920s.
• Projections for Virginia's coastal waters indicate a potential rise of up to two feet by 2050 and up to six feet by the end of the century, which would allow storm surges to penetrate further inland.
• The region has seen a significant increase in heavy-rainfall events since 1950, contributing to the overall flood risk at the site.
• Hurricane Isabel in 2003 caused over $100 million in damages at Fort Monroe, affecting nearly 200 administrative buildings and housing units and destroying several wooden piers.
• Existing infrastructure is insufficient because the seawall constructed by the Army Corps of Engineers after Hurricane Isabel was designed based on historic sea level rise rates rather than the higher rates expected for Hampton Roads.
• Recent data shows an acceleration in extreme tides, with half of the highest tides recorded at Sewells Point between 1930 and 2010 occurring in the final 13 years of that period.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2016). Fort Monroe, Virginia: Freedom’s Fortress at Risk from Higher Seas and Heavier Rains. https://www.ucs.org/resources/fort-monroe-virginia-freedoms-fortress-risk-higher-seas-and-heavier-rains

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. Fort Monroe, Virginia: Freedom’s Fortress at Risk from Higher Seas and Heavier Rains. 2016. https://www.ucs.org/resources/fort-monroe-virginia-freedoms-fortress-risk-higher-seas-and-heavier-rains.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=Fort Monroe, Virginia: Freedom’s Fortress at Risk from Higher Seas and Heavier Rains |date=19 July 2016 |url=https://www.ucs.org/resources/fort-monroe-virginia-freedoms-fortress-risk-higher-seas-and-heavier-rains |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2016fort, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{Fort Monroe, Virginia: Freedom’s Fortress at Risk from Higher Seas and Heavier Rains}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2016}, month = jul, url = {https://www.ucs.org/resources/fort-monroe-virginia-freedoms-fortress-risk-higher-seas-and-heavier-rains}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }