Encroaching Tides

An analysis of 52 tide gauges along the US East and Gulf Coasts indicates a steep increase in tidal flooding events over the next 30 years. By 2030, over half of the studied communities are projected to experience at least 24 tidal floods annually. By 2045, one-third of these locations could face flooding more than 180 times per year, with some areas in the mid-Atlantic potentially inundated more than 10 percent of the time. The report argues that while local flood-proofing and federal resilience investments are necessary, the only long-term solution to slow sea level rise is the swift reduction of global warming pollution.

• Tidal flooding has already increased significantly in some coastal areas, with some communities seeing a fourfold increase in frequency since 1970.
• Sea level rise, primarily caused by global warming, has occurred at higher rates on the East Coast than the global average of roughly eight inches between 1880 and 2009; specific examples include New York City (over 17 inches since 1856), Baltimore (13 inches since 1902), and Boston (nearly 10 inches since 1921).
• By 2030, assuming moderate sea level rise, more than half of the 52 studied communities are projected to average at least 24 tidal floods per year, with 20 communities potentially seeing a tripling or more of such events.
• The mid-Atlantic coast is expected to experience the most significant increases in flood frequency; by 2030, Annapolis, Maryland and Washington, DC could see over 150 tidal floods annually, and some New Jersey locations could see 80 or more.
• By 2045, with an expected sea level rise of roughly one foot, one-third of the 52 analyzed locations could face tidal flooding more than 180 times per year, and nine locations, including Atlantic City and Cape May, New Jersey, could see 240 or more events annually.
• Adaptation measures have physical, economic, and social limits; eventually, some communities may be forced to shift back from heavily impacted areas as protection efforts become insufficient against rising tides and storm surges.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2014). Encroaching Tides. https://www.ucs.org/resources/encroaching-tides

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. Encroaching Tides. 2014. https://www.ucs.org/resources/encroaching-tides.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=Encroaching Tides |date=8 October 2014 |url=https://www.ucs.org/resources/encroaching-tides |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2014encroaching, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{Encroaching Tides}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2014}, month = oct, url = {https://www.ucs.org/resources/encroaching-tides}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }