Front Lines: Rising Seas: Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia

Naval Station Norfolk is located in a sea level rise hot spot where seas are projected to rise between 4.5 and 6.9 feet by 2100. Projections indicate that by 2050, some areas could flood 280 times per year, and by 2100, up to 60% of the station's land area could be exposed to flooding during extra-high tides. In the highest scenario for 2100, a Category 4 storm could leave 95% of the base under more than 10 feet of water. While the Navy has invested in raising piers and participating in regional studies, the document argues that a large gap remains between current preparedness and future threats, calling for increased funding for high-resolution modeling and detailed mapping.

• Naval Station Norfolk is situated in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area, characterized as a sea level rise hot spot due to changing ocean circulation patterns, low-lying topography, and natural subsidence. Seas in this region are projected to rise between 4.5 and 6.9 feet by the end of the century, while much of the station is currently less than 10 feet above sea level.
• Under an intermediate sea level rise scenario, tidal flooding frequency is projected to increase from an average of nine times per year today to approximately 280 times per year by 2050, with affected areas spending 10 percent of the year underwater.
• Projections for the year 2100 show significant land loss and increased exposure to high tides: the intermediate scenario predicts 10 percent of the station's land area will be exposed to extra-high tides, while the highest scenario predicts nearly 60 percent exposure and 20 percent of the land flooding daily.
• Sea level rise is expected to increase the severity and reach of storm surge flooding. By 2070, the area exposed to Category 1 storm flooding is projected to more than triple in the intermediate scenario. By 2100, a Category 1 storm in the intermediate scenario would affect a larger area than a Category 2 storm does today. In the highest scenario for 2100, a Category 4 storm would expose 95 percent of the base to flooding deeper than 10 feet.
• The Navy has implemented some adaptive measures, such as raising piers at a cost of $60 million each and planning a $250 million restoration project. However, the document states that the gap between current military preparedness and the projected threats is large and growing, necessitating more detailed analysis, high-resolution modeling, and increased funding from Congress and the Department of Defense.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2016). Front Lines: Rising Seas: Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia. https://www.ucs.org/resources/front-lines-rising-seas-naval-station-norfolk-virginia

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. Front Lines: Rising Seas: Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia. 2016. https://www.ucs.org/resources/front-lines-rising-seas-naval-station-norfolk-virginia.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=Front Lines: Rising Seas: Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia |date=15 July 2016 |url=https://www.ucs.org/resources/front-lines-rising-seas-naval-station-norfolk-virginia |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2016front, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{Front Lines: Rising Seas: Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2016}, month = jul, url = {https://www.ucs.org/resources/front-lines-rising-seas-naval-station-norfolk-virginia}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }