Texas Faces WHEN RISING SEAS HIT HOME

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) identifies numerous Texas communities at risk of 'chronic inundation'—defined as high tide flooding 10% or more of usable, non-wetland area at least 26 times per year. Under an intermediate scenario, two communities (Bolivar Peninsula and Sabine Pass) will face this by 2035, increasing to 17 by 2100. In a high scenario, Galveston faces chronic inundation by 2030 and Port Arthur by 2070. The report argues that limiting warming to approximately 1.8°C could spare several communities from this fate and calls for updated flood risk maps, reformed insurance, and funded relocation programs.

• The Union of Concerned Scientists defines 'chronic inundation' as occurring when high tide floods at least 10 percent of a community's usable, non-wetland area 26 times per year or more, which averages to once every other week.
• Under the intermediate sea level rise scenario, the Bolivar Peninsula and Sabine Pass will face chronic inundation by 2035, with the total number of affected Texas communities reaching 17 by 2100.
• Under the high sea level rise scenario, Galveston is projected to face chronic inundation by 2030, and Port Arthur—which houses the largest oil refinery in the United States—will face it by 2070.
• By 2060 under the high scenario, chronic flooding (averaging twice per month) would affect more than 60 percent of the Bolivar Peninsula and approximately 45 percent of Galveston, often encroaching from the bay side of barrier islands despite existing sea walls.
• Limiting global warming to approximately 1.8°C (the 'low scenario') could prevent chronic inundation for three or more Texas communities by 2060 and between seven to 16 communities by 2100.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2017). Texas Faces WHEN RISING SEAS HIT HOME. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2017/07/when-rising-seas-hit-home-texas-fact-sheet.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. Texas Faces WHEN RISING SEAS HIT HOME. 2017. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2017/07/when-rising-seas-hit-home-texas-fact-sheet.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=Texas Faces WHEN RISING SEAS HIT HOME |date=July 2017 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2017/07/when-rising-seas-hit-home-texas-fact-sheet.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2017texas, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{Texas Faces WHEN RISING SEAS HIT HOME}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2017}, month = jul, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2017/07/when-rising-seas-hit-home-texas-fact-sheet.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }