Much of Boston, MA, is built on landfill, which makes it especially vulnerable to sea level rise flooding. With estimates ranging anywhere from 10 inches of global sea level rise to over seven feet by the end of this century, the city is mounting an aggressive plan to hold back the rising seas, according to a Washington Post article.
With over nine inches of sea level rise racked up since the beginning of the last century, areas of Boston are already experiencing sea level rise flooding that’s especially noticeable during extra high king tides in the fall.
To fight back against sea level rise flooding and the higher than normal storm surges it can bring, the Boston’s mayor is dedicating more than $30 million a year to address the problem. Among the projects are elevating streets and parks, and building higher berms and sea walls. City officials are concerned that they’re not doing enough to protect residents and real estate in the poorest neighborhoods, but they are considering options.
Despite the effort to combat sea level rise, Michael Oppenheimer, a professor of geosciences and international affairs at Princeton University, told the Post, Boston and other coastal cities may still ultimately have to retreat from the rising seas. He said, “It is what a lot of cities will have to do because a lot of neighborhoods are not defensible.”
Boston’s experience with sea level rise flooding as discussed in this article is yet another example of why buyers, sellers, owners and real estate agents in coastal areas need to educate themselves on which properties and neighborhoods are experiencing sea level rise flooding and what, if anything, can be done to hold back the rising tides.
Sea Level Rise Flooding Information for Buyers, Sellers, Owners, and Real Estate Agents 