NOAA Sea Level Rise Visualizer
Residents of coastal cities and low-lying areas along the banks of major waterways will see more flooding as sea levels rise, according to the just-released Sea Level Rise Technical Report.
The new study and report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) revealed that sea levels will rise one foot by the year 2050 — just 28 years from now.
In practical terms, that means that even when it's not raining, the rise in sea level "will create a profound increase in the frequency of coastal flooding, even in the absence of storms or heavy rainfall,” according to the report. The report blames a variety of factors for the rise in sea level, including "thermal expansion" from warmer sea waters, ice melting and changes to the land itself.
Updated Tool Shows Vulnerable Areas Locally
Alexandria residents who are already experiencing more flooding every year, including devastating tidal flooding in October 2021, may be interested in checking out this updated Sea Level Rise Viewer from NOAA. The tool allows residents to input their address and see how rising seas may affect their property.
At one foot of sea level rise, residents and businesses along Lower King Street, near Jones Point Park, in the Huntington neighborhood and much of the Mount Vernon Trail south of the Beltway could be significantly affected.
Proposed City Budget Accelerates Fixes to Stormwater Flooding
While coastal and tidal flooding remain a long-term concern for Alexandria residents and businesses, flooding caused by increasingly severe rainstorms is getting attention, too.
New City Manager Jim Parajon has proposed a budget to city officials that would increase funding for projects to help mitigate flooding from rain and from tidal flooding along the Potomac River.
Funding for stormwater-related flooding projects would come from higher stormwater fees paid by residents.
In the Capital Improvement 10 year plan, the budget allocates:
- $288.4 million to expand and accelerate flood mitigation and stormwater infrastructure
- $83.2 million for the Waterfront Plan and to construct flood mitigation infrastructure
- $26.4 million for major capacity improvements to address flooding at the intersection of Commonwealth Avenue and East Glebe Road and Ashby Street and East Glebe Road.
More information about the budget is available here.
City officials will go through a series of work sessions and public feedback meetings before adopting a new budget in early May.
