Future beachfront community?

Global warming shapes Philadelphia’s future

by Alysia Shivers

Philadelphians truly have the best of both worlds. They have the city right outside their door offering a world full of history, culture, food, and fun. And they have the ocean, which is just a short hop over the Delaware River leading to a mecca of boardwalks and beaches.

Scientists, however, believe these two worlds may soon converge due to the effects of global warming. Imagine stepping outside the door of your home and having the beach literally steps away. Could Philadelphia really become a future beachfront community?

OK, so maybe that is a bit of an exaggeration. But even though Philadelphia doesn’t sit at the Atlantic Ocean’s edge, doesn’t mean its residents can just sit back and watch as climates change and sea levels rise. There is still reason for concern and preparation.

True, sea levels rose steadily by only fractions of an inch during the 20th century. What has been cause for alarm is the fact that this rate of increase has nearly doubled over the last decade, which scientists attribute to the warming of the oceans and melting glaciers. 

The bad news is that scientists disagree as to when the United States might feel the true impact of these global happenings. Some say as far out as 150 years, while others report that changes could start occurring as soon as 50 years. This timeframe, or lack thereof, doesn’t help to spur the public into action.

In fact, it may foster the “well I’m not going to be alive to see it” thinking that keeps people from making preparations now. Of course, if everyone felt that way about the world there would be no recycling initiatives, fuel alternatives, or gas emissions regulations, which are all evidence that people do care about the planet’s future.

Water supply at risk

Currently, about 25 percent of the world’s population, over 1 billion people, live within 100 kilometers of a coastline. That’s a lot of households needing to be relocated further inland as the existing coastline disappears. 

There have been several meetings held around the country, even in Philadelphia, to discuss the global warming impact to U.S. cities and coastal areas. The Geological Society of America also held its annual conference in Philadelphia presenting findings of areas that could potentially experience flooding due to sea level rise coupled with a greater risk of severe weather, including hurricanes. 

While some areas of Philadelphia are in danger of being more prone to floods, particularly around the international airport due to the long history of dike construction, it is the city’s water supply that is most vulnerable.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that the Delaware River usually consists of fresh water along almost all of the Pennsylvania shore. As sea levels rise, however, the salt content of both the ground water and surface water will increase. 

Not only will this affect water supplies and reservoirs for Philadelphia, which obtains most of its water from upstream rivers, it will also impact the ecosystem and agricultural practices.

Some may say the answer is simply desalination, the process of removing salt from ocean water in order to make it drinkable, which has been done in parts of the world for years now. However, it is a system that is time consuming and expensive.

Another idea may be to store more water during wet seasons so that more fresh water could be released during times of drought. Water management authorities practice this today to prevent high salt content. However, there are other factors involved, including flood protection that may make it difficult to conserve water during drought periods, say EPA officials.

Adapting to a new landscape

In preparation, many coastal states are working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to dump sand on the beaches to help offset erosion, the EPA reports. Some states are going so far as to prohibit the construction of new homes in areas that are likely going to be under water within this century. 

Property owners, whose homes are currently located in low-lying, flood prone areas, are elevating their structures, while other homeowners have built sea walls to protect their property.

Yet even with all of the precautions and dire warnings, people still want to live by the planet’s most precious resource. Obviously the people who just purchased an oceanfront home in Mantoloking, New Jersey, for $7,400,000, the highest amount ever paid for a home in this area, did not consider where their estate will be 50 years from now. Under water perhaps?