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According to projections from NOAA's mapping, a 3-foot increase in sea levels would initiate encroachment on Virginia's coastal and riverbank regions. If sea levels were to escalate by 6 feet, numerous areas, including segments of Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, and Norfolk, would face substantial submersion.
These regions, accommodating nearly 1 million inhabitants, are undergoing the highest rate of sea level rise along the Atlantic coast, as per NOAA's Office for Coastal Management. Furthermore, Virginia's Eastern Shore and several islands in Chesapeake Bay would be severely impacted, with some islands entirely submerged.
Adding to the complexity, Virginia is also grappling with land subsidence, attributable in part to natural geological processes and human activities like groundwater extraction. A Virginia Tech study revealed that in certain areas, land in Hampton Roads is sinking more rapidly than sea levels are rising.
In response to these imminent risks, the Virginia Beach City Council unveiled its Sea Level Wise Adaptation Strategy in 2020. This strategy entails the implementation of new construction standards, mandating critical infrastructure such as hospitals to prepare for a 3-foot rise in sea level, while other developments are required to plan for a 1.5-foot increase.
The pace of sea level rise could fluctuate based on measures taken to mitigate climate change, such as curtailing greenhouse gas emissions, as highlighted by NOAA oceanographer William Sweet. He stressed the significance of NOAA's Sea Level Rise Viewer in providing insights into areas vulnerable to ongoing sea level rise or flooding from tides and storm surges.
Decades of sea level rise have already had significant repercussions, with high tides submerging wetlands and inundating coastal communities, disrupting daily life and necessitating extensive upgrades to public infrastructure.