Getting a jump on waterfront property speculation

Use Google Maps to simulate rising sea levels anywhere in the world

Posted by Corey McKrill at 3:50 PM on 27 Mar 2007

Read more about: climate | climate change impacts | Seattle

One of the most memorable scenes in An Inconvenient Truth is when Al Gore makes the sea level rise 20 feet and inundate various low-lying regions of the world, including Manhattan and Florida. It was suitably squirm-inducing, especially if the viewer happened to live in one of the areas shown. For the rest of us, or at least for me, however, the lingering question has been, "what would it look like where I live?" Now, thanks to Google's mapping API and the ingenuity of one Alex Tingle, we have Flood Maps, where you can view any part of the world and raise the sea level in 1 meter increments, up to 14 meters (about 46 feet).

Behold, Seattle:

Somehow this isn't as much light-hearted fun as Sim Earth.

For story: Getting a jump on waterfront property speculation
4 Comments | Post a Comment

Re:

From High Country News' blog, GOAT, editor Jonathan Thompson was wondering along the same lines--what would happen to his Colorado home when climate change really hits us hard. He went to Climate Appraisal Services LLC to find out.

I tried the free sample report, and must admit that it cheered me up, for a moment: My home will not be adversely affected by shoreline reduction. I was too cheap, and scared, to pay the $30 required to get the drought and fire, insect or disease report. Which is probably just fine. I'm kind of enjoying the sunny mood of the day.

Stephanie

by Stephanie Paige Ogburn at 5:45 PM on 27 Mar 2007

My house is clearly visible in that picture

The water gets to within 300 yards of it at the north tip of Lake Union.

In the end, it all comes down to biodiversity. Poison Darts--Protecting the biodiversity of our world

by biodiversivist at 8:55 AM on 29 Mar 2007

Imagine it the other way round

Ok, great...now imagine it the other way around!

Imagine the whole Puget Sound filling in because of sea level drops. It could happen as the ice melts off the tundra...allowing more water saturation. Also, higher temperatures mean greater amounts of water vapour (which increase temperatures). That water is already pushing back the deserts in Africa (and helping to feed the starving by creating more farmland).

Imagine suddenly if your Yarrow Bay condominium is suddenly looking out over a sea -- of other condomiums as the water level in Lake Washington drops...

by jabailo at 9:06 AM on 29 Mar 2007

Re: Imagine it the other way round

I can't imagine why you'd want to, jabailo. Kent's going to be beachfront, from the look of things. Or maybe another arm of Puget Sound ...

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by Corey McKrill at 10:27 AM on 29 Mar 2007
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