20160614 - sealevel rise

Global sea levels have risen about 15 to 17 centimeters (six to seven inches) since the early 1900s, according to the latest estimates by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). This may not seem like a lot, but the effects of this change are already visible, and most concerningly, the rate of sea level rise is likely to accelerate. Scientists estimate sea level rise is occurring faster now than during any of the past 28 centuries.
While smaller island nations face the most imminent threats from sea level rise, people around the U.S. are starting to document its impacts and are preparing to adapt to a changed coastline. Below are a few recent examples.
Saltwater Intrusion in the Everglades
The Everglades surrounding Florida’s coast are the largest flooded grasslands in the U.S., covering two million acres along the central and southern coast. They protect the coastline from floods, support agriculture, and filter water from the Biscayne Aquifer beneath, which provides drinking water for 90 percent of south Floridians.
Sea level rise may threaten these important ecosystem functions. Saltwater from the ocean is seeping in, infiltrating the porous bedrock and mixing with water in the freshwater Everglades. This process is causing the peat (nutrient-rich organic matter that supports the grasslands) to “slump,” severely constraining plant growth.

 http://www.calacademy.org/explore-science/adapting-to-sea-level-rise-in-the-us