74 / 52
      77 / 57
      73 / 58

      UMD study shows climate change could cause severe D.C. flooding

      UMD study shows devastating effects of climate change


      University researchers say the issue will impact this generation and will only worsen for the next. Without intervention, experts warn, some of the most treasured areas of our nation's capital could be under water by the end of the century.

      "We can see shorelines moving 200 300 feet in the last 150 years so it's not a trivial issue, and it's not for lack of evidence, we believe in it," said Michael S. Kearney, a UMD Environmental Science Professor.

      A team of UMD researchers studied data from the Intergovernmental panel on climate change and applied the discussed scenarios to D.C. "The bottom line is it's gonna cost a lot of money to plan for this," Kearney said.


      "Access in and out of the city, unless you had a boat like Venice, would be very difficult," Kearney said.


      "There could be further almost dramatic rises if we have exceptional ice melts like in Antarctica," Kearney said.


      "The worst cost you could pay is the disaster that comes when the flood hits. That's where the big bucks are," said Christophe Tolou, the Director of the District's Department of the Environment (DDOE)


      "This is one we need to take seriously and start planning for. Sea level rise happens incrementally, so we do have time," Tolou said.
