Two new articles from two different areas on two different coasts. Both Neskowin, Oregon and the Norfolk-Virginia Beach metropolitan area are working to move beyond debating a changing climate to discussing what they’re going to do about it.
Neskowin: a community with a disappearing beach
An article in OregonLive describes how this small community (population 169, at the time of the 2000 census) is struggling to adapt to a new reality of higher seas and bigger waves. The old approach of adding riprap to protect shorelines simply isn’t working any more, with half-football chunks of beach disappearing rapidly, and some condos no longer habitable during stormy months.
Now, the locals have formed a committee aimed at saving their oceanfront way of life. And not a moment too soon, say scientists, who warn that the Pacific is trying to work its way right into the heart of town.
“The future is pretty bleak for Neskowin,” said Jonathan Allan, coastal geomorphologist with the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries. “What we’ve seen is that 10 to 15 years ago, Neskowin had a very broad beach, a very well-developed fore dune that provided protection to homes built there.
“Today, virtually the entire length of Neskowin (which is about 20 feet above sea level) is protected by riprap,” he said, referring to the stacks of boulders used to protect shorelines. “The entire shoreline has been hardened and if you actually look at the history of that shoreline-hardening process, the bulk of it has gone in since 1999.”
The bright side is that the work Neskowin does today may provide the answers for coastal communities facing the same problems in the future — a highly likely scenario, Allan said.
Rather than just stepping back and giving up, the town is starting to actively look for solutions to protect their community, and has formed the Neskowin Coastal Hazards Committee, a group of scientists, professors, state and county employees. You can read the letter that they sent to their residents here (PDF).
“Pacific Ocean Threatens to Gobble Up Oregon Beach Towns” (OregonLive.com)
Norfolk-Virginia Beach
An editorial by Dr. James V. Koch in the Daily Press argues that the Hampton Roads region (population ~1.7 million) needs to take a similar approach, and do it yesterday.
. . . in the future, even minor storms will cover us with water and that this will happen several times per year. If a major storm strikes us during a time of high tide, then nothing less than a huge disaster will be the result. Let’s be concrete. The 2009 State of the Region report predicts that nearly all land east of Route 17, both on the Peninsula and Southside, will flood during significant storms. This will cause tremendous property damage, throttle economic activity, force evacuations and almost surely result in a loss of lives.
Flooding, then, may be the issue of the 21st century for Hampton Roads. Yes, our transportation challenges are immense, but even the best roads are of no use if they are under water.
No, he argues, this won’t be cheap. But doing nothing isn’t an option.
. . . Remember our debates over issues such as the boat tax and the car tax? The financial stakes attached to these laws will seem like small potatoes in the future as we come to grips with the costs of dealing with rising ocean levels. It is time for our elected officials to take notice.
“The Sea is Rising and Coastal Land is Sinking, and Local Leaders Should Make Flooding A Priority Issue” (Daily Press)
Is your community taking steps to protect itself from storms, floods, and erosion? Are the experiences of these two communities applicable for yours? Let us know in the comments!
Photo: IrisDragon