Study: Sea level rise may severely impact Tampa by 2040 – WTSP
Article Synopsis – A study released by the City of Tampa and the county’s Planning Commission said that many low-lying areas could be flooded permanently by 2040 due to rising sea levels. Areas near Old Tampa Bay, MacDill Air Force Base, McKay Bay, the Tampa Bypass Canal and Tampa General Hospital are particularly vulnerable.
This article has some confusing wording that I’d like to clarify. The author refers to areas that are “vulnerable if sea level rise is not mitigated” and then later states “if sea levels continue to rise, the city and county prepared a contingency plan to understand where the impact will be felt the most.” To be clear, sea levels will continue to rise. The amount of excess heat that we have already put into the ocean guarantees sea level rise of at least four feet higher than present, at an absolute minimum. Sea levels will not go down for at least a thousand years. We can mitigate our carbon emissions and temperature increase, thereby slowing the rate of sea level rise and how high it ultimately rises, but we cannot stop it altogether.
The article also quotes attorney Stephen Tilbrook as saying, “Increasing temperatures of the ocean water, causes the oceans to expand. The melting of the polar ice caps, also increases sea levels”. While increasing temperatures of the ocean (also called thermal expansion) does contribute to sea level rise, it is negligible in comparison to the melting of the ice sheets on Antarctica and Greenland. The melting of floating arctic sea ice does not directly affect sea levels. To read the actual article click here.