| Abstract: |
According to a recent report by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, global warming will have two pronounced effects upon coastal communities. Sea level will rise dramatically in the next 100 years and the intensity and frequency of storms, especially hurricanes, will increase. We explored three flooding scenarios for the Town of South Kingstown, RI: a conservative sea level rise projection of 3 feet, a drastic sea level rise estimation of 5 feet, and a potential hurricane storm surge of 20 feet. Using ArcGIS products and South Kingstown'ss high resolution elevation data, we sought to determine what areas will be inundated in the three scenarios. In addition estimating flooded areas, we considered the economic damage and the potential disruption to both the Town's infrastructure and its hurricane evacuation plan. Results suggest that millions of dollars of real property will be lost due to even the most conservative sea level rise estimation. Fortunately, even at a maximum storm surge potential, the majority of the Town'ss infrastructure and hurricane evacuation plans will be unaffected. The full results of this project are of great importance to the Town's Planning Department and Emergency Management Department as they attempt to adapt to a changing world. |