Sandy Hook at Risk of Rising Sea Levels

The Statue of Liberty, Sandy Hook, Fort Hancock and all of the Gateway National Recreation Area are severely at risk of rising sea levels, according to a new report released by the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Sea levels will rise by 1 meter (3.2 feet) over the next 100 to 150 years, the National Park Service predicts. Once that occurs, there will be increased storm surge, coastal erosion, wetland and coastal plain flooding as well as freshwater springs and soil becoming overly salty, according to the study.

It’s not just Sandy Hook. Boston National Historic Park and Fort McHenry in Baltimore will also be affected by rising ocean water, and 10 national seashores along the East Coast are at risk, the report found. The report, which compiled data from the National Park Service, predicts that, in total, more than one-third of parks and other historic sites in the Northeast are in the high-exposure category to rising sea levels.

Photos: Wikimedia Commons.