An interactive map shows how parts of Maryland could end up underwater as sea levels rise because of climate change.
The state is particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels because of its nearly 3,200 miles of shoreline and extensive low-lying coastal land.
A recent report by the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science and the Maryland Commission on Climate Change projected that sea levels will rise in the state 1-1.6 feet by 2050. By 2100, the increase could be as much as 4.9 feet in a more extreme scenario, the report said.
"Maryland is one of the most vulnerable states in the United States, and Chesapeake Bay in particular has a lot of low-lying coastline that's going to be inundated with sea level rise," Bill Dennison, the interim president of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, told Newsweek.
He said that the main reasons why Maryland is vulnerable—in addition to the land being low-lying—are due to the issue of sinking land, and offshore ocean currents like the Gulf Stream leading to elevated sea level.
The map by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) allows users to see how different parts of the United States would be affected if sea levels rose by various amounts.
If sea levels rose by 3 feet, several areas along Maryland's coast would be submerged, particularly areas on the Chesapeake Bay. The bay, which is the largest estuary in the United States, is a major attraction, with several waterfront towns and ports.
Chesapeake Bay is also home to numerous islands, including Smith Island and Tangier Island, which would be underwater if sea levels rose.
More of the state's coastal areas would be encroached on by water if sea levels were to rise by 6 feet, which, according to the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, is a scenario that "cannot be ruled out."
Large portions of the waterfront areas of Annapolis, the state's capital, would be underwater in this scenario. Coastal parts of Baltimore, the state's most populous city, would also begin to be submerged.
Dennison said that there are already multiple visible impacts of sea level rise on Chesapeake Bay.
He said that salt marshes, which historically could keep up with rising sea levels through sediment accumulation and organic production, are now drowning due to reduced sediment flow.
He also said that sunny day flooding was becoming more of an issue in areas like downtown Annapolis and downtown Baltimore. Also known as nuisance flooding or high-tide flooding, this refers to floods that are not necessarily caused by rain.
Annapolis and Baltimore are the two cities most severely affected by nuisance flooding in the U.S. and the problem would only become greater as sea levels rise.
The NOAA's interactive map also allows users to click on certain streets and landmarks and view a projected image of how they would look if partially underwater.
The map shows how Thames Street in Baltimore would be partly submerged if sea levels rose by 3 feet, and how cars would be underwater if sea levels rose by 6 feet.
The risks of sea level rise are compounded by the fact that some parts of Maryland are sinking by more than 10 centimeters per decade, according to research from Virginia Tech and the U.S. Geological Survey.
The problem, known as land subsidence, is particularly affecting states on the East Coast. It happens partly due to natural geological processes and also from human activities such as the extraction of groundwater from deep in the earth.
Researchers pointed to parts of the Delmarva Peninsula, which spans Maryland and Delaware, as being a distortion hotspot, meaning that land is sinking at an accelerated rate.
Maryland has begun preparing for the risks posed by sea level rise. Dennison said that the state's resilience plans include adjusting infrastructure and flood-proofing emergency generators.
The state has also been allocated $107 million in federal funding to improve the climate resilience of its transportation systems through the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law.
"We're going to have to be preparing for sea level rise, regardless of what happens with our global greenhouse gas emissions. It's here to stay for the rest of the century, at least," Dennison said.
