Coastal Health
Intertidal Wonderland.
Coastal Health Dashboard
The ocean covers 70% of our planet and holds immense power over our present and future. How is Southern California's coastline doing? Click to explore the map, import your own layers, and make and print your own maps!
Sea level rise is more than just simple water displacement. Sea levels vary with coastline conditions, tidal patterns, temperature, weather, and topography.
Hover over the flip boxes below to see whether the CAUSES and EFFECTS of sea level rise are reversible. And find out what we can do about them!
Read more about sea level rise at this link.
Runoff
IRREVERSIBLE.
Focus on future prevention.
Everything we do on land impacts the ocean, just as the ocean impacts our life on land. Urban runoff from impermeable surfaces contributes X to the ocean each year, also washing trash and toxins into the oceans. Once urban runoff enters the ocean, it cannot be taken back. But we can PREVENT more urban runoff. Solutions such as Sponge City attempt to absorb urban runoff before it happens, increasing water and filtration in urban areas.
Heat
REVERSIBLE!
The ocean absorbs heat. As global temperatures increase, ocean water expands, contributing to sea level rise. This is called "thermal expansion." By cooling the planet, we can also reduce thermal expansion. Like air, the ocean is at different temperatures and levels all over the globe. Sea levels vary with geography and local and global conditions. Lowering carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions, moving away from oil and gas, and shifting to renewable energy will make the most difference for land and ocean alike. We need to work hard to chill out!
Inundation
IRREVERSIBLE.
BUT PREVENTABLE!
When seawater enters a local aquifer (or underground water source), it permanently contaminates it, making it unable to support ecosystems and unsuitable for human consumption. For example, one aquifer in Torrance was contaminated with sea water in xxx. This cannot be reversed. Tackling carbon emissions and heat that contribute to sea level rise will prevent inundation.
Sinking
IRREVERSIBLE.
BUT PREVENTABLE!
Sometimes land begins to sink--called subsidence--for many reasons. Some of these are in our control, such as water overdraft, mining, oil drilling, fracking. Some aren't, such as earthquakesl. In combination with sea level rise, land subsidence has the potential to take out entire coastal communities. Charting and modeling land subsidence is closely monitored by groups like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Following the science will always lead the way.
Read about solutions here!
Melting
IRREVERSIBLE.
Needs URGENT Prevention.
Melting glaciers, icebergs, and permafrost* contribute to sea level rise all over the world. Once melted, the water that enters the ocean cannot be taken back; glaciers, icebergs, and permafrost cannot be refrozen. These contribute x amount to ocean levels each year, and this number is continuing to increase annually. Cutting global greenhouse gas emissions and using nature-based solutions to climate change will help us prevent further damage!
Flooding
REVERSIBLE.
Coastal areas are flooding with increased frequency and leave devastation in their wake. But the damage they do is usually temporary. Luckily, we can prevent flooding by practicing better water management and both drawing down and halting additional planet warming GHG emissions.
Erosion
IRREVERSIBLE.
When the ocean erodes a shoreline, we can't reverse that outcome. With sea level rise, storms that combine with high tides--called storm surges--are flooding coastal areas with increased frequency. If that inundation erodes coastal lands, that has a permanent impact. Scientists are predicting a global decrease in beaches and in sand by 2050. How old will you be by then? Let's make change now so this doesn't happen!
Click here for ideas!
Storm Surge
REVERSIBLE!
When a high tide combines with a storm, look out. Storm surges create the temporary inundation of coastal areas, destroying roads, flooding homes, and sometimes costing lives. Sea level rise, ocean warming, and climate change are causing storm surges to happen more frequently. Solutions such as wetlands restoration or mangrove barriers provide multiple benefits: slowing water, protecting human built environments, cooling things down, and providing habitat for critters!
From Seaweed to Sequestration: Taking Ocean-Based Solutions with a Grain of Salt
Mass consumption, runoff, pollution, and climate effects must be managed in order to preserve our beautiful, unique ocean biome. Rising temperatures, acidification, overfishing, and pollution are compounding threats to the health of our oceans. Plus, we have some particular challenges in Southern California--from global shipping to "upwelling," a geographical feature that gives us twice the rate of acidification as other places!
These challenges endanger marine biodiversity, coastal resilience, and the many livelihoods dependent on marine resources. The Blue-Green Economy can be part of a Marine Just Transition. See the blue green incubator ALTASEA for inspiration and ideas.
Marine Carbon Capture, Kelp Restoration, Seaweed Farming, Blue Carbon Credits, Wave Energy Generation...energy, scale, and science all work together to create a range of ocean-based climate solutions that work with the ocean instead of compromising it further. The Ports of LA and Long Beach are working hard to figure out how to plan for climate and economic challenges.
Ocean Health: Story Maps & Videos
Why is Ocean Health Critical?
How We Can Keep Plastics Out of Our Ocean
Can the ocean run out of oxygen?
Will the ocean ever run out of fish?
