Scientists issue urgent warnings about future of vital US land: 'We don't have a lot of time'
A large California wetland has shrunk significantly, new research showed, and faces a major threat because of rising sea levels.
What's happening?
The Suisun Marsh, California's largest tidal wetland, is a part of the San Francisco Estuary, which provides water to millions of people and a home to thousands of wildlife species. In short, it's a vital ecological system in one of the United States' most populated areas.
A new study showed that the marsh has undergone drastic changes since California achieved statehood, according to Maven's Notebook, a publication dedicated to California water issues.
Since the mid-19th century, the study stated, the Suisun's tidal marsh area has shrunk by roughly 80%, and more than 33,000 acres of diked wetland have fallen below mean tide levels.
Most concerning, however, may be the effect that rising sea levels have had on the marsh and the impact they seem likely to have on its future. The report showed that, as global waters continue to rise, the Suisun's diked wetlands lose soil each year, making the marshes "vulnerable to submergence."
Why are rising sea levels concerning?
Rising sea levels are one of the many environmental effects of our rapidly warming planet. Last year, NASA data showed, global sea levels rose by nearly a quarter-inch.
Although that doesn't sound like much on its own, it's considerably higher than the 0.17 inches that had been predicted. Since 1993, sea levels have risen by 4 inches, with the rate of rise more than doubling.
This rise is driven by two primary causes. As temperatures increase, glaciers and ice caps melt, raising levels. Those temperatures, along with windy weather, can also cause water in our oceans to get hotter and expand.
As sea levels rise, coastal communities and wildlife could be at risk. Flood-prone communities will also be more prone to damage from extreme weather — and, as temperatures increase, so does the frequency and severity of weather events like floods and hurricanes.
What's being done to protect the Suisun Marsh?
More than a decade ago, officials adopted a 30-year Suisun Marsh restoration plan. It set goals of improving diked-land management, strengthening levees, and keeping waters brackish.
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Since then, there are nearly 2,000 new acres of tidal marsh in the Suisun, the study showed. That's a step in the right direction, but as sea levels continue to rise, there's still much work to be done to reach the plan's lofty goals.
"I wouldn't say that the ship has sailed," study author Lydia Vaughn told Maven's Notebook. "But we don't have a lot of time. If we wait, it becomes much more stark."
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