22-05-2025
Scientists issue warning over troubling new threat facing historic US landmark: 'Something we should be worried about'
Though Alcatraz is known as one of the most notorious jails and iconic landmarks in U.S. history, its location may soon be a thing of the past.
Because of rising global temperatures and melting ice sheets in the Arctic, California's coast could experience massive sea level rise in the near future. According to a report by the California Legislature's Nonpartisan Fiscal and Policy Advisor, the Pacific Ocean could rise by around half a foot by 2030 and around seven feet by 2100.
"Periodic events like storms and high tides will produce even higher water levels and increase the risk of flooding," the report reads. "Rising seas will also erode coastal cliffs, dunes, and beaches, which will affect shorefront structures and recreation."
Specifically, areas such as Alcatraz face a significant threat in the San Francisco Bay. The island's shoreline is susceptible to increased erosion and flooding, which could impact buildings and ecosystems. Scientists and conservationists have been working to monitor and mitigate these effects through 3D mapping and other strategies.
After 29 years of operation, the federal penitentiary at Alcatraz closed in 1963 because of high operational costs. President Donald Trump has recently said he wants to see it reopened, but since then, the island has not only become an in-demand attraction for over a million tourists a year, but it is home to a variety of wildlife as well.
Alcatraz has developed into a haven, particularly for birds, because of its isolation and unique habitat. It's a popular spot for viewing colonial nesting of birds such as cormorants, gulls, night herons, and egrets.
However, rising sea levels have led to the potential of habitat loss for many of these birds. "There are portions of the island that are eroding, and with this pinpoint in time we'll be able to do future scans and see what has changed and what parts of the island has had more impacts than others," Golden Gate National Recreation Area archeologist Peter Gavette told CBS News.
"Sea level rise is something we should be worried about, the impacts that we will have on our coastal communities," Gavette added.
In order to better forecast the impacts of sea level rise at Alcatraz, scientists have deployed 3D mapping of the island in order to evaluate which locations are most at risk of erosion.
Pete Kelsey, owner of VCTO Labs and a member of the 3D mapping team, says that the technology has become a useful tool to raise awareness of the dangers of sea level rise. "We know what's coming," Kelsey told CBS. "So, the 3D map is not only immersive and engaging but it pertains to the broader conversation about sea level rise."
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