Sea level rise: Much of Myrtle Beach area stands to see flooding by 2020

photo by flickr user jelene

We all assume a certain amount of risk living in Myrtle Beach.  The sea sometimes gets angry, my friends, and flooding is always a possibility.  But what about when she stays seemingly calm, yet rises just a tad year by year?  The results could be devastating and may be seen in our lifetime.

A global warming awareness group is using data from new papers and a unique approach to help spread awareness of the risks tied with sea level rise.  Climate Central created a website that combines detailed map data with a Google Maps-style interface to make it easier to explore where the biggest risks are.

This map shows how much of a risk the Grand Strand and the surrounding areas bear of being submerged at least once by 2020 — or, more specifically, the non-white areas have at least 1-in-6 chance of being underwater at least once by 2020 thanks to the combined effects of sea level rise, tides, and storm surges.

By 2100 the report gives our are a 1-in-6 chance of seeing a rise at least once of more than 10 feet — something that would easily swallow those areas bordering the Intercoastal Waterway, bodies of water out in Conway, and much of Murrells Inlet and Pawleys Island.

Check out the doomsday Grand Strand map over here.  It's interactive, so scroll down to see the areas likely to be most effected, south of Myrtle Beach.  You can also adjust the water level slider to see the predicted changes as time goes on.

Perhaps it's time to start researching stock purchases in kayak companies.

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