In December, Oregon State University scientists reported finding a series of growing cracks in Antarctica’s Thwaites Glacier, which could lead that Florida-sized shelf of ice to collapse and accelerate sea level rise worldwide in as little as five years. In 2018, University of Washington scientists forecast that seas in Washington state would rise another 19 to 24 inches this century, with greater amounts possible but unlikely. The ongoing rise of the oceans is expected to accelerate, given the heat-trapping greenhouse gas pollution that has accumulated in the atmosphere. Rising sea levels are a more lasting threat. King tides can temporarily threaten all sorts of coastal infrastructure. “BNSF usually does a really good job of maintaining their infrastructure.”Ī University of Washington study in 2013 called inundation of the seaside rail line a less-likely impact of climate change on the coastal rail line than worsening mudslides, depending how fast global sea levels rise. “There’s no known issues or concerns yet,” said Laura Kingman, spokesperson for the Washington state Department of Transportation, which oversees Amtrak passenger service on BNSF’s seaside line. In an email, BNSF Railway spokesperson Lena Kent said BNSF has made "significant investments" in sea walls and rock piles in recent years to protect its key freight corridor along Puget Sound. As disruptive as king tides can be, they also serve to highlight what areas most need to gird themselves or otherwise adapt to rising seas.
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