Coastal Wetlands Face Flooding as Cities Sink Amid Rising Seas

WHO:

Phys.org - Coastal wetlands in the contiguous United States.

Science Daily - Coastal communities and their residents.

WHAT:

Phys.org - Rising sea levels are inundating US coastal wetlands, threatening to convert many into open water.

Science Daily - Coastal regions experience an average relative sea-level rise of about 6 millimeters per year, which is nearly three times the global coastal average.

WHERE:

Phys.org - Three coasts of the contiguous United States.

Science Daily - Densely populated coastal regions.

WHY:

Phys.org - Climate change is fueling the rapid rise in sea levels.

Science Daily - Contributing factors to land sinking include groundwater pumping, oil and gas extraction, heavy urban development, sediment compaction, and natural geological processes.

HOW:

Phys.org - Coastal wetlands are attempting to adapt by accumulating new sediments or moving inland as tides rise.

Science Daily - The average relative sea-level rise is exacerbated by various human activities and geological processes.

(UPDATED August 3, 2026 16:28 UTC)

Rising sea levels are increasingly threatening coastal wetlands across the contiguous United States, with many at risk of becoming open water due to climate change. Coastal regions are experiencing an average relative sea-level rise of about six millimeters per year, nearly three times the global coastal average, driven by factors like groundwater pumping and heavy urban development. In response, these wetlands are trying to adapt by accumulating new sediments or moving inland as tides continue to rise.