Rising sea levels could swallow California's delta islands

[villager]

Source: AP

Rising sea levels could swallow California's delta islands
By GARANCE BURKE Associated Press Writer

BETHEL ISLAND, Calif.- For 20 years, Jim Saathoff has built his private refuge from the urban hustle, making his home on an island in the vast freshwater delta that feeds into San Francisco Bay.

Water skiers ply the gray-green river within view of his front porch. A short walk from his home, he can cast off to fish for sturgeon, salmon and striped bass. His two children ran wild exploring the farm fields, private marinas and hideaways of the fertile islands where the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers twine.

Saathoff's idyllic life may not last forever. By the time his 11-year-old grandson is ready to have children of his own, scientists predict the delta's network of islands will be imperiled by the rising tides and mountain flood waters caused by global climate change.

Some islands sit 25 feet below sea level, kept dry only by an aging network of fragile levees that channel snowmelt from the Sierra and hold back tidal surges from the bay. Geologists say the 5,000 residents of the nation's lowest inhabited point near a coastline could be forced out, becoming the first climate change refugees in the United States.

"If global warming keeps up, in a few years this will be waterfront property," said Saathoff, 56, a steamfitter who has raised his house onto an iron platform 20 feet above ground. "We'll just be able to drive the boat up and dock right off the porch."

The majority of the U.S. population lives along a coastline.

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Read more: http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_6046990

[kestrel91316]

1. Headline should read "will" rather than "could", lol.

On the upside: there will be NEW islands created - whoopee!!!!!

[truedelphi]

2. This is a very valid theory - the coastlines are shrinking

Yet projects that willnot even be completed in the next five to ten years are still being planned
as usual to be built along low level areas.

Marin County CA's exp
Similiar public ventures for San Francisco coastline.

No forethought in terms of the rising tides and sinking buildings.

[villager]

3. apparently, this unplanned "planning" includes the new ballparks

for the A's & 49ers, which may well find themselves waterlogged after awhile...

[Javaman]

5. Water polo will become the new craze in the future. nt

[hunter]

4. Sadly, we will probably pay more attention to flooded U.S. suburbs...

... multi-million dollar homes falling into the sea, wrecked sports stadiums, and impassable commuter highways than we do to homeless third world people starving.

[truedelphi]

8. Yep a whole plethora of islanders moved out or wiped out

Or half a dozen mega million dollar homes falling - which will the news reports focus on?

[pscot]

6. How high's the water, mama?

Three feet high and risin'
How high's the water, papa?
Three feet high and risin'

Well, the hives are gone,
I've lost my bees
The chickens are sleepin'
In the willow trees
Cow's in water up past her knees,
Three feet high and risin'

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