Rising Tide

Study details the impact that rising sea levels would have on Georgia’s coast

The waters off Georgia’s coast are rising, slowly but surely.

As measured at Fort Pulaski in Savannah, the sea level is rising by nearly 3 millimeters a year. It may not sound like much, but that’s nearly a foot over a 100-year period.

Most experts, in fact, expect a sea level rise of at least a meter or more – that’s about three feet – by 2100.

What does a steadily rising sea mean for Georgia’s coast? That’s the question a team of researchers at the University of Georgia’s River Basin Center spent the past two years studying.

Using sophisticated computer mapping software, researchers detailed how rising waters could affect Georgia’s entire coast, from Tybee to Cumberland Island. They looked at everything from changes in land type – how much dry land would become inundated at high tide – to how an influx of saltwater would change the varied types of habitat along the coast.

The findings are eye-opening. The percentage of undeveloped dry land on the coast is projected to fall by 8 percent by 2100, while open water could increase by 10 percent.

The entire report can be found here.

The study took a particularly in-depth look at how sea level rise would affect Glynn County, home to Brunswick, St. Simons Island and Sea Island. Glynn was selected because detailed data was available to support a high-resolution modeling effort.

Color-coded maps of Brunswick (right) show areas of the city that could be inundated at high tide and a corresponding increase in the amount of open water and tidal wetlands.

Researchers stressed the report should not be used to say which streets or buildings would be washed away by 2100. Instead, it should be used as a guideline to help inform citizens, business and industry leaders, developers, and elected officials as they make important development and land-use decisions.

The Georgia Conservancy has created a fact sheet to help you understand the project, the findings and the potential implications for coastal Georgia.

Download a copy of the fact sheet.

The Georgia Conservancy created a PowerPoint presentation to disseminate the information provided by the study. So far, Conservancy staff has presented it to a number of important audiences, including local planners, developers, and land conservation groups. In August, the presentation was also given to the attendees of the Georgia Environmental Conference.

These presentations are making a difference. Local planning committees have recommended that the presentation be given at future meetings. In addition, the study is being used by Chatham County as it discusses increasing the buffer zone that separates new development from wetland and marsh areas.


Download the PowerPoint presentation that was given at these meetings.


The study was funded by a grant from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration and was administered by the Coastal Resources Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Partners include: