FIGURE 1-4 



GLOBAL SEA LEVEL RISE SCENARIOS 



(inches) (cm) 



1980 



2000 



2025 



2050 



2075 



2100 



Key 



Current Trend 



A 

 O 



EPA high, mid-high, mid-low, and low scenarios 

 (Hoffman et al. 1983) 



Hoffman et al. (1986) high and low estimates 



NAS estimate (Revelle 1983) 



Polar Research Board high and low estimates (Meier et al. 1985) 



Thomas (1986) high and low estimates 



Note: The EPA 1983 Mid-Low and Mid-High scenarios are called "low" and 'high" for the 

 remainder of this chapter and throughout Chapters 2, 3, and 4. 



In this study, we examine the implications of the mid-low and mid-high scenarios from 

 Hoffman et al. (1983), shown in Table 1-1 and Figure 1-4. (For simplicity, we call these scenarios 

 "low" and "high.") Although it might be desirable to undertake a worst-case analysis of a larger 

 rise, the scenarios we used are broadly representative of the studies that have been undertaken so 

 far. Because much of the U.S. coast is sinking, the relative rise at a particular location will 

 generally be greater. Table 1-2 lists the expected rise in sea level under the low and high 

 scenarios for different areas of the United States. 



