Tectonic Land Level Changes & their Contribution to Sea-Level Rise

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Funding is available through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to complete work that will evaluate and quantify the two primary factors driving observed sea level changes in Northern California; eustatic sea level rise (ESLR) and tectonic land level changes. Local sea level changes will be mapped by incorporating land and sea level observations through deployment of temparary tide gages (at historic locations previously obseved) and analysis of existing historic (1931-1988) level line surveys. The new sea level observations (6-9 months) will facilitate development of a 34-year trend (1978 - 2012) in sea level change in the vicinity of Humboldt Bay, as well as provide information about potential tectonic land level changes that will be verified through analysis of the land-based level surveys. Trends in land and sea level change in north coastal California determined from this study, when integrated with the work of Dr. Ray Weldon and colleagues at University of Oregon, fills an important data gap regarding coastal uplift and subsidence in the southern Cascadia subduction zone. In addition to helping complete the coastal uplift & suubsidence distribution along the Cascadia margin, the results of this study will provide necessary baseline information that can be used by land managers and planners in Northern California to anticipate and plan for changes in sea level over the next century. Because ongoing land-level changes exceed ESLR in some locations, determining these spatial and temporal trends are crucial to determining the local sea-level trends in Northern California. Cascadia GeoSciences is uniquely qualified and is selected for this work based on their initiation and developement of a diverse and qualified team of scientists and partners. They have the specialized expertise needed to complete this work in an efficient and cost effective manner. They have extensive and specialized experience in working with tectonics of the Cascadia subduction zone and understanding the impacts of land level and sea-level changes to coastal resources. The organization is a part of the Humboldt Bay Initiative which includes numerous agencies, managers, and scientists focused on coastal resources management and impacts to these resources.

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