Land in Juneau Rising as Alaska Glaciers Melt

In most coastal areas threatened by global warming, it’s rising seas that are a big concern. But in Juneau, Alaska, the opposite is true. As the glaciers melt, the land is actually rising, causing the sea to recede. As a result, the region’s ecology – and geography – is changing rapidly.

From The New York Times:

The geology is complex, but it boils down to this: Relieved of billions of tons of glacial weight, the land has risen much as a cushion regains its shape after someone gets up from a couch. The land is ascending so fast that the rising seas — a ubiquitous byproduct of global warming — cannot keep pace. As a result, the relative sea level is falling, at a rate “among the highest ever recorded,” according to a 2007 report by a panel of experts convened by Mayor Bruce Botelho of Juneau.

Greenland and a few other places have experienced similar effects from widespread glacial melting that began more than 200 years ago, geologists say. But, they say, the effects are more noticeable in and near Juneau, where most glaciers are retreating 30 feet a year or more.

As the sea level falls, streams and wetlands are drying out and channels that were once navigable are being silted up. People can actually wade across the Gastineau Channel, where large boats once were able to sail. Eventually, experts say, Douglas Island will be linked to the mainland by dry land, effectively erasing all 4,000 acres of the boggy Mendenhall Wetlands State Game Refuge.

This surprising revelation simply highlights the fact that we can’t predict the ways in which climate change will affect the earth. And, the unexpected effects can be just as devastating as those scientists have already predicted.

Link [The New York Times]
Photo credit: Michael Penn for The New York Times

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