While Tropical Storm Albert passed through South Padre Island last week, it was a reminder that living on or near a coastal line can be hazardous. Flooding is expected on the roads, and when ocean tides are high, it can create anxiety and uncertainty among residents and visitors. While SPI and the Rio Grande Valley may be going through a current drought, it does not prevent sea levels from rising. South Padre Island is currently seven feet above sea level. Still, a major climate research program believes parts of the Island will be at zero feet by 2050, which could force future generations to go elsewhere when deciding on vacation destinations.
Climate Central is one of the leaders in the industry of climate change and environmental shifts worldwide. They can predict how the world will look using data such as global elevation and population. One tool they have created is an interactive map that shows projections on rising Sea Levels. The map considers annual floods from a tropical storm or hurricane, sea-level pollution, and good-to-bad luck involving general precipitation in the area they research. While searching South Padre Island on the internet, the map shows an increasing area that will become below sea level around the year 2050.
Climate Central’s Vice President of Communications, Peter Girard, explained all the scenarios anyone can see using their map. Girard said that while the map was not created to cause worry among residents living near a body of water, it is essential to show the changes happening and how cities will look different in future years. (The interactive map goes all the way to the year 2150.) He added that being below sea level is not bad as long as the city has the right solutions to counteract the situation. Girard told Island Matters that they work with cities on solutions but did not say if the City of South Padre Island has reached out.
Island Matters emailed all City Council members on June 5th to address this situation and the map and ask whether any internal discussion had occurred. As of today, no response has yet been given by any of the City Council members.
Rising sea levels are alarming to South Padre Island, but with proper planning and addressing this issue, the Island can remain a safe and fun tourist destination for years to come.
