Vulnerability of coastal Connecticut to sea level rise: land inundation and impacts to residential property

Abstract

ABSTRACT Vulnerability indices at the global or national scales require considerable data aggregation where local economic and social impacts remain unnoticed. The goal of this study was to analyze the extent of inundated land from sea level rise and its economic impacts to residential property in coastal communities. Geographic data were integrated with economic and social data at parcel level resolution through GIS. Cumulative land inundation in seven coastal municipalities was calculated as 15 and 25 km2, while direct economic costs to residential property was estimated to be $1.3 billion and $2.2 billion for 1 and 2 m sea level rise, respectively. Normalised results were $14 million/km coastline and $4 million/km combined coastline and rivers for 1 m sea level rise. Results indicate that while impacts will mainly occur along the coastline, inland parcels as far as 3 km from the coastline situated along rivers are equally at risk of flooding. While results of the study can be used to estimate economic impacts for other locations that share similar geographic characteristics and development patterns, land use types, proximity to water bodies, and property values are some factors that may lead to differences when these numbers are extrapolated elsewhere.