Assessing the direct economic costs of sea level rise and storm tide damage in coastal communities using tide gauge data and depth-damage functions

Abstract

Sea levels are rising as a result of climate change and thereby amplifying the risk of tidal and storm flooding in coastal communities. Flooding is problematic, leading to many types of damages, particularly destruction or degradation of property due to contact with floodwater. The increasing vulnerability of coastal property to permanent inundation and temporary flooding raises concerns about the potential economic damages in coastal communities. Recent literature on the impacts of climate change identifies the economic risks in coastal areas as an important knowledge gap. Numerous studies have provided aggregate estimates of populations and property at risk to various aspects of climate change, yet detailed estimates of economic costs at the local level are limited. The three essays comprising this doctoral dissertation develop a quantitative approach to evaluate the direct economic costs of coastal flooding from sea level rise and storm tide, taking into account local complexities and subtleties in fine detail. Sea level rise losses, storm damages, and future storm damages with sea level rise are projected for two case study areas in Milford, Connecticut using depth-damage functions, high-resolution elevation and spatial data, and local tide gauge data.