Let's think big about solutions

These days when people say a city is sinking, it's often a euphemism for rising sea levels. That would be true of New York City, for example, where a bedrock of granite keeps the surface intact. But the city of Norfolk, Virginia, where I live, is one of several places around the globe literally sinking—even as the waters rise up around it. The reasons for this are well-known:

• Neighborhoods have been built on wetlands and the porous soil is gradually compressing
• Drinking water pumped from aquifers has caused ground subsidence
• The weight of retreating glaciers to the north uplifted the coast—and that uplift is still reversing
• And—oh, by the way—the entire region teeters on the rim of the Chesapeake Bay impact crater, which is slowly pulling land into itself like a magnet.

Once you add sea-level rise to the mix, you can see why Norfolk ranks second behind New Orleans as a U.S. city most at risk from rising water. The good news is Norfolk officials appear to be on top of this. From what I've been able to gather, there's even a sense the city may turn liability into advantage. Imagine a scenario where Norfolk takes the lead on innovation, where solutions developed here become models for the nation. It could happen. That's why I started this blog. Because that's what I think we should do.

In the coming weeks and months I'll be sharing results from my research on this subject. I plan to see how other countries and cities are addressing sea-level rise. Who are the innovators? What is the cost-benefit analysis? What are the specific challenges we face right here in Tidewater?

Let me be clear from the start: I have a vested interest in the outcome. My neighborhood and my house are at risk from tidal flooding. I'm also a believer in public works projects, of investing in infrastructure. Sea level rise is no small problem. Let's think big about solutions.