Economic evaluation of sea-level rise adaptation strongly influenced by hydrodynamic feedbacks Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Significance As sea levels rise, coastal cities will rely on shoreline protection strategies such as levees and seawalls to mitigate flooding. Although these strategies provide local flood-reduction benefits, they can increase inundation along other shorelines within the same estuary or bay. Using hydrodynamic and economic models, we quantify previously unmeasured regional economic damages (up to $723 million per flood event) that result from the protection of individual shoreline segments in San Francisco Bay, CA. We also highlight and quantify opportunities to alleviate regional flood damage through strategic floodwater storage in low-lying areas. Integrating the findings into coordinated planning efforts that account for the regional impacts of local shoreline actions could provide opportunities to reduce shared risk in coastal regions globally.