“Can seawalls help American cities adapt to coastal flooding?”

Purpose This study aims to combine information about sea level rise (SLR), the probability distribution of storm surge, a flood damage function and value property by elevation along coast selected cities measure expected damage. The six all have nearby long-term tidal stations that can be used estimate floods. model is calibrated each city. then compares cost building higher seawalls today versus benefit wall (the reduction in damage). Design/methodology/approach combination coastal storms SLR has led extensive across American cities. creates simple generic evaluates whether would effective at addressing this flooding problem. paper develops an approach readily measures benefits costs alternative seawalls. takes account near term surge. finds are only where many buildings 25-year plain. Findings Cities with built on land below 2 m plain) high from SLR. which already plain Assuming above tide line, optimal height maximizes net between 0.9 1.2 m. These relatively low block 70%–83% these Fair insurance least strategy for handling remaining damages overtop Research limitations/implications analysis or not build seawall length city lines. However, also several long stretches two warranted because there few vulnerable buildings. Future analyses should consider more spatially detailed sections Each section could analyzed independently. Whether complex hydrodynamic models needed evaluate resilience planning explored. Alternative solutions such as planned retreat nature-based compared future studies well. Practical implications careful avoid development areas subject frequent reduce flooding. Because they very costly benefits, walls stop one-hundred-year generally worth building. Social reveals most important factor determining vulnerability eastern coastline USA number plain). use zoning discourage further city-wide mean high-high tide, current modest – averaging 0.9–1.2 ground. Using fair risk less expensive than taller walls. In particular, protect against major hurricane surge over three times built. As decades pass observed progresses, boundary reevaluated. Originality/value combines surges easy calibrate making it practical tool guide planning. authors illustrate what insights gives Eastern US coastline.