Using GIS to Compare East Coast United States and South East Asia

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Using GIS to Compare East Coast United States and
South East Asia
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What is GIS?

• A geographic information system (GIS) is a
  computer-based tool for mapping and analyzing
  things that exist and events that happen on
  earth. -ESRI

Possibly the earliest use of the geographic
method, in 1854 John Snow depicted a cholera
outbreak in London using points to represent the
locations of some individual case. His study of
the distribution of cholera led to the source of
the disease, a contaminated water pump within the
heart of the cholera outbreak.
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How Can We Use It

• By using known elevations and predicted sea level
  rise we can input this data into a GIS software.
  We can then map and investigate areas that can be
  affected by potential sea level rise

Bangladesh, one of the world's poorest nations is
also the country most vulnerable to sea-level
rise. The population is already severely affected
by storm surges. Catastrophic events in the past
have caused damage up to 100 km inland. It is
hard to imagine to what extent these catastrophes
would be with accelerated sea-level rise.
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Examining Bangladesh
The data given here are course estimates, using
the same parameters as Delft Hydraulics.
(UNEP/Delft 1989)
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Examining Bangladesh
High population density areas will be inundated
with a modest 1-3m rise in sea level
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Examining the Mid-Atlantic
More than half of the regions population lives
near the coast, and communities and recreational
areas along the region's lengthy coastline are
already vulnerable to coastal flooding, erosion
and storms.  Sea-level rise due to global warming
would raise storm surge levels and increase the
risk of salt-water intrusion into coastal
groundwater resources and estuaries.  For
example, a scenario of a 24-inch rise in sea
level along Delaware's coast could mean
inundation of about 22,000 acres of land in the
state if no protective measures are taken. If sea
level rises faster than wetlands can migrate
inland, they would be inundated and eventually
lost.
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Examining the Mid-Atlantic
The cost for protecting and not protecting the
coasts from sea-level rise is incredibly high.
Looking at the picture on the right we can see
that a lot of land in the Delaware Bay and along
the coast will be lost.
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Land Loss in the Mid-Atlantic
Extensive mapping with a GIS software can inform
planners and city officials as to where there
will be the great loss of land due to predicted
sea level rise. With this knowledge officials can
make changes to the zoning laws and plan for
protection.