How will hydrologists deal with rising ocean levels?

[thecynicalmonk]

Hi everyone

I'm asking this for a novel I'm writing and need a little help on the scientific side, especially related to Earth Sciences and hydrology.

We all know that the ice caps are melting and this will cause ocean levels to rise. Let's imagine this process happens faster than expected, and in around 80 years from now around three-quarters of the polar ice has gone. From what I've been reading this will mean many coastal cities and towns will be under severe threat or even be washed away altogether. This won't happen overnight so no doubt there will be some population migration to other areas. But how would hydrologists tackle the enormous task of getting rid of ocean floodwater in these circumstances? If a hydrologist were charged with removing floodwater in an entire city, or even an entire affected coastline, are there any methods available to achieve this apart from the kind of land reclamation systems used in Holland? 

Bear in mind that this story is set 80 years from now, so technology may have advanced... if there are any experimental systems being developed at the moment perhaps they would have been perfected by then?

Thanks for your help everyone.. any thoughts much appreciated!

[pavelcherepan]

On 7/12/2018 at 12:39 AM, thecynicalmonk said:

But how would hydrologists tackle the enormous task of getting rid of ocean floodwater in these circumstances? If a hydrologist were charged with removing floodwater in an entire city, or even an entire affected coastline, are there any methods available to achieve this apart from the kind of land reclamation systems used in Holland? 

I would say, it's hard to 'remove' the floodwater as long as the source of it is still present. You'd first need to build a dam of some description to stop new water coming in, and only then will you think about pumping the water out or you could dig canals to drain water to lower-lying area.

[studiot]

You should read this book

 

The attacking Ocean

by

Brian Fagan

 

I see it can be obtained very cheaply second hand or perhaps your local library will have it.