In 2012, Superstorm Sandy’s storm surge combined with a high tide and buried lower Manhattan under 13 feet of water.  Across all five boroughs, subways, highways, and parking garages flooded and homes and businesses were destroyed.  Sandy caused nearly $20 billion in damages in New York City alone and more than 50 people died.

Ever since that disaster took place, there have been discussions about

building storm surge barriers to protect the city from future storms.  Columbia University’s Sabin Center recently

hosted an event to discuss the feasibility of building such barriers.

A study by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers called the NY and NJ

Harbor and Tributaries Focus Area Feasibility Study (HATS, for short) evaluates

five options for coastal protection, which range in scope and price.

The most extensive option would involve constructing six miles of

storm surge gates along with 26 miles of floodwalls, levees, and buried

seawalls.  This option would cost $62

billion but could theoretically save $131 billion in damages and protect 95% of

the study area.

The study also considers the side effects of building storm surge

barriers.  These include environmental

impacts such as effects on fish and wildlife, water quality, noise and

vibrations, and changes in water flow. 

While these effects can be quite serious and there is opposition from

many quarters related to environmental impacts, others point out that there is

really no other credible defense against storm surge.  The debate over whether or not to build storm

surge barriers could easily last for many more years.

In the bigger picture, storm surge barriers do nothing to protect against

rain-driven flooding, sea level rise, and tidal floods which continue to

increase.

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Web Links

Should New York Build a Storm Surge Barrier?

Photo, posted October 30, 2012, courtesy of Pamela Andrade via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.