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Climate Change - Chesapeake Bay Near Mouth - Polyhaline (CB8PH)

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CURRENT COASTAL HABITAT COMPOSITION

  0.7 km² - Tidal Marsh
  0.0 km² - Submerged Aquatic Vegetation
79.8 km² - Shallow Water
12.7 km  - Beaches

The Lower Chesapeake Bay adjoins Norfolk, Virginia Beach and Hampton, all highly developed cities. To date, riparian lands inventoried are 68% developed with 24% of shorelines hardened (41 km total surveyed). These three cities have high average annual rates of permitted shoreline hardening ranging on average from 0.6-3.6 km/yr hardened (0.3-0.4% of the shoreline).


COASTAL HABITATS SHIFTS WITH CLIMATE CHANGE

  • Shallow-Water and Tidal Wetlands- depiction of existing tidal wetland (vegetated & non-vegetated) and shallow-water habitat, with projected shifts due to sea level rise

  • Tidal Marsh Vulnerability - depiction of existing tidal marsh and vulnerability to inundation from projected sea level rise within 50-100 years. Marshes classified at low risk represent potential wetland preservation opportunities

  • Estuarine Beach Vulnerability - depiction of existing estuarine beach and vulnerability to inundation from projected sea level rise within 50-100 years. Beaches classified at low risk represent potential habitat preservation opportunities

  • Submerged Aquatic Vegetation - depiction of existing submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) and projected shifts due to sea level rise and elevated temperatures

Link to map information and data sources