Sea Level Rise Research & Tools

These pages provide both introductory information on sea level rise as well as recent research, tools, and guidance for incorporating sea level rise into planning and decision-making processes.

CHRN’s sea level rise research and tools focus on resources specifically created for Washington State. Continue reading for an overview of each page.

About Sea Level Rise – An introduction to sea level rise, this page describes what it is and what its effects and impacts are, and offers additional educational resources and ways to get involved in sea level rise planning.

Sea Level Rise Projections – Provides an overview of the most recent sea level rise projections for Washington State, which were completed in 2018.

Interactive Projection Tools – Access the interactive sea level rise projection tools (also called data visualization tools) that were created to accompany the sea level rise projections. These tools allow users to explore how projections change for specific locations across the state, based on time scale and likelihood.

  • Data – Each projection tool allows users to view and download excel spreadsheets of raw sea level rise projection data for 171 locations along the Washington coastline.

Interactive Projection Tutorials – Tutorial videos for working with the sea level rise projections and using the interactive projection tools.

Sea Level Rise Resources – A curated selection of useful documents and guidelines for planners, policymakers, and other professionals and practitioners seeking assistance with incorporating sea level rise considerations into their work.

Case Studies – Examples of how communities in Washington are incorporating sea level rise projections into local planning processes within the design of specific projects. This includes a presentation on how the sea level rise projections were used to inform the redesign of a waterfront park.