UC Berkeley study predicts dramatic impact from sea level rise in the Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- More proof Wednesday that climate change and sea level rise are coming to the San Francisco Bay Area. They will effect our daily lives, and certainly those of our children.

U.C. Berkeley's Dr. Roland Burgmann released a study, Wednesday morning, predicting sea and bay level rises of one foot or more by 2030, two feet of more by 2050, and six feet or more by 2100. Dr. Burgmann predicts that if we do nothing, areas the northwest section of Treasure Island, and northern runways at SFO will be constantly underwater by 2100.

They will be hit particularly hard, Burgmann said, because as the water rises, those landfill areas will also be sinking. "Treasure Island sinks about half an inch per year," said Dr. Burgmann. "SFO, a bit less."

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Dr. Burgmann used existing data from radar emitting satellites that have been scanning the region for movement along the Hayward Earthquake Fault. "We noticed a stronger signal than expected," said Burgmann. "That was the sinking," which led to his study.

Add these concerns to a growing list of regional climate change consequences. "There could be engineering solutions," said Burgmann. They might include building seawalls or else adding more landfill atop the sinking areas.

Burgmann says other areas around the Bay will suffer as well. However, when combining sea level rise and settling land, the impacts will be most profound.

ABC7 News has reached out to San Francisco International Airport and also the Treasure Island Development Authority for comments.