Mega Sea Level Rise: New England Island and Nicaragua Passage

While investigating what would happen to the world with 200 foot sea level rise, I found the most excellent Global Sea Level Rise Map - an interactive map on Geology.com. Unlike most sites with interactive maps that only go as high as 55 inches or 5 meters, the Geology.com map goes up to a whopping 60 meters! That's 196.85 feet. Close enough to 200 feet for me.

I asked myself one question. Which land-locked countries of the world would become "unlocked" and consider starting a navy or a merchant fleet. Of course this assumes that at the high ambient temperatures necessary for all ice to melt, we'd still have anything resembling a 21st Century country or even the human race.

But let's find out anyway. First we'll look at North and South America.

North America
All country's at 2014 sea level have a coastline. No change.
However, a few dramatic things do happen.

Panama: The canal is no longer necessary. It's there naturally. Actually it's there thanks to the Culebra Cut, created in the creation of the Panama Canal.

Panama's "Natural" Canal. Image: Geology.com
Nicaragua: Finally gets the "canal" that France's Napoleon III and others said it would build back in the 1800s. Actually a Hong Kong company is building the Nicaragua Canal now, so this may be less than exciting in the year 3500 when sea level rise finally reaches 200'.

Hudson River Valley: The sea inundates the great Hudson River Valley and Lake Champlain to become the great Hudson Champlain Passage, separating New England from the rest of North America. It's a narrow passage, but it's at sea level! Sure it's really New England plus Canada's New Brunswick and parts of Quebec. Maybe it would have another tea party and break away.

Most interestingly, the new Hudson Champlain Passage would be so narrow in most places it would be similar to Turkey's Bosporus and Dardanelles.

The narrowest segment is near Lake George, north of Glens Falls.
Hundson River Valley meet Lake Champlain and salt water. Image: Geology.com
Cuba: Breaks into three major islands.
Cuba X 3. Image: Geology.com

Lost Countries: The Bahamas, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.


South America
South America has only two land locked countries in 2014: Paraguay and Bolivia. Only one gains a seaside coastline: Paraguay. Sorry Bolivia, you're too high.

The Port of Asuncion! Image: Geology.com
Brazil: The sea almost reaches Columbia, Venezuela and Peru via the Amazon!
The Sea of Amazon. Image: Geology.com


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