New Army Corps Policy Forces Project Designers to Consider Rising Seas

Here is an interesting article.  Although we may not know what it means from a practical standpoint initially, it could have far reaching consequences. 

Excerpt:

"The Army Corps of Engineers must consider the effects of climate change as it draws up plans for flood control, navigation and other water projects under a new agency policy."

...

"Now the Army Corps must follow three minimum guidelines: estimate the effect of historic sea level rise, asses the impact from faster rising seas projected by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and consider a worst case scenario based on criticism that the IPCC has actually underestimated how quickly glaciers are disintegrating."

From the articles below:

http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2009-11/army-corps-engineers-required-must-consider-climate-change-future-projects

http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2009/11/11/11greenwire-new-army-corps-policy-forces-project-designers-7288.html

This is a report that is the result of a seven year study of the movement of sand on the beaches.  North Carolina beaches have the character of a sedimentary shelf with sand on top of this sedimentary shelf.  Also, there is little off shore sand, making renourishment by dredge less practical.  You can read the summary of the report at the link, and if you want to read the entire PDF report you can get it from the right column of the linked page.  

http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/circ1339/