Science Says Atlantic City is Indeed Sinking

It almost seems like common sense: If you go to the edge of the land, alongside the water, and you keep building and building on that edge, the land will eventually start sinking.

That appears to be happening up and down the East Coast - including Atlantic City, New Jersey.

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12 Cities on the East Coast included in sinking study

In an article published in Oxford University's academic research platform, Oxford Academic, a trio of scientists delve into the possibility that 12 cities on the East Coast are slowly sinking.

The authors/scientists delved into the factors likely causing the sinking, including building, infrastructure, and population density.

Sinking of these cities opens them up to coastal hazards

The scientific article states that the sinking of the cities sets them up for potential problems like flooding and erosion.

These hazards open up the exposure for people, property, and assets in the area.

What's happening with Atlantic City?

While most of the 12 cities studies show sinking of about 1 mm (millimeter) a year, the study finds that parts of Atlantic City are sinking at a much higher rate, 4mm a year.

Other cities involved in the study

Besides Atlantic City, other East Coast cities included in the study are New York, Baltimore, Norfolk, Boston, Providence, New Haven, Wilmington NC, Charleston, Miami, Jacksonville, and Savannah.

More information available

The original article includes an extensive amount of data, graphs, and information. You can find the article here.