This document summarizes the impacts of climate change on the coasts of Washington State. It breaks the coast into 5 regions and explores issues like inundation, flooding, erosion, landslides, and saltwater intrusion. For each region it describes the key characteristics and potential problems. The research areas covered include coastal erosion, the roles of sea level rise and storms in erosion, saltwater intrusion into aquifers, increased sea temperature and harmful algal blooms, and ocean acidification. The document concludes that climate change will have many adverse effects on the Pacific Northwest coast and more research is still needed.

1. Impacts of Climate Change on
the Coasts of Washington State
Daniel D. Huppert, Amber Moore, Karen Dyson
School of Marine Affairs College of Ocean and Fishery
Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle

2. Purpose
With 5002.3 km of coastline, Washington will experience
many effects from climate change. This paper explores
several of those areas in specific regions.

3. The coast can be broken
into 5 regions, each with their own
characteristics and possible
problems.

4. http://response.restoratio
n.noaa.gov/about/media/ja
panese-dock-lost-2011-
tsunami-removed-
washingtons-olympic-
coast.html

5. FORESEEN PROBLEMS
INUNDATION
FLOODING
EROSION
LANDSLIDES
SALTWATER INTRUSION
INCREASED OCEAN
SURFACE TEMP AND
ACIDITY

6. Key Words
Substrate-
What is at the bottom of
it-sand or bedrock
Slope-
Shallow or steep cliffs
Surrounding conditions
HAB-harmful algal blooms
SLR-sea level rise
Sand Spit-where
sediment builds up off
the coast
Berms-raised barrier
separating 2 areas, sand
dune
Fetch-the length a wave
has to build

7. Methods
Selected different
locations and impacts for
study
Understand the local
consequences
See how people can
adapt to these changes
NOAA

8. Research/Areas
1. The nature and process of coastal
erosion on beaches and bluffs-
Shipman, 2004; Terich, 1987; Komar,
1998
2. Roles of SLR and storm waves in
accelerating shoreline erosion-
Graham and Diaz, 2001; Allan and
Komar, 2006; Mote et al., 2008;
Zhang, Douglas, and Leatherman,
2004
3. Aquifers and saltwater intrusion-
Walters, 1971; Jones, 1985
4. Increased sea temperature and HAB’s-
Moore et al. 2008)
5. Ocean acidification-Doney, 2006;
Feely et al., 2008

9. Western Washington is on
edge of Juan de Fuca
oceanic plate-
gradual rising(2 mm/year)
in NW and subsiding in S.
Puget Sound(2 mm/year)
There is a wide range
because of different
projections and not
enough research

11. Beaches
High-energy storms waves
cause erosion
Shoreline armoring
decreases the amount
of sand to sustain beaches
Cause habitat damage
Erosion
Reduced sediment
supply
SLR
Pacific winter storms
shifting north
Google Maps

12. Washaway Beach
Located north entrance
of Willapa Bay
100+ homes fallen into
ocean
$24 mill on highway
repairs
Seattle Times

13. Whidbey Island
Bluff erosion
Increased rainfall, bad
drainage
Toe erosion
51% of shoreline unstable
Landslides to increase
and are 100% predicted
$32 million of properties
could be lost Washington Post

14. San Juan Islands
More stable
They are bedrock coast
Only 3% classified as
unstable

15. Ports and Harbors
SLR will have major impact on
them
Changing nature every 40
years will decrease some cause
for concern
Seattle industrial area will
either be underwater or the
will have to raise the land
Tacoma has plan for shifting
seas, unless SLR is higher than
expected

16. Aquifers
Most of our water will be
fine
The aquifers closest to
the coast will have salt
water intrusion
For every foot the water
table is lowered,
underlying seawater rises
40ft
Zone of diffusion/mixing
Potentials-
Saltwater intrusion
Increased chloride
Erosion of pipes /pumps

17. Shellfish
WA is largest shellfish
growing state
+ Temp= less growth,
reproduction,
distribution, and health
HAB will become more
prevalent
SLR affect habitat
Acidification-less
carbonate, lower survival
rates

19. Conclusions
Many adverse effects of
climate change will affect
the PNW
There are certain things
that we can do to prevent
them
More research needs to
happen