New Map Shows Texas Cities That Will Be Under Water in 50 Years

When we think of a shrinking North American coastlines, most Texans think of California or even our neighbors to the east in Louisiana, but we're shrinking too. And The Lone Star State is not just shrinking due to rising waters, Texas is also eroding.

According to Texas.gov, "The average erosion rate for the 367 miles of Texas coast is 4.1 feet per year. Sixty-four percent of the Texas coast is eroding at an average rate of about 6 feet per year, with some locations losing more than 30 feet per year."

What does the eroding coastline mean to Texans?

As expected, it means quite a bit. From property value to tourism losing pieces of Texas will have a drastic impact, including:

• Property values decrease and homes and businesses are lost.
• Tourism suffers and local economies feel the impact.
• Farming and fishing industries are impacted.
• Ports, roads, and industrial infrastructure are at risk.
• Without healthy beaches, dunes, and wetlands to protect the coast, there is day-to-day wear and the impact of major storms like Hurricane Ike is far more severe.

Fortunately, we've already got a few heroes fighting against the rising sea. The Texas General Land Office is tasked with controlling coastal erosion by:

• Implementing coastal erosion response projects and related studies through the Coastal Erosion Planning and Response Act (CEPRA) program and other grant programs at the Land Office.
• Maximizing federal, state, and local resources, the Land Office works with all coastal stakeholders to fight erosion where it makes economic sense to do so.

But many think we can only slow down Mother Nature. The most recent climate projections suggest Texas will experience 10 to 12 inches of sea level rise by 2050, which could drastically change things for our coast.

How Much of Texas Could Be Under Water?

There's a map that will show us just how much the shape of Texas could be changing. It was created by climate researchers at Climate Center, an organization of scientists and journalists studying the impacts of climate change on the world.

The goal of this organization is to show what the future holds for coastal communities if sea level continues to rise. According to their interactive map here's what the Texas coastline will look like in 50 years: