Global Warming: Impact of Flooding in Charleston-North Carolina Essay

Introduction

Flooding refers to an overflow of a significant amount of water which submerges the land and the inflow of the tide onto land (Barnett, 2018). It is classified as a natural disaster about the excess water which accumulates in any area. Heavy rains cause the breakdown of dams which causes flooding. Due to global warming, there is increased sea water level due to the melting of the snow Flooding occurs in areas where there is excessive rainfall and the inadequate drainage system and its occurrence may cause long-term devastating effects. The severity of flooding varies from region to region and the destruction it causes also varies. In South Carolina, flooding is the most frequent and costly natural hazards. Global warming and climate change are social issues because small-scale farmers feel the effects (Barnett, 2018). On the same note, the rural-urban poor are the hardest hit, and there is unequal capacity for adaptation. Flooding also displaces people, making them more vulnerable to disease attacks. Flooding in North Carolina is a common problem which socially impacts the residents of North Carolina and the United States as a whole. This paper attempts to look at the cause and effects of flooding in North Carolina as a social issue.

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Overview of Flooding at Charleston, South Carolina

The city of Charleston in South Carolina is located in the Atlantic Coastal region. The city is subject to flooding which emanates from the Atlantic Ocean. The city also experiences inland flooding originating from rivers and associated tributaries. Charleston is a port city which is a popular tourist target due to its paved streets and eighteenth-century households in the French Quarter. The English settled in the town in 1670 and confederates fired gunshots of the civil warfare against Union militaries at Fort Sumter in April 1861.

The city is prone to flooding, and it experienced historic flooding which occurred across South Carolina on 1st to 5th October 2015. According to the South Carolina Emergency Management Department, flooding resulted in nineteen fatalities (Bures & Kanapaux, 2011). Nine of these were in Richland County, which covers the main urban center of Columbia. Several others were individuals trapped in vehicles swept in high water. In general terms, frequent flooding in South Carolina has widespread infrastructural impacts. For instance, 2015 flooding destroyed 410 roads and bridges. It led to the closure of major roads due to high water and flood inundation. Flooding has worsened significantly in recent years, bringing a record rainfall and brushes from two tropical storms.

The Effects of Human Activities and Biosphere on Charleston and Flooding

Global warming is the primary cause of flooding in Charleston, South Carolina (Barnett, 2018). There are some factors linked to climate change. Some of these factors include a rise in sea level, high temperatures, and unexpected hurricanes. Global warming causes melting ice on the freezing ice tops and the glacier. It causes sea level to rise around the world, and South apparent Carolina is no exception. The effect of global warming is in Charleston through the already risen water level by a foot over the past century. Conventional estimates recommend that sea levels off the coast of Charleston will increase by at least two feet by 2100. It will only happen if there are no actions taken to reduce global warming.

The biosphere supports all the plants, animals and earth bacteria. It is very sensitive to changes in the environment caused by other spheres of the earth. The burning of fossil fuels surges the amount of carbon (IV) oxide in the atmosphere (Barnett, 2018). There are also a lot of sulphur emissions into the biosphere, which causes acid rain. When more carbon (iv) oxide is released into the atmosphere from the human sphere, oceans become more acidic, and animals cannot develop their calcium carbonate shells. Global warming leads to melting of the hydrosphere. The rise in temperatures also causes migration of Spruce Spine beetles and kills a lot of coniferous trees. It is this global warming that causes flooding.

Biotic and Abiotic Components of Flooding

Just like many of the world's flooded areas, Charleston experiences significant fluctuations in flooding throughout the year. Rivers leap their banks and waterlog the low-lying ecosystems. Organisms are inhabiting such environments. These organisms are resilient to these habitat variations. Flooding in Charleston stems from patterns of increased precipitation, enhanced river discharge, and ever-rising water table. These environments have formed headwaters in tropical savanna defined by wet climate seasons. These affect the food webs in this biotic environment.

Such an environment also experiences habitat fluctuations through seasonal fluxes in water levels in a typically flooded ecosystem. These have propounded effect on the manner and extent in which organisms interact with one another. During flooding, habitat for aquatic and semi-aquatic creatures expands.

South Carolina Energy and Material Flows about Flooding

Greenhouse gas discharges continue to raise global temperatures. It is the primary factor which causes South Carolina to be vulnerable to flooding as a result of the rise in sea level, coastal storms, and increased temperatures. These cause the massive flooding experienced in Charleston, South Carolina. These threaten agriculture, energy industries, and human health. It is projected that South Carolina has warmed by one-half to one degree Fahrenheit in the last century. The sea is, therefore, rising approximately one to one and a half inches every decade. The state is susceptible to extreme heat which is more frequent and intense (Bures & Kanapaux, 2011).

If the oceans and the atmosphere remain to be warm, sea level alongside the South Carolina Coast is expected to continue rising from one to four feet in the subsequent century. Rising sea level immerses wetland and dry land, erode beaches and also causes coastline flooding. Energy and material flow are also evident through increasing temperatures and precipitation which amplify the risk of flooding (Bures & Kanapaux, 2011). Climate change has, therefore, worsened the effects of an already extreme weather event due to the high precipitation rates which fall during rainstorms. The coastal storms also experience warming because the surface waters have more energy to convert to tropical cyclone winds which are likely to increase the intensity of the most severe cyclonic events. Higher temperatures are expected to reduce the productivity of farms and ranches.

Effects of Flooding to South Carolina

Health

The effects of flooding on the residents of South Carolina are extensive. For instance, the Alberta floods that took place in June 2013 resulted in the loss of lives and majority were victims of the psychological impacts of the flooding. These health impacts include emotional consequences, anxiety, and stress. Most of these people also suffer from gastrointestinal and respiratory infections. Stress associated with flooding also leads to increased headaches, colds, stomach problems, and allergies among other problems (Schmidtlein, Shafer, Berry & Cutter, 2011). The flood waters are also contaminated with pollutants, debris and even sewage which pose a potential danger or serious health injuries to those who come in contact. These waters cause creates sinkholes, manhole covers and sharp objects which are a risk to physical health. Loss of lives is the immediate negative impact of flooding. There is also damage of property, loss of livestock, and destruction of crops among others.

Displacement

Floods displace people. Floods that are common in North Carolina interfere with communication links and infrastructural structures such as power plants, bridges, roads among other. These are damaged and disrupted. It also interferes with the economic activities which interfere with the normal life functioning for the period of flooding. Damage to infrastructure has long-term effects. Some of these are interference with the flow of water, electricity, transport, and communication. Displacement also causes mass migration. Mass migration causes overcrowding of cities and towns problems (Schmidtlein, Shafer, Berry & Cutter, 2011). These migrations create complex social problems.

Recreation

Flood waters interfere with recreational activities in North Carolina. However, it also impacts recreation positively through washing away artifacts and fossils which remain uncovered as a result of flooding. Flooding creates discoveries which contribute to the heritage of North Carolina State. The artifacts have monetary value, and through them, the historical and cultural heritage is enhanced. On the other hand, flooding also destroys these artifacts. Strong floods such as those that are common in North Carolina damages and destroys heritage venues and leads to loss of equipment and supplies.

Indirect Impact

Flooding in North Carolina has an indirect social impact to the residents of North Carolina. The citizens become impatient and unsatisfied with the leaders in North Carolina. The leadership is majorly the decision makers of Charleston government. Indirect social impact also affects the leadership of insurance companies and other service providers.

Activity took to diminish Flooding

The city of Charleston has allocated approximately $250 million (over one and a half times the city's yearly financial plan) to dig deep into the underground passageways and build pump stations to direct the seawater back into the sea. The tunnels have been sunk in the deep to evade other underground infrastructures such as old water and sewer tunnels. There is also a need to measure flooding risk and resilience to flooding.

State lawmakers are also making efforts to enact policies with an aim to raise the sea level in Charleston. Charleston aims to use a range of 1.5 feet to 2.5 feet above sea level plan for 50 years. A 1.5-foot increase is used for short-term and a less vulnerable investment. The 2.5-foot increase is used as a long-term investment such as emergency routes and public buildings problems (Schmidtlein, Shafer, Berry & Cutter, 2011).

Conclusion

In as much as we cannot prevent rain from falling or glaciers from melting due to global warming, the frequent floods experienced in Charleston, South Carolina is as a result of human activity. Sea levels have been raising and the frequency of the coastal flood as well. These floods cause significant damage and material harm. This inconveniences the economy of South Carolina. Local variations in the sea level are therefore not surprising due to the water temperature. When it rises quickly, water expands, while the vice versa is true. Ocean currents are also slowing due to climate change. Floods block traffic, degraded infrastructure, and causes a multitude of problems in daily life, even on sunny, storm-free days. Floods also destroy the home, rendering people homeless. There is a need to combine factors of curbing flooding.

References

Barnett, J. (2018). The fractured metropolis: Improving the new city, restoring the old city, reshaping the region. Routledge.

Bures, R., & Kanapaux, W. (2011). Historical regimes and social indicators of resilience in an urban system: the case of Charleston, South Carolina. Ecology and Society, 16(4).

Schmidtlein, M. C., Shafer, J. M., Berry, M., & Cutter, S. L. (2011). Modeled earthquake losses and social vulnerability in Charleston, South Carolina. Applied Geography, 31(1), 269-281.