Fiercehomelandsecurity is reporting the results of a study points out the effects of an up to  five meter rise in sea level on buildings in DC.

I don’t think anyone expects that in the near future, but seeing how much storm surge we had in New York as a result of Sandy (14 feet/4.3 meters), I don’t think we can assume we will never see a surge close to five meters.

Even though 5 meters exceeds the likely amount of sea-level rise for the next 100 years, the study (.pdf) says that level could be reached during storms. Affected buildings would include the FBI, the Internal Revenue Service, the Justice Department, the Federal Trade Commission and the Education Department.

No federal buildings would be in the flooded area if sea levels were to rise 2.5-meters, the next lowest amount the study considered. Current predictions of the city’s sea-level rise, a result of climate change, range from 0.2 meters to more than 2 meters in the next 100 years, says the University of Maryland team behind the study.

Looking at my Google maps, it appears the land around Buzzard’s Point is two to three meters. Perhaps it is fortunate that the Coast Guard Headquarters is being moved to higher ground.

Relocation is expected to begin August, 2013. You can see more information about the new headquarters here.