As climate change continues to drive global sea level rise, many people living in coastal areas are already seeing the effects. Coastal erosion is accelerating and shifting coastlines inland, and storm surges are getting worse. But lurking beneath the surface is another major consequence that is thus far poorly understood: rising groundwater. Evidence suggests that in some low-lying coastal regions with shallow groundwater, rising sea levels will drive a simultaneous rise in groundwater levels, with potentially serious risks for homes, businesses, and other infrastructure.

Other climate change and flooding news:

• Public Policy Institute of California: Testimony: an introduction to flooding in California​