topthe foundations to the historic rockaway boardwalk are all that remain after it was washed away during hurricane sandy in the rockaway neighborhood of the show more spencer plattgetty images file the transformation of coastlines is constant an additional 15 to 5 feet of sea level rise is possible by the end of the century should countries around the world fail to curb emissions the report predicted contractors for the us army corps of engineers pump sand from the ocean floor onto the beach in the rockaway peninsula in new york city oct 18 2022 more us coastlines to experience profound sea level rise by 2050 raphael crowley associate professor at the university of north floridas engineering school of sustainable infrastructure and environment told abc news i show more spencer plattgetty images file the types of natural infrastructures that can be destroyed are sand dunes cliffs and even living shorelines such as plants marshes and oyster reefs all of which can act as barriers to an influx of ocean water in addition gradual effects from daytoday erosion reaching farther inland such as land that was previously above sea level being underwater more will weaken the structure of the coastlines even more allowing for strong storms to do more damage when they pass through ronadh cox a professor of geology and mineralogy at williams college in williamstown massachusetts told abc news so everything from nuisance flooding associated with tides rising higher to storm surges penetrating farther inland all contribute to these effects of the coast cox said new york ny november 10 top cleanup continues among piles of debris where a large section of the iconic boardwalk was washed away november 10 2012 each high tide that reaches previously dry land has a cumulative effect on shoreline retreat and the associated erosion as coastlines change and become battered by an increase in the number of severe weather events homes and in some cases entire communities are being condemned as they become inundated with seawater the more the natural barriers are broken down the combined effect of all of these things of course is increased erosion land loss and infrastructure loss cox said as populations increase and more housing is built near the coast oftentimes the coastal wetlands are drained to make room for development cox said top a man walks along the heavily damaged rockaway beach nov 2 2012 bottom a marsh measuring 15 feet deep can absorb about 50 of incoming wave energy but these living barriers continue to dwindle as well more than 80000 acres of coastal wetlands are lost every year according to the us environmental protection agency they are cr show more ted shaffreyap file if people want to live near the ocean protection measures such as ensuring a high enough elevation and that there is a barrier between the structure and the water such as a sand dune should be implemented crowley said experts believe the drastic rise will