Understanding the causes of relative sea level rise requires knowledge of changes to both land (uplift and subsidence) and sea level. However, measurements of coastal uplift or subsidence are almost completely lacking in western Alaska. This project provided precise measurements of prioritized benchmarks across the Western Alaska geography, improving the network of published tidal benchmark elevations, allowing for tidal datum conversion in more places, and providing a necessary component for improved inundation studies in coastal communities and low-lying areas. The project’s map of vertical velocities (uplift/subsidence) of western Alaska (see ‘Final Project Report’ & ‘Vertical Velocity Map’, below) will be combined with measures of sea level to estimate rates of relative sea level rise across this region (see webinar recording and ‘Relative Sea Level Change poster’, below). Additionally, the project produced recommendations on priority locations for further occupation.
