Sea Level Rise and Global Warming

Another threat to the salt pond region is the gradual process of global warming, resulting in melting of the polar ice caps.  This vast warm-up is causing record melting of the polar ice and many models suggest sea levels could rise by 20-feet should the Greenland ice cap melt and flow into the sea. What's concerning on top of that are recent studies, here in Rhode Island, that suggest that even a rise of five feet would create conditions in which the barrier beaches (which form the ponds) could not exist. In these models, the beaches erode and the ocean floods the ponds creating a new coastline.

An indication of global warming is seen in the change of our fish and shellfish populations.  More and more southern species are migrating north, and many of them are not good!  Examples are the oyster diseases MSX and Dermo which were responsible for wiping out the vast oyster resources of the Chesapeake, and have gone on to destroy our native oyster population.  The sightings of the Portuguese man-o-war jellyfish as well as the increase of stinging sea nettles are another example of the northern migration of southern species following warmer water.