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Coastal Flooding Is Going to Be More Frequent

Call it what you want, the water is rising and impacting buildings and people.

If you live near the Atlantic Ocean, the past two weeks have been "exciting" with significant coastal flooding brought on by storms and high tides. See this article about what is projected to happen in the near future, Today's storm surge is tomorrow's high tide, new report predicts.

You can argue cause all you want. I suppose you can look at the Arctic ice pack and compare now to 10 years ago and come up with an excuse for the differences you see. The reality is being seen on the Eastern Seaboard from Maine to Florida. High tides, king tides, are already flooding streets and sidewalks — without wind-driven waves.

You can build levees and have pumping stations, but in the end, holding back the ocean is a daunting task. I think it is time to "sound retreat" and I do not mean the modern version for end of the day and lowering of the flag. I mean, get your stuff and get the hell out of there! It is the opposite of "attack." It is time to end the "delaying battle" and boogie you and what you own and head for higher ground.

Or, wait for the ocean to do its thing and take your home and possessions to deeper waters, which will leave you with a mortgage, but little else. 

Eric Holdeman is a contributing writer for Emergency Management magazine and is the former director of the King County, Wash., Office of Emergency Management.