Projected sea-level rise and high tide flooding at San Juan National Historic Site, Puerto Rico

A collaborative study by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the National Park Service (NPS) projects that sea-level rise (SLR) and high tide flooding (HTF) will significantly threaten San Juan National Historic Site (SAJU), Puerto Rico, with potential inundation of coastal habitats like tidal wetlands and mangrove forests, as well as historic infrastructure. Using 2021-23 data, researchers modeled flood probabilities under various SLR scenarios to assess risks to cultural resources in the park's 0.29 km² land area. The resulting maps provide critical insights for managing future flooding hazards, building on methods from a 2024 study by Thurman and colleagues.

Thurman, H. R., Enwright, N. M., Osland, M. J., Passeri, D. L., Day, R. H., & Simons, B. M. (2024). Projected sea-level rise and high tide flooding at San Juan National Historic Site, Puerto Rico. Fact Sheet. https://doi.org/10.3133/fs20243021