Officials take action on looming threat to historic US landmark: 'We've studied these impacts and created a plan'

The stewards of a historic landmark plan to tackle rising sea levels with a comprehensive plan to relocate several of its buildings.

What's happening?

Stewards of the site known as the inspiration for Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel The House of the Seven Gables plan to move several of its structures to higher ground. The aim is to prevent damage from encroaching seawater and groundwater changes at the Massachusetts location, according to the local Salem News.

The project, which involves a detailed data collection phase before any buildings are moved, will be costly. The site received a grant of over $500,000 in 2022, and in 2026, the state is set to provide over $175,000 for design and permitting. 

Overall, according to the local outlet, relocating and flood-proofing "the Gables" could cost close to an additional $2 million.

The repairs are necessary if the landmark is to be protected from rising seas. "We've had a couple of storm surges and near misses … and it's come over the top of the seawall a couple times," the Gables' director of preservation, Paul Wright, told the outlet. "Fortunately, the water hasn't come across the lawn to any of the buildings yet."

Why is planning for rising sea levels important?

As glaciers and ice sheets melt and as rising temperatures intensify storms, sea levels and their impacts are rising worldwide and in the United States. 

A study published in AGU Advances in mid-December by oceanographer Chris Piecuch of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts found that the rate of U.S. coastal sea level rise doubled in the last 100 years.

Rising sea levels threaten buildings and infrastructure, and the costs of prevention measures and repairs can be considerable. Encroaching seas also threaten plants and animals, such as the Key Largo tree cactus in Florida and the salt marsh sparrow in Rhode Island, which could drown if sea levels rise too much.

What's being done about rising seas?

Rising sea levels may seem like a threat almost too daunting to think about — but the damage they pose could still be mitigated with the right measures in place.

In addition to moving structures, relocating communities is becoming increasingly necessary, especially those residing on islands that are sinking into the ocean and experiencing chronic flooding. 

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Meanwhile, the impacts of floods themselves can be mitigated by implementing improved drainage systems and living shorelines. Innovations, such as floating homes, can also provide hope for the future.

In the big picture, though, reducing the proliferation of the pollution that contributes to rising temperatures and melts glaciers will be required, scientists generally agree. Shifting to cleaner transportation options and renewable energy systems will play a big role. Ultimately, proactive measures must be taken at both the global and local levels. 

"This is us actually saying 'we've studied these impacts and created a plan,' and we're now taking the first stage of that plan and putting it into implementation," the Gables' Wright told the Salem News. "It's us trying to actually take action."

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