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Comprehensive Evaluation of Projects with Respect to Sea-Level Change

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Sea Level Change Curves:

EC 1165-2-212 (pdf, 845 KB) was developed with the assistance of coastal scientists from the NOAA National Ocean Service and the US Geological Survey. Their participation on the USACE team allows rapid infusion of science into engineering guidance.

EC 1165-2-212 (pdf, 845 KB) uses the historic rate of sea-level change as the rate for the "USACE Low Curve".

The rate for the "USACE Intermediate Curve" is computed from the modified NRC Curve I considering both the most recent IPCC projections and modified NRC projections with the local rate of vertical land movement added.

The rate for the "USACE High Curve" is computed from the modified NRC Curve III considering both the most recent IPCC projections and modified NRC projections with the local rate of vertical land movement added.

The three scenarios proposed by the NRC result in global eustatic sea-level rise values, by the year 2100, of 0.5 meters, 1.0 meters, and 1.5 meters. Adjusting the equation to include the historic GMSL change rate of 1.7 mm/year and the start date of 1992 (which corresponds to the midpoint of the current National Tidal Datum Epoch of 1983-2001), instead of 1986 (the start date used by the NRC), results in updated values for the coefficients (b) being equal to 2.71E-5 for modified NRC Curve I, 7.00E-5 for modified NRC Curve II, and 1.13E-4 for modified NRC Curve III.

The three local relative sea level change scenarios updated from EC 1165-2-212 (pdf, 845 KB) , Equation 2 are depicted in the Figure to the right of the table. A link to an Excel version of the calculator is below the table. The Excel version has a drop-down menu to select tide gauges. Below that is a direct link to the NOAA Tides and Currents web site for the selected tide gauge. The Excel version also provides graphical and tabular output in both feet and meters.

EC 1165-2-212, Equation 2: E(t) = 0.0017t + bt²

This on-line Sea Level Change Calculator produces the amount of predicted sea level change from 1992 forward.

USACE SLC Coeffcients:

Base Year (Mid Point of NTDE):
Enter Project Start Year:
Rate of Eustatic Sea Level Rise per year in mm:
Enter Rate of Subsidence per year in mm:
or Select closest NOAA gauge station to the right:
Compute Curves Based on: EC 1165-2-212 EC 1165-2-211