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From: berman@psuvax1.UUCP (Piotr Berman)
Newsgroups: net.sci
Subject: Re: Reference Sought: Global Warming, Coastal Flooding
Message-ID: <2262@psuvax1.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 30-Aug-86 23:33:29 EDT
Article-I.D.: psuvax1.2262
Posted: Sat Aug 30 23:33:29 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 1-Sep-86 02:12:50 EDT
References: <70@mit-prep.ARPA>
Organization: Pennsylvania State Univ.
Lines: 30

Problem: ice-melting due to greenhouse effect may be a danger.
Some geologist claim we would already see some flooding, but
so far impounding water in reservoirs prevented it.  Now
> They claim that the impounding is slowing down, and sea coast flooding
> will start soon.  If we seek to continue to prevent the sea coast
> flooding with this technique, we have until the middle of the next
> century.  Most of the easily used volumes are below sea-level.  The
> following regions are among those that will have to be flooded:
> 
>    Caspian Sea, Russia and Iran
>    Dead Sea, Israel and Jordan
>    Imperial and Death Valleys, California, USA
>    Quattar Depression, Egypt
>    Congo River Basin and Lake Chad Basin, Zaire et. al.
> 
> Interesting set of ecological and political problems.  I hope other
> solutions can be found.
> 
> Any how, can anyone provide me with a reference?
> -- 
> Len Tower

It seems to me that it is not a good idea.  To prevent oceans to rise
by a foot, one would need to dispose more than 100,000,000 sq mile X foot
of water.  Levelling Caspian See with ocean level would absorb less
than one third of that.  All other regions would not add up as much
as that.  Thus, with enormous expenditures could diminish the flood by 8 
inches.  I would say: back to the drawing board.

Piotr Berman