If the seas rise due to global warming, maps of the waterfront on the North Olympic Peninsula could look quite a bit different than they do now, according to a National Wildlife Federation report released on Tuesday.
Dungeness Spit could become a sliver of marshland, or disappear completely.
Ediz Hook would still exist, but be battered by storms until it was unusable.
The spits protecting the opening to Sequim Bay would disappear, making the bay vulnerable to waves and storms.
Around Port Townsend, most freshwater marshes would fill with salt water and between 80 and 85 percent of what few beaches exist on both sides of Admiralty Inlet would be lost, the report said.
The study, which focused on 11 coastal habitats in Washington and Oregon, included the populated areas of the North Olympic Peninsula.
The report examined the impact of rising sea levels on the diverse geography of the Pacific Northwest.
If ocean levels increase 0.69 meters, or 27.3 inches, by 2100, water will erode Puget Sound beaches, inundate tidal flatlands and harm salmon habitat throughout the Pacific Northwest, the report said.
