Atlantic City’s Biggest Enemy: Water


            The last time I visited Atlantic City in January, I recall seeing several large bulldozers and construction crews on the beach working diligently throughout the night. What they were doing was replenishing the beach, which is something being done along coastlines globally to mitigate the impact of rising sea levels. But Atlantic City is a special case, because the rising ocean is not just swallowing up the beach. It is impacting a growing number of disadvantaged residents and businesses during flood events, which are only projected to worsen over time.

            With the intensification of climate change, sea levels in Atlantic City are rising at an alarming rate. According to climate researchers at Rowan University, Atlantic City’s sea level rose 18.2 inches between 1911 and 2022, which is more than double the global average.1 This number can not only be explained by the melting of glaciers from rising temperatures and carbon emissions, as sinking is also a factor in measuring rising sea levels. Atlantic City in particular has had an ongoing problem with sinking, considering factors such as the excessive pumping of groundwater, barrier island seismic activity, and soil compaction from the weight of high-rise hotels along the boardwalk. As a result of the rising sea levels and sinking, groups such as the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) believe that about 50% of the habitable land in Atlantic City will become uninhabitable by the year 2060.1

            Even though Atlantic City is known to be a popular tourist destination in New Jersey (especially among gambling enthusiasts), it has a population of about 38,000 people. According to the UCS, over 13,000 Atlantic City residents will be living in neighborhoods prone to flood risks by 2060 and over 21,000 by the year 2100.2 Additionally, a study conducted by the science journal Nature revealed that about 9,700 Atlantic City homes may be exposed to flooding by 2050, which is 2,700 more homes than estimated with standard sea level rise projections.3 

            In comparison to wealthier cities impacted by sea level rise such as Hoboken or Stone Harbor, Atlantic City had a poverty rate of 32.4% as of 2022, making it among the poorest cities in the state.4 Many residents do not have the money to raise their homes and have struggled when dealing with insurance coverage for their damaged belongings. Knowing that disadvantaged communities generally have a harder time recovering from major flood events due to their limited financial resources, many residents are concerned about what Mother Nature has in store as climate change accelerates.

            When it comes to future projections, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) indicates that “by the middle of the 21st century, sea levels along the New Jersey coast are projected to continue rising with a likely range of approximately 11 inches to 2 feet”.5  In terms of the frequency of high-tide flooding, “high-tide floods are projected to affect Atlantic City more often with a predicted range of 45 to 225 days out of the year. By the end of the 21st century, under a moderate greenhouse gas emissions scenario, scientists project that Atlantic City will experience high-tide flooding regularly, very likely at least 95 days a year”.5

 Reflecting upon previous storm events such as Hurricane Ida, waterfront infrastructure, recreational areas such as the boardwalk, and residential properties were impacted by 13 days of high-tide flooding in 2021.6 As discussed with Professor Orton, Hurricane Sandy brought immense destruction to homeowners and businesses along the Jersey shore, with storm surge as high as 15 feet in some regions. In the case of Atlantic City during Hurricane Sandy, up to 80% of the city was flooded during high-tides, streets had as much as 8 feet of water in them, and casinos were forced to close.7

A map of a city AI-generated content may be incorrect.

                                         Map of Atlantic City neighborhoods impacted by 8-foot storm surge (shown in blue)

From an economic standpoint, Atlantic City plays a key role in Southern New Jersey’s economy, with over 27 million visitors per year generating $2.82 billion in combined casino earnings in 2024.8 With storm events intensifying and sea levels on the rise, economic development in Atlantic City is facing a growing number of environmental challenges that will only multiply in the future.

Fortunately, there have been recent efforts made to reduce the future impact of flooding and storm surge. The construction of a seawall along the city’s northern border in 2018 as well as the renewal of an old pump station are helpful steps in the right direction for flood mitigation. However, despite these improvements, the water is still coming and will continue to exert its destructive power on disadvantaged neighborhoods as well as Atlantic City’s tourist attractions. The beach will have to be replenished once again and the cycle of rebuilding after storms will likely continue, at least until we make substantial progress in reducing global emissions and sea level rise.


References

1. Goldner, Brandon. “Why Is Atlantic City’s Sea Level Rising Much Faster than the Rest of the World?” CBS News, CBS Interactive, 2023, www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/rising-sea-levels-map-atlantic-city-nj-climate-change/.

2. Zoppo, Avalon. “Sea-Level Rise Will Make Most of Atlantic City Uninhabitable ...” The Press of Atlantic City, 2023, www.aceanj.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/sea-level-rise.pdf.

3. Read, Zoë. “Atlantic City among Fastest Sinking Coastal Cities, According to Study.” WHYY, PBS, 11 Mar. 2024, whyy.org/articles/atlantic-city-new-jersey-vulnerable-sea-level-rise-flooding-study/.

4. Buchhofer, David. “Atlantic City, NJ.” Data USA, 2025, datausa.io/profile/geo/Atlantic-city-Nj.

5. “Climate Change Connections: New Jersey (The Jersey Shore).” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 2025, www.epa.gov/climateimpacts/climate-change-connections-new-jersey-jersey-shore#impacts.

6. “Annual High Tide Flooding Outlook.” Annual Outlook, NOAA, 2025, tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/high-tide-flooding/annual-outlook.html?station=8534720.

7. Kaplan, Thomas, and N. R. Kleinfield. “Empty of Gamblers and Full of Water, Atlantic City Reels.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 30 Oct. 2012, www.nytimes.com/2012/10/30/nyregion/storm-overwhelms-atlantic-city.html.

8. Sharp, Corey. “Atlantic City’s January Casino Revenue Cedes to I-Gaming despite Year-over-Year Growth.” CDC Gaming, 2024, cdcgaming.com/brief/atlantic-citys-january-casino-revenue-cedes-to-igaming-despite-year-over-year-growth/.

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