California Contributing To Sea Level Rise, As Some Parts Of Globe Absorb It
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) -- New research reveals that some parts of the Earth are absorbing enough water to slow rising sea levels.
The findings can be aggravating for scientists.
"Climate deniers have really taken up the topic, and said, 'oh, sea levels are slowing down. NASA says the sea level's slowing down.' And, that's not the case. They just didn't read the paper," JT Reager, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Hydrologist, and lead author of the study said.
The paper, which involves a satellite mission mapping changes in the earth's gravity field and its effect on water shows that the absorption is just a hitch in a much bigger picture.
The news may sound promising for California's drought-stricken landscape, but Reager says it's just the opposite.
"California's actually contributing to sea level rise. We've been losing water; pumping ground water in the Central Valley, and that water does go into the ocean," Reager said.