A new study published in recent days argues that the city of Chicago is slowly sinking, raising risks of flooding and potential structural damage.
The study, published in Nature Cities on May 8, examined the 28 most-populated cities in the United States and found that 25 of them are experiencing the phenomenon known as “land subsidence.”
Measurements were taken between 2015 and 2021, according to the study’s authors.
According to researchers, Chicago is one of nine cities where areas are sinking by more than two millimeters per year. In all, around 98% of the city is sinking to some degree.
Groundwater extraction and expanded urban development are the two main culprits for the phenomenon according to researchers, and both issues will likely intensify due to climate change.
Researchers are recommending that officials in Chicago and other cities use enhanced planning to identify high-risk areas and to avoid heavy construction or excessive groundwater consumption in those places.
The study is just the latest indicating a potential issue for Chicago-area residents and businesses. In 2023, Northwestern University published a study that found buildings in the Loop were sinking as a result of excessive heat being radiated into the ground by downtown structures.
“Underground climate change is a silent hazard,” Northwestern Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering Alessandro Rotta Loria said. “The ground is deforming as a result of temperature variations, and no existing civil structure or infrastructure is designed to withstand these variations.”
The study was conducted with more than 150 temperature sensors installed around the Loop, finding that Loop temperatures were up to 10 degrees Celsius warmer than conditions underneath Grant Park. The city is primarily built on clay, which contracts when it’s warmed, leading to the sinking effect, according to researchers.
Authors of the study recommended installing thermal insulation on new and existing buildings.
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