A recent study conducted by scientists from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Rutgers University has revealed the New York City metropolitan area is slowly sinking at an average annual rate of 0.06 inches. This subsidence poses an increased risk of flooding to the region. New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency due to heavy rain and flash floods in various boroughs of the city, underscoring the urgency of this issue. The study assessed vertical land motion from 2016 to 2023 using interferometric synthetic aperture radar to examine changes in the region's topography.
The sinking is particularly pronounced in areas that have undergone prior alterations to the Earth's surface, such as landfill construction and land reclamation. Notably, Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, built on a landfill, is sinking at a rate of 0.18 inches per year, while Woodside in Queens is rising at 0.27 inches per year. LaGuardia Airport is also sinking at approximately 0.15 inches per year, prompting an $8 billion renovation to address existing issues and flooding concerns.