A jolting new series of images from artist Nickolay Lamm envisions what eight major U.S. cities will look like if sea levels continue to rise at currently projected rates. Boston, Washington D.C., New York City and other locations are plunged beneath 25 feet of water, submerging the streets, with many landmarks disappearing altogether.
Lamm took his inspiration from the New York Times article ‘What Could Disappear’, which lists in striking detail the areas of the nation that would be most at risk. Working with stock photography of each location, Lamm digitally added the water to the predicted levels.
The result is a disturbing collection of images that seeks to shock us into action. Galveston, Texas would be 100% flooded, including the Space Center, as would the entire metropolitan areas of Miami and New Orleans. The Harvard Campus, the Statue of Liberty and the Thomas Jefferson Memorial are among the notable landmarks that would be under water.
Thankfully, this level of flooding won’t happen during our lifetime – but will the knowledge that it will take a few centuries to become this extreme keep us apathetic? The generations that come will have to deal with the very real threat of rising seas and other climate change effects, and cities will have to adapt.

