The sightlines at Wrigley Field, the panorama from Navy Pier, the vantage points at the Adler Planetarium observatory—all structures built more than 100 years ago—are at least 4 inches lower now.
In the northern United States and Canada, areas that once were depressed under the tremendous weight of a massive ice sheet are springing back up while others are sinking. The Chicago area and parts of southern Lake Michigan, where glaciers disappeared 10,000 years ago, are sinking about 4 to 8 inches each century.
One or 2 millimeters a year might not seem like a lot, but "over a decade that's a centimeter. Over 50 years, now, you're talking several inches," said Daniel Roman, chief geodesist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. "It's a slow process, but it's a persistent one."
While Chicago's dipping is gradual, this dynamic could eventually redefine flood plains and work against household sewer pipes that slope downward to the sewer main.
The subsidance could be after-effects of the disappearance of the ice sheet that once covered the area, or because the city is the location of the Hellmouth.
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Monday March 04 2019, @09:28PM (12 children)
Sinking ? That ain't sinking, that's merely a drift.
Honsu moved by 2.4m in about 6 minutes in 2011.
Top that or stop talking like it's a big deal !
If the river starts going the other way again, you can call that news...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 04 2019, @09:52PM
Considering a good portion of the city are up on stilts...
(Score: 3, Informative) by PartTimeZombie on Monday March 04 2019, @09:54PM (8 children)
Yeah, the problem with earthquakes is that they don't move the whole island. [stuff.co.nz]
Bits of the South Island moved 5 metres in about 90 seconds during 2016. The bits that didn't want to come all fell over.
There is also the statement that
No, centimetres don't turn into inches if you leave them lying about the place long enough.
(Score: 4, Funny) by krishnoid on Monday March 04 2019, @09:57PM (2 children)
They do if they thrust-fault their way from Canada into the US, eh.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 04 2019, @10:30PM (1 child)
Build a wall to keep them out!
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Monday March 04 2019, @11:17PM
Except in CA, the wall will go South, a few mm per year.
(Score: 2) by hemocyanin on Monday March 04 2019, @10:22PM (2 children)
They also don't get longer. 5 cm is a smidge less than two inches, not "several".
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 04 2019, @10:55PM (1 child)
All you have to do, if you have the right ruler or measuring tape, is lay it down and approach it from the other side! :)
(Score: 2) by PartTimeZombie on Tuesday March 05 2019, @12:26AM
Woooaaahhh! Dude! Did you ever notice how weird your hands look? Maaannn! That is so weird.
(Score: 2) by Nuke on Tuesday March 05 2019, @10:07AM (1 child)
That's quite a prediction : in 50 years time we will abandon metric measurements and go back to Imperial. Even bigger news than Chicago vanishing into the swamp.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 05 2019, @12:13PM
America doesn't use Imperial units.
A US gallon is not equal to an Imperial gallon, a US ounce is different, etc.
Our units of measure are officially known as customary units.
Imperial units are for those countries that didn't break free from Mother Britain until 150 years later.
(Score: 2, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 04 2019, @10:53PM (1 child)
Didn't they in-fill / raise the whole city by 6 ft back about 100 years ago? Just rinse and repeat.. oh, more $ today, yes...
(Score: 2) by realDonaldTrump on Tuesday March 05 2019, @12:24PM
More money for our busy Builders! And by the way, they raised Seattle too. American enginuity in action!!