If California is falling into the ocean, then why are the maps showing California the same size?

Question

Is California really falling into the ocean little by little? Will California be gone one day?

Answer 1

California really isn't falling in to the ocean little by little.  It really won't be gone one day.  Earthquakes are the result of two plates of the earth shifting...as opposed to the land collapsing or crumbling like a sinkhole.  So don't spend any money on oceanfront property in Arizona.  You can read more about it at the US Geological Survey site and find out where they expect we Los Angelenos to end up some day.  <smile>

Answer 2

They don't mean by the tide.. but by an earthquake instead. Then they claim parts will break off and fall into the ocean. There should be some earthquake warning though but probably not enough time to evacuate the whole state. Would I live there? Why not? It could be in 100 hundred years or next week.

Answer 3

Because California isn't falling into the ocean.

Answer 4

the southern half of california is moving slowly northward relative to the northern half.  By slowly, I mean about an inch per year.  I read a thing once that compared this movement rate to the growth of your fingernails.

You will have a very very long wait if you expect to see much of an effect of this movement.

Answer 5

It's not, at least any more so than normal tidal erosion would allow.  There are relatively tiny changes from year to year, but not more than a few inches, in most cases.

There are NO big changes.  This won't happen until the fabeled "Big One" (earthquake) hits -- if and when it does.

If the current state of tidal erosion were to continue (without mankind fixing it with tidal walls and bulldozers) it would take several hundred years before the map would change.