when was sea level 400 feet below now?

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Sea levels were more than 400 feet lower than they are today during the Last Glacial Maximum, which occurred about 20,000 years ago. This period of extensive glaciation tied up vast amounts of water in ice sheets, resulting in lower ocean levels.
 

Here's why:

• Ice Sheets:

  During the last Ice Age, massive ice sheets covered large portions of the Earth's landmass, significantly reducing the amount of water in the oceans. 

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• Sea Level Rise | Smithsonian Ocean

  The climate was colder and drier globally; rain was scarce, but pockets of rainforest survived in the tropics. With so much of the...

  

  Smithsonian Ocean

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During the last glacial maximum, sea levels were 125m ...

Reddit · r/geography

270+ comments · 2 years ago

During the last glacial maximum, sea levels were 125m (400ft) lower than today. Where would you want to explore the most? Archived post.

276 answers  ·  201 votes: Doggerland!

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Past sea level

Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Past_sea_level

The last time the sea level was higher than today was during the Eemian, about 130,000 years ago. Over a shorter timescale, the low level reached during the LGM ...

Glaciers and ice caps

Geological influences

Changes through geologic time

Videos

0:34

YouTube · The Randall Carlson

Sea Levels Were 400 Feet Lower

YouTube · The Randall Carlson

Jun 17, 2025

Sea levels were 400 ft lower 13,000 years ago due to the presence of glaciers that formed from water taken from the oceans.

0:56

YouTube · Daniel Izzo

The Ice Age - reduced ocean levels 450 feet

YouTube · Daniel Izzo

Nov 12, 2009

Geological evidence suggests Earth was once covered in ice sheets, causing ocean levels to drop by 450 ft, creating land bridges for human migration.

8:52

YouTube · The Geography Bible

What Happens if Sea Levels Drop by 1000 Metres?

YouTube · The Geography Bible

Feb 21, 2024

If sea levels dropped by 1,000 meters, the world map would look very different. Countries would be connected, and new land would be exposed.

Glacial Maximum:

The peak of this glacial period, known as the Last Glacial Maximum, is when sea levels were at their lowest. 

Evidence:

Scientists use various methods, including dating ancient peat and corals, to determine past sea levels and confirm they were hundreds of feet lower than today's levels. 

Consequences:

These lower sea levels created land bridges that allowed humans to migrate to different continents. 

How does present glacier extent and sea level compare to ... - USGS.gov

The Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) occurred about 20,000 years ago, during the last phase of the Pleistocene epoch. At that time, glob...

USGS.gov

The coastline of the eastern U.S. changes....slowly. | U.S. Geological Survey

USGS.gov