The threat of sea level rise due to climate change has steadily worsened. The State of California is now encouraging local jurisdictions to plan for 3.5 feet of sea level rise by the year 2050, and scientists predict 7-10 feet of sea level rise or higher by 2100.

Potential local impacts are substantial. Sea level rise threatens many billions of dollars in both commercial and residential property damage. Surface inundation and saltwater intrusion puts critical public assets at risk all around the Bay, including hospitals, jails, landfills, water treatment plants, and miles and miles of roadways and subsurface infrastructure. Groundwater rise also threatens to spread underground contaminants, increasing the risk of exposure to hazardous materials.

What will Sea Level Rise look like in your city?

Adaptation to sea level rise will require a dramatic re-envisioning of the Bay Area’s relationship with the Bay. Decisions made across the region in the next several years will not just shape the future shoreline of the Bay, but will define what sea level rise adaptation approaches are - and are not - possible for decades to come. Who and what can live and thrive here lies in the balance.

Bay Alive Campaign in the Mercury News: Expand and Restore Bay Wetlands to Fight Climate Change