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| Sea Level Rise Guidance for California | |
|---|---|
| Name | Sea Level Rise Guidance for California |
| Caption | Coastal adaptation planning in California |
| Jurisdiction | State of California |
| Established | 2018 |
| Authority | California Natural Resources Agency; California Coastal Commission |
Sea Level Rise Guidance for California The guidance provides statewide technical recommendations and policy direction for planning, mapping, and adapting to projected coastal inundation and erosion. It integrates scientific assessments, regulatory frameworks, and implementation tools for local governments, state agencies, and stakeholders engaged in coastal resilience. The document connects climate projections with planning requirements to support infrastructure, habitat, and community protection.
The guidance synthesizes findings from California Natural Resources Agency, California Coastal Commission, Ocean Protection Council, State of California, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to inform regional planning, asset management, and permitting decisions. It aims to coordinate actions among California Environmental Protection Agency, Governor of California, California State Legislature, and regional bodies such as San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission and Bay Area Metro. The purpose includes aligning municipal planning tools used by counties like Los Angeles County, San Diego County, and Orange County with state mandates from laws including California Coastal Act of 1976 and statutes administered by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The technical foundation relies on datasets and models from National Aeronautics and Space Administration, United States Geological Survey, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and regional efforts such as the Pacific Institute and Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Projections reference scenarios used by Representative Concentration Pathway assessments and incorporate vertical land motion measured by Global Positioning System networks and tide records from the National Water Level Observation Network. The guidance reconciles outputs from projects led by University of California, Berkeley, Stanford University, University of California, Santa Cruz, and California Polytechnic State University to produce state-aligned high, medium, and low sea level rise scenarios suitable for planning horizons tied to agencies such as Federal Emergency Management Agency and United States Army Corps of Engineers.
The guidance is implemented within regulatory contexts shaped by the California Coastal Commission, California Environmental Quality Act, and executive orders issued by the Governor of California including climate directives. It intersects with statutory responsibilities of the California Natural Resources Agency, California State Lands Commission, and California Department of Transportation for shoreline management, permitting, and public trust lands. Legal instruments referenced include decisions from the California Supreme Court and statutes enacted by the California State Legislature governing habitat protection, managed retreat, and asset risk disclosure administered by agencies such as the State Water Resources Control Board.
Recommendations address infrastructure managed by entities like Caltrans, Metropolitan Transportation Commission, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and utilities overseen by the California Public Utilities Commission. The guidance proposes timelines and design standards for critical assets including ports administered by the Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach, airports such as San Francisco International Airport, and water facilities managed by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and State Water Project. It provides planning tools compatible with zoning authorities in cities like San Francisco, Long Beach, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz and integrates with hazard mitigation planning promoted by Federal Emergency Management Agency and regional councils of governments like Southern California Association of Governments.
Technical mapping uses geospatial methods from institutions such as USGS and NOAA combined with local datasets from county GIS units in Alameda County, Contra Costa County, Ventura County, and Monterey County. Risk assessment integrates exposure analyses used by California Geological Survey, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, and research centers at University of California, Davis to evaluate assets ranging from wetlands protected under programs led by National Audubon Society to cultural sites listed by the National Register of Historic Places. The guidance recommends standardized map products for use in coastal permitting by the California Coastal Commission and regional sea level rise action plans adopted by metropolitan planning organizations such as San Diego Association of Governments.
Adaptation approaches include nature-based solutions promoted by The Nature Conservancy, engineered defenses applied by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, and policy tools like managed retreat debated in forums convened by Local Government Commission and California Coastal Commission. Recommended measures span wetland restoration aligned with San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission initiatives, shoreline armoring considerations evaluated in California Coastal Act of 1976 compliance, and living shoreline techniques trialed by Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. The guidance emphasizes equity considerations reflected in planning practices supported by California Environmental Justice Alliance and community engagement strategies involving city governments such as Oakland, California and Santa Monica, California.
Implementation pathways reference funding mechanisms involving the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank, state bonds authorized by the California State Legislature, federal grants from National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and cost-sharing arrangements with entities like Port of San Diego and regional water districts. Governance recommendations outline coordination among state agencies including California Natural Resources Agency, regional bodies such as San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, and local jurisdictions in counties like Marin County and Santa Barbara County. Stakeholder roles encompass nonprofit partners such as Sierra Club, academic partners including University of Southern California, and private sector actors from engineering firms contracted by municipal authorities like City of Los Angeles.