Editorial: Stinson Beach must address threat of sea level rise now
Marin residents are clearly in a window of opportunity to make defensive preparations to reduce the threat.
When it comes to Stinson Beach and dealing with the threat of sea level rise, the guiding mantra should be now is better than later.
Beachfront homes and neighborhoods on the Pacific Ocean along the California coast that have seen flooding from storm-swept high tides face the science-founded warnings that sea level rise will increase those risks.
Marin County planners have warned that the higher tides could inundate hundreds of homes, block roads and cover Stinson’s sandy beaches.
That’s why county planners and Stinson residents are working on a new defense plan.
Residents have already had visible warnings during recent years’ storms that have threatened seaside homes, flooded roads (such as Calle Del Arroyo and Highway 1) and eroded beaches.
A county study predicts the beach itself could be lost to higher tides during the second half of this century. Nearby, low-lying neighborhoods could be inundated by the ocean as soon as the century’s end.
Stinson Beach, CA – video from my parents (they evacuated). pic.twitter.com/dzCCxJvEqO
— Sammy Herdman (@Sammy_Herdman) January 6, 2023
In addition, sea level rise is also expected to intrude into the groundwater table and threaten underground septic systems and buried utility lines.
A 2018 county report outlined some possible options, among them elevating homes and roads, building seawalls, boardwalking neighborhoods, restoring dunes and building a new community sewage system.
Those are not insubstantial challenges and changes.
The county and some Stinson residents are working to engage stakeholders to participate in a collaborative process aimed at change that prepares for the threat.
New and updated studies are providing more details, but the consistent message is that work needs to happen now.
Marin residents are clearly in a window of opportunity to make defensive preparations to reduce the threat.
These preparations need to reflect a strong community consensus.
That work is underway right now with the county and the Stinson Beach Village Association. They are reaching out to home and property owners to engage them in the planning process.
“If no action is taken, higher water levels would increase erosion of the beach and upland migration of marsh habitats. Additionally, the combination of higher ocean water levels and squeeze of beaches and marshes around Stinson Beach would result in greater flooding and damage during coastal storms,” warns the recently released report by the county and planning consultants from the Environmental Science Associates.
The county’s Stinson Beach Adaptation and Resilience Collaboration project has garnered grant funding to develop a roadmap for a more resilient future around Stinson Beach.
Damage and disruption caused by this winter’s storms gave a strong warning that this is not a hypothetical exercise.
Deliberate progress in development and deploying a plan that reflects science and community consensus is the wisest strategy. The window of opportunity is open right now. Bringing all stakeholders into this process at the beginning should strengthen the plan’s resolve and success.