San Rafael presents three adaptation paths to address rising tides; study estimates up to $1.8 billion for most transformative option

Feb 12, 2026

City of San Rafael staff and consultants presented a feasibility study showing three broad adaptation approaches—raised edges, a canal gate with a large pump station, and incremental elevation/redevelopment—each with trade-offs in cost, timelines, displacement risk and environmental impacts; study leaders urged community input and noted pumps and ownership are central constraints.

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San Rafael officials and their consultants laid out three distinct strategies to reduce flooding and overtopping risks in the city’s low-lying basin during a public webinar: raising continuous shoreline edges, installing an operable canal gate with a large forward pump, or pursuing long‑term incremental elevation and redevelopment that would reconfigure land along the canal.

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