Watershed Project spells out Richmond shoreline resiliency plan and asks residents for input

Nama (Watershed Project) told the committee the city-managed shoreline resiliency project is a community-driven effort to meet state requirements that shoreline cities prepare plans to reduce vulnerability to sea level rise by 2034. Nama said the city of Richmond has one of the Bay Area’s longest shorelines — roughly 32 miles — and that mapping and community input are central to identifying vulnerable assets.

Nama described a two-phase process: an initial phase to confirm vulnerable assets with community review of maps and a later phase to propose adaptation pathways and show design options to residents. The technical team (named in presentation as Methun and ESA) is producing maps that overlay predicted midcentury and end-of-century sea-level projections, transportation and critical infrastructure, environmental justice communities, wastewater and stormwater systems, and potentially contaminated sites that may be affected by groundwater rise.

Nama emphasized that implementation will require additional funding, permitting and long-term maintenance and estimated the planning and implementation horizon to span about a decade. She showed photos of King Tide and marina flooding to illustrate today’s flooding events and described how sea level rise plus storm surge and groundwater rise could expand flooding well inland. Organizers said they will send survey links via the Richmond Rising email list and circulate final presentation slides to the committee.