The National Research Council is currently conducting a study on sea level rise projections for the West Coast and whether the left half of the country is expected to sink into the Pacific Ocean. The states of California, Oregon and Washington are partnering with federal agencies with the council in a contract to conduct a science review of sea level rise for the West Coast states. The contract aims to gather facts from a panel of experts, assembled to assess the rising tides in these regions and to provide estimated values or a range of values for sea level rise for planning purposed for the next 100 years. There are three public meetings held to solicit reference information that could be considered in the study. The last meeting was already held in Long Beach. There are two more to be held on June 16 in San Francisco and June 17 in Eureka.The study is expected to look into:
• Projections of sea level rise for locations on the West Coast.
• Climate change-related severe weather conditions on the West Coast, including increased storminess (didn’t know that was a word), increased wave heights, storm surges, changes in storm frequency/duration/precipitation intensity and development atmospheric rive events.
• West Coast site-specific climate change-related impacts on erosion and sedimentation characteristics (e.g. rates and processes) in coastal and estuarine environment, including coastal wetlands.
• Efficacy of coastal habitats and coastal restoration in increasing the resilience of communities and ecosystems along the West Coast.
• Observed sea level rise amounts, severe weather data, or erosion/sedimentation impact relevant to operation of coastal in
frastructure for future projections.• Predicted site-specific local sea level rise amounts and climate change-related criteria methodologies for precipitation frequency/duration/intensity relationships for stormwater drainage, including those that quantify expected local responses associated with sea level rise.
Above are some photos I took of the erosion caused near Point Fermin, often referred to as the “Sunken City” in San Pedro next to Palos Verdes. Point Fermin landslides are classic examples of rotational slides, according to the Cal State Long Beach Geology Department. The erosion is caused by wave erosion that breaks down the rocky layers. The cliffs have been breaking off into the ocean since the 1940s and movement was abated in the early 1960's, but damage to homes and streets had already occurred, with evidence of the historical land erosion still shown today at parts of foundations and streets.
