San Diego Sea Level Rise & Coastal Impacts Workshop

October 30, 2014 | San Diego Foundation, San Diego, CA

Over 50 coastal practitioners gathered at the San Diego Foundation to discuss planning for sea level rise and coastal impacts in the San Diego region. USC Sea Grant hosted the workshop in partnership with the San Diego Foundation, California Coastal Conservancy, San Diego Climate Collaborative and the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve. 

Lesley Ewing of the California Coastal Commission describes the variety of adaptation solutions available to local communities.

Attendees had the opportunity to learn about sea level rise models
and tools, hear about how other municipalities across the country are undertaking an "adaptive" and more flexible approach to adaptation to ensure new scientific information is integrated into planning, and discuss policy guidance and potential adaptation solutions with representatives from the Coastal Commission. Participants closed out the one-day workshop by gathering in small breakout groups to discuss local challenges and identify potential opportunities for collaboration.

This workshop is part of a Southern California capacity-building and educational outreach initiative led by USC Sea Grant and supported by the California Coastal Conservancy.

Workshop Goals:

• Provide information about USGS’s Coastal Storms Modeling System and how it relates to other regional sea level rise models & tools
• Discuss the regulatory and policy frameworks relevant to sea level rise
• Provide training on “adaptive management” and the range of adaptation strategies available to a community
• Encourage networking with municipalities & regional partners and share information about ongoing sea level rise planning efforts in San Diego