Sea Level Rise
We’re working to mitigate and adapt to sea level rise now by seeking more durable and resilient solutions to toxic site cleanup and sea level protection plans.
What’s Sea Level Rise?
Sea level rise is an increase in the ocean’s surface height. The primary causes of today’s rising seas are warming oceans and melting polar ice driven by human-induced greenhouse gas emissions.
Why It Matters
Rising seas will eventually submerge today’s coastlines, washing toxins into waterways and ecosystems. Higher sea levels will also push saltwater inland, raising the water table and mobilizing pollutants trapped in the soil, which can then move volatile organic chemicals inland – an effect called "groundwater rise" that extends the impact far beyond the coast.
Richmond, with 32 miles of shoreline and 115+ toxic hot spots, will bear the blunt of sea level and groundwater rise. Without proactive adaptation and mitigation measures, people in communities like Richmond’s Crescent Park near the Zeneca site—already facing some of California’s highest toxic exposure rates—risk worsening health and displacement.
What We Can Do
Our shoreline and wetlands offer the best defense against rising seas. Wetlands soften waves, provide a natural barrier against flooding, filter pollutants from water and stabilize shorelines.
That’s why we’re working with our partners to advocate for protecting and restoring our wetlands instead of leaving them contaminated or building on them, as is the current plan for the Zeneca site.
Rising Waters 101
What’s the science behind sea level and groundwater rise? Why are these issues a growing health and safety challenge for Richmond? Find out in these easy-to-read guides.
What Experts Are Saying
“The Bay Area is ground zero for climate change and sea level rise. We are literally eight million people living in a bathtub.”
— Warner Chabot, San Francisco Estuary Institute
“We estimate that a 1.0-meter sea level rise will put 220,000 people at risk of a 100-year flood event (in the San Francisco Bay Area), given today's population.”
— Pacific Institute
“People living in disadvantaged communities, such as those in Richmond, are five times more likely to suffer from flooding by 2050.”
— Toxic Tides Project, University of California, Berkeley
FAQs
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Human activities have released greenhouse gases, mainly carbon dioxide, causing about 1.1°C (2°F) of warming since 1900. This warming raises sea levels in two ways: oceans absorb 90% of excess heat, causing water to expand (thermal expansion), and melting glaciers and ice sheets add fresh water. However, melting sea ice doesn’t directly raise sea levels.
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The Bay Area is especially vulnerable due to its dense coastal development and infrastructure.
• According to the California Ocean Protection Council, sea levels could rise up to 1 foot by 2050 and potentially 3-7 feet by 2100 in a high-emission scenario.
• King tides and storm surges already cause flooding in low-lying areas, and these events will worsen over time.
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It’s part of a state law requiring all waterfront cities in the San Francisco Bay Area to submit their sea level protection plans by January 1, 2034. Richmond has a special reason to begin the process as soon as possible as it faces consequences of burying the sins of its past in so many places along the shoreline, including the Zeneca and United Heckathorn sites.
Take Action
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Get the Facts
Sea level rise has been studied for 20+ years. Find the research and data here.
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Take a Toxic Tour
Explore Richmond’s Zeneca site, a toxic area at risk from rising seas and groundwater, in-person or online.
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Join in the Fight
Be a champion for Richmond and our shoreline.