Studies of Sea Level Rise Impacts in San Mateo County

Below are articles, documents, and maps highlighting the threats posed by sea level rise on the people, properties, infrastructure, and ecosystems in San Mateo County. For certain documents, the links provided will direct you to the most relevant sections.

County of San Mateo Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment (2018)

Flood and Sea Level Rise Resiliency Agency Proposal (2018)

San Mateo County: California’s Ground Zero for Sea Level Rise (San Mateo County 2020-2021 Civil Grand Jury Final Report)

Caltrans District 4 Adaptation Priorities Report (2020)

Rising Seas, Rising Inequity? Communities at Risk in the San Francisco Bay Area and Implications for Adaptation Policy (Stanford University, 2021)

County of San Mateo South Coast Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Report (2022)

Sea Level Rise Adaptation Funding and Investment Framework Final Report (Metropolitan Transportation Commission, Association of Bay Area Governments, and the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission; 2023)

California Coastal Cliff Erosion Viewer (interactive map showing the severity of coastal erosion along the Pacific coastline of California)

Our Coast Our Future (interactive map illustrating potential flood hazards due to sea level rise and storms)

Appendixes to 2018 SLR Vulnerability Assessment:

  • Appendices A-C (PDF)
    • Appendix A: Methodology Report
    • Appendix B: Asset Exposure Maps
    • Appendix C: Asset Questionnaire Example
  • Appendix D: Asset Vulnerability Profiles (PDF)
  • Appendices E – P (PDF)
    • Appendix E: Data Sources
    • Appendix F: Asset Categorization and Classification Report
    • Appendix G: Inundation Scenarios for San Mateo County Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment
    • Appendix H: Adapting to Rising Tides and Our Coast, Our Future – A Comparison of Approaches
    • Appendix I: Groundwater Resources Evaluation
    • Appendix J: Pacific Gas & Electric – Sea Level Rise in San Mateo County
    • Appendix K: Baylands Ecosystem Habitat Goals Science Update 2015
    • Appendix L: Stakeholder Group List
    • Appendix M: Summary of Local Sea Level Rise Planning Efforts
    • Appendix N: Recommendations for Next Steps from Stakeholders
    • Appendix O: Additional Resources
    • Appendix P: Glossary
An illustration of inundation and coastal flooding due to specific sea level rise and storm surge scenarios (County of San Mateo Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment, page 41)
An illustration of inundation and coastal flooding due to specific sea level rise and storm surge scenarios (County of San Mateo Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment, page 41)

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The following photos of King tides in San Mateo County provide a valuable preview of what our coastlines may look like with just 1 to 2 feet of sea level rise in the future (photo credits: California King Tides Project).

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