The city of Hayward is trying to get ahead of climate change, thinking of what to do next as water levels continue to threaten the shoreline.
By 2100, rising water may encompass all of today’s shoreline.
Already, a combination of high tides and strong winds floods dry areas in Hayward several times each year, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. With increased temperatures melting glaciers and expanding the sea level, this water will continue to invade upon the coastline.
Facing the inevitable, Hayward has decided to be proactive and forward-thinking.
"As a layperson, it seems obvious to me that we’re going to have to consider some form of retreat at some point. Not just in Hayward, but all around the Bay," a former member of the Hayward City Council said to the Chronicle.
A detailed set of strategies were approved by the council in February. The strategies outlined a number of approaches to combat the effects of climate change between now and 2070.
Marshes and trails would be restored in some areas of Hayward, while other areas would implement levee systems to shield industrial functions that cannot be moved, including wastewater treatment facilities.
"Plenty of cities and agencies are beginning to study risks," the leader of Scape, a New York landscape architecture firm, told the newspaper. "Hayward is one of the few places taking the next step and trying to offer solutions."
The former Hayward council member feels confident in the city’s plan.
"We wanted something doable, not pie-in-the-sky," he said. "It’s a tool for the next generation to preserve and protect the shoreline."
Related
