The wetlands near American Canyon are especially vulnerable to sea level rise, according to Bay Conservation and Development District research.

Napa County Faces Predicted Sea Level Rise Challenges

Jan 11, 2021 at 8:00pm

Barry Eberling, Napa Valley Register

Kennedy Park, the rural Edgerley Island community and wetlands wildlife habitat are among Napa County areas that research shows are vulnerable to sea level rise in coming decades.

Studies by the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) try to find the Bay Area’s weak spots. Then communities can take steps avoid being flooded.

“I will say that in Napa County compared to other counties, it’s not so bad, especially in terms of the impacts to people,” said Dana Brechwald of BCDC.

For example, Suisun City in neighboring Solano County under similar sea-level rise scenarios could see much of its downtown and several hundred homes swamped, the agency’s research shows.

BCDC has spent a decade studying sea level rise possibilities. The Napa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District heard about the agency’s work last week.

“A slow-motion disaster” is how one slide described the potential sea level rise situation.

The Bay Area could experience a half-foot to a foot of sea level rise by 2030, a foot to three feet by 2050 and three feet to 10 feet by century’s end, a BCDC report said. The base year is 2000. One wild card contributing to the variations is the rate of greenhouse gas emissions.

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