The canal district in San Rafael, California, was built on reclaimed wetlands. But over time, that land has been slowly sinking back into San Francisco Bay.
And as sea levels rise, the risk of flooding is growing.
Hagemann: “The community is really vulnerable to sea level rise.”
Kate Hagemann works on climate adaptation and resilience with the city of San Rafael.
To help people understand the risks, the city is organizing what they call king tide days.
King tide days are the days with the highest tides each year. During one in February, families volunteered to measure the depth and salinity of the water in flooded streets and other areas by the shore.
The data will help officials understand the city’s vulnerability to flooding and sea level rise so they can plan how to adapt.
The events also help community members visualize the reality of climate change.
Hagemann: “Putting on rain boots and going out and taking pictures and measuring – How deep is the water? Is it salty? Is it fresh? – to help people see it with their own eyes and also be part of telling the story that climate change isn’t a future issue, it’s already here.”
San Rafael is now planning for another king tide day in December – empowering everyone to help the city adapt to climate change.
Reporting credit: Ethan Freedman / ChavoBart Digital Media
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