Central Coasting: Monterey tackles coastal erosion
The peninsula’s famous coastline draws in visitors from all over the world.
“People travel from China and all kinds of places,” said Ramona Thurman with El Estero Boating. “You wouldn’t believe the different languages that we hear here.”
El Estero Boating is located on Del Monte Avenue, a main artery that up until the 1800’s was an estuary.
“What we’re seeing with the future flooding maps, just as we’ve predicted with the existing flooding maps, is that over time that area still wants to flood,” said Kimberly Cole, City of Monterey chief of planning and environmental compliance. “That’s because it’s a low point.”
Monterey city planners told KION a recent vulnerability study of the coastline, predicts flooding in Monterey through 2030, 2060 and 2100…an ugly combination of coastal erosion and sea level rising are to blame.
“A lot of that land is going to go away,” said Charles Colgan, director of research for the Center for the Blue Economy. “It’s going to be swallowed up by storms and by sea level rise.”
Officials say 25,000 feet of roadways, 30 structures and nearly 200 parcels are all potentially at risk.
“It will be predominately city infrastructure that’s at risk first,” said Cole. “The longer projections, there are homes along Lake El Estero. Some homes along our beach will be threatened as well.”
To combat issues with coastal erosion and sea level rising, the city is in the process of developing a Local Coastal Plan which will help them decide whether to intervene or let nature take its course.
“You could build groynes which are perpendicular structures out into to the beach which allows the sand to accumulate,” said Cole. “We could allow it to naturally erode and to reconnect with the Lake.”
Researchers said with Monterey’s economy relying heavily on the ocean, it’s also time to start thinking about the threats to its economic future.
“We’ve packed an awful lot of economic activity right up on the shoreline,” said Colgan. “If that shoreline literally disappears where is it going to go?”
“It’s a lot to think about it that happens,” said Thurman.
