Santa Cruz concerned with sea level rise, erosion and coastal storm flooding after winter storms

SANTA CRUZ, CA. (KION-TV): The city of Santa Cruz was one of the coastal cities that were hit by winter storms this year.

Last week, President Biden announced that NOAA will help out coastal cities with funding to combat weather-related events. Anything from building natural infrastructure, planning, and protecting communities and ecosystems from tidal flooding and sea level rise.

The City of Santa Cruz said they're considering applying for funding to work on three things they are concerned about.

“So, we are primarily concerned on our coastline with three major climate hazards, sea level rise, erosion and coastal storm flooding,” said Tiffany, Wise-West, sustainability, and climate-action manager for the City of Santa Cruz. 

One erosion happened on West Cliff Drive where chunks of cement broke off after the winter storms. The city of Santa Cruz said if they end up applying for federal funding-- they will use the money for different projects. 

“Everything from living shoreline and nature-based solutions on our beaches and bluffs to actual hard armoring and other amenities on our coastline,” said Wise-West. 

The California Coastal Commission said they have reports that have stated the sea level rise is expected to rise between 3.3 to 6.9 by the end of the century.

"What that means is, as the climate warms, which we are experiencing right now, certainly in the mid the United States, they're under a heat dome,” said Donne Brownsey, chair of CA Coastal Commission "What that does is it melts all the ice. A lot of the ice in our polar regions, which then increases the volume of water in our world's oceans and seas.”

The City of Santa Cruz says they will know by early July if they will be pursuing the federal funding or not.