Humboldt Bay Regional Sea Level Rise Planning

HUMBOLDT BAY SEA LEVEL RISE REGIONAL PLANNING FEASIBILITY STUDY

The Humboldt Bay Sea Level Rise Regional Planning Feasibility Study explores whether it might make sense to address the risk of sea level rise through a cooperative and coordinated regional approach to the identification, funding, and implementation of various sea level rise adaptation measures. A regional approach is being used successfully for roads and trails and other local infrastructure projects, and may serve as a good model for other coastal communities struggling to adapt to sea level rise.

THE PROJECT AREA

The focus of this regional planning effort is the lands surrounding Humboldt Bay within the City of Eureka's and City of Arcata's local coastal programs (LCPs), and the County's Humboldt Bay Area Plan (HBAP), one of six coastal land use plans in the County's LCP, hereafter referenced as the Humboldt Bay region or project area. Lands in the project area that could be impacted by one meter or more of sea level rise contain many critical assets owned and operated by various entities, located in multiple hydrologic units and in multiple federal, state and local governmental jurisdictions with regulatory authority over development or public trust responsibilities for natural resources. A regional sea level rise regulatory framework, and ultimately a regional sea level rise adaptation plan, would be the best approach to addressing sea level rise in the Humboldt Bay region given these circumstances. 

OBJECTIVES

The Feasibility Study consists of three main objectives:

Outreach

Outreach was centered on four groups: Local Coastal Program agencies; permitting and public agencies; asset owners; and community. The results are compiled in the Stakeholder Catalog, linked below.

• Complete Stakeholder Catalogue (pdf)
  • Chapter 1. Introduction (pdf)
    
  • Chapter 2. Tribal Government (pdf)
  • Chapter 3. Land Use Authorities (pdf)
  • Chapter 4. Resource Management Protection-Regulator (pdf)
  • Chapter 5. Shoreline Structure-Property Owners (pdf)
  • Chapter 6. Vulnerable Property Owners (pdf)
  • Chapter 7. Utility Infrastructure-Service Provider (pdf)
  • Chapter 8. Transportation Infrastructure Owner (pdf)
  • Chapter 9. Academic-Public Interest Organizations (pdf)
  • Chapter 10. Appendices (pdf)