New sea-level rise and flood alert network launches

“Recognizing Imperial Beach is a community at high risk to the impacts from sea-level rise, the David C. Copley Foundation Board of Directors is pleased to collaborate in a partnership with Scripps and the City of Imperial Beach on this important program,” said Dean Dwyer, president and CEO of the David C. Copley Foundation. “We see this as a model that other communities in San Diego and along our California coast could adapt in the future.”

The funding also contributes to coastal modeling advancements that will be used to refine the flood forecasting system. “We hope to provide today’s coastal communities with better tools to track extreme events and predict risks,” said Merrifield.

In 2016, Imperial Beach conducted a Sea-Level Rise Assessment to identify vulnerabilities and identify adaptation strategies. The study stated that Imperial Beach is particularly susceptible to flooding as it is bound on three sides by bodies of water – San Diego Bay and Otay River to the north, Pacific Ocean to the west, and Tijuana River and Estuary to the south. The study reviewed modeling done by the Department of Defense and U.S. Geological Survey and found that storm-induced dune erosion, coastal flooding from wave run-up, and tidal inundation were the biggest potential hazards threatening wastewater systems, pump stations, roads and oceanfront properties.

“It is an honor for the City of Imperial Beach to partner with Scripps Institution of Oceanography to be the first city in California to install sea-level rise monitoring technology along our beautiful beach as part of our efforts to monitor and adapt to rising seas,” said Mayor of Imperial Beach Serge Dedina.

Imperial Beach is also a member city of the Port of San Diego, which earlier this year announced that it would coordinate with the U.S. Navy to prepare for potential impacts of sea-level rise.

“We recognize that climate change is real and will impact the world around us in tangible ways, including sea-level rise. We all need to plan for it and be a part of the solution, and I applaud this partnership between the City of Imperial Beach and Scripps to upgrade flood alert capabilities,” said Port of San Diego Chairman Rafael Castellanos. “The Port of San Diego is taking a comprehensive approach to evaluating the potential impacts of sea level rise along our bay’s waterfront. A cooperative approach to sea-level rise will ensure that San Diego Bay remains a vibrant resource and contributes to a remarkable way of life for residents and visitors for generations to come.”

The gift also contributes to the Campaign for UC San Diego, the university’s $2 billion comprehensive fundraising effort to empower the next generation of innovators to blaze a new path toward revolutionary ideas, unexpected answers, life-saving discoveries, and planet-changing impact.

The Imperial Beach CDIP buoy was installed in August 2018, and pressure sensors installed in November through mid-December. More information on the Resilient Futures program from the Center for Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation can be found here:http://resilientib.ucsd.edu.