Project Background:
Is sea level rise weighing heavy on your mind?
According to a 2021 public survey, 56 of 66 respondents expressed they were “very concerned” or “concerned” about the impact of sea level rise (SLR) and increased storm damage. Respondents indicated the City should conduct education and outreach, assess vulnerability, and adopt policies and regulations to address SLR.
We hear you!
Sea level rise (SLR) and reoccurring flood events are an existential threat to public and private assets along our shoreline and many neighboring communities. Two of the highest tides ever recorded occurred in 2022, with the December 27, 2022 king tide event breaking historical records. Roadways, storm drains, and other infrastructure were all underwater during this event; ramps to the docks at the Boat Haven Marina reversed direction and required an uphill walk to go to the docks! With rising sea levels, climate modeling indicates we must prepare for more king tide flooding events.
Following up on the 2021 Survey,
- In 2022, we retained Cascadia Consulting Group to complete the City of Port Townsend Sea Level Rise Risk Assessment. We are indebted to the North Olympic Peninsula Resource Conservation & Development Council for the financial support.
- In 2023, we applied for and received an Ecology Shoreline Competitive Grant to address SLR in the Shoreline Master Program. More on that below.
What is the Port of Port Townsend doing in response to SLR?
The Port has begun Phase 1 of their “Waterwalk and Sea Level Rise” Project extending from the bluff at west end of the Boat Haven to the bluff near the intersection of Water Street and East Sims Way. The figure below maps the proposed alignment of the Port’s Waterwalk and Sea Level Rise Project. Phase 1 of this project will consider alternatives, determine feasibility, preliminary alignment, design elevation, cost estimates, right‐of‐way constraints, community engagement, and probable permitting pathways all in support of pursuing funding opportunities to support future project development phases that include detailed design, permitting, Plans, Specifications and Estimates (PS&E), bidding, and construction. A key component of the project is integration of a pedestrian Waterwalk with the sea‐level rise structure. The Waterwalk aims to fulfill the vision in the City’s Shoreline Master Plan (Policy 7.3.5).
What does the Port’s project have to do with the City’s Shoreline Master Plan update?
As alternatives are explored, it is important to take a holistic and collaborative approach to ensure that community priorities and requirements under the state’s Shoreline Management Act (SMA) and the City’s local Shoreline Master Program (SMP) are fully considered.
As the Port continues with Waterwalk planning along the city’s southern shoreline it is necessary to evaluate several Sea Level Rise adaptation strategies (for example, avoid, protect, accommodate, or retreat) to protect public access to the shoreline, water-oriented uses, and vital infrastructure. The City will evaluate technical data, regulatory constraints, and community preferences to inform priorities for alternatives and Shoreline Master Program amendments that are needed to reflect sea level rise adaptation, including the Waterwalk along the southern shoreline.
How will the City address SLR in the Shoreline Master Program?
Thanks to our Ecology Shoreline Competitive Grant, we retained a consultant team (AHBL and Herrera Environmental) to study SLR on our southern shoreline (from the bluffs west of the Boat Haven Marina, along the downtown waterfront, to and including Point Hudson - See Figure 1, below)
Herrera’s coastal geologists will:
