Sindhu Ananthavel is an Alameda Sun intern.
Climate Plan to Act on Flood Protections First
The City of Alameda’s Climate Action and Resiliency Plan (CARP) adopted by City Council on July 16 marks an enormous step toward sustainability and combating climate change. The plan focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing climate resilience and addresses one of Alameda’s most pressing issues: sea-level rise.
One of the areas at highest risk for flooding lies in the vicinity of the Webster and Posey tubes, with expected flooding of a minimum of 36 inches.
“The area is of particular importance because the tubes give access to and from Alameda,” Director of Public Works Liam Garland said. “There are also several residential senior facilities and commercial buildings close to the shoreline.”
There are three separate plans for adaptation, extending from within the next 5 years (short term), 5 to 10 years (midterm), and more than 10 years (long term).
- For the short term, CARP highlights designing seawall expansions to protect from major storms, speaking with private landowners about flood protection and developing evacuation plans for the residential facilities in the area.
- For the mid term, flood proofing will be required at critical inland facilities, existing seawalls will be expanded, and public trails or open space will be modified for temporary flooding.
- For the long term, the city will develop a northern waterfront strategy to change policies and limit land development near the shoreline.
This adaptation planning is not exclusive to the Webster and Posey tubes, and specialized plans have been developed for priority areas such as Crown Beach, Towata Park and Eastshore Drive. CARP was created solely in the interest of protecting Alameda’s residents and strengthening the city’s climate resilience. The focus on the Webster and Posey Tubes exemplifies both objectives.