Report: Embarcadero Needs to Rise 7 Feet to Resist Sea-Level Rise

A bombshell report details the adaptation measures that will be necessary to keep San Francisco's Embarcadero high and dry as the climate changes and sea levels rise.

1 minute read

November 17, 2021, 9:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Embarcadero

Oscity / Shutterstock

John King reports on the reality of sea-level rise in San Francisco in a paywalled article for the San Francisco Chronicle:

San Francisco will need to elevate portions of the Embarcadero as much as 7 feet in coming decades to prepare itself for rising bay waters, according to a shoreline defense strategy taking shape at the Port of San Francisco.

King adds:

The early projects, which are forecast to take roughly a decade to design and complete, would focus on spots that are particularly vulnerable to earthquakes, as emphasized by the 2018 bond. The report doesn’t preview any of the projects to be proposed next month, but a hazards assessment by the port last year found that large portions of the seawall north of the Bay Bridge are at “high risk” in a major temblor.

More details on the Embarcadero Seawall Program, a component of the Port of San Francisco's larger Waterfront Resilience Program, is available online.

For non-paywalled news on the most recent report and its proposal for a seven-foot increase in the height of the Embarcadero, see also coverage by Melissa Colorado for NBC Bay Area and an aggregated version of King's article by Joe Kukura for SFist.

Friday, November 5, 2021 in San Francisco Chronicle

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Interior of Place Versailles mall in Montreal, Canada.

Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units

Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.

May 22, 2025 - CBC

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

May 28, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

AI-generated image of high-speed rail trail in elevated track in green hilly farmland.

Four Reasons Urban Planners Can’t Ignore AI

It’s no longer a question of whether AI will shape planning, but how. That how is up to us.

May 28, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

Aerial view of Bend, Oregon.

Bend, Deschutes County Move to Restrict Major Homeless Encampment

City and county officials are closing off portions of an area known as Juniper Ridge where many unhoused residents find shelter, hoping to direct people to housing and supportive services.

4 hours ago - The Bulletin

Metro rail station in Mariachi Plaza with colorful glass pavilion in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, California.

High Housing Costs Driving Down Transit Ridership in LA

When neighborhoods gentrify and displace lower-income residents, transit ridership suffers, new research shows.

5 hours ago - CALmatters

Des Moines, Iowa skyline viewed from a plaza with two flags on either side at dusk.

Iowa Legalizes Accessory Dwelling Units

A new law will allow property owners to build ADUs on single-family lots starting on July 1.

6 hours ago - Smart Cities Dive

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.