Sea Level Rise
The Morro Bay Estuary supports a rich network of marshes, eelgrass beds, mudflats, and dunes that provide essential habitat while also supporting fisheries, recreation, and protection of coastal communities. Rising seas pose a growing threat to the estuary with projections of more than three feet of sea level rise (SLR) by 2100.
To better understand the risk of SLR, the Estuary Program partnered with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) on a two-year habitat vulnerability study. The Estuary Program and USGS collected robust field data and developed a hydrodynamic model to assess how marshes and adjacent habitats may respond to various sea level rise rates and sediment scenarios.
Results of the study, including impact to coastal communities, habitat change maps, and proposed adaptation scenarios, have been summarized in an interactive StoryMap embedded below. Click here for an improved viewing experience of the StoryMap in your browser.
By identifying where and when habitat changes are likely to occur with SLR and which management actions could improve resilience, this project helps guide future conservation and restoration efforts and can support decision-making by coastal managers and the community partners.
Related Blogs
