The Problem

Sea level rise = Increased flood risk

Sea level rise

Water levels in the Bay are increasing due to climate change. In the Bay Area, sea levels have gone up about 9 inches since 1900, and the pace is speeding up. 

Aspects of sea level rise: 

• Roads and other structures weaken
• Stream flooding and rising groundwater
• Loss of shoreline habitat
• Rising waters
• Structure and contaminant risk
• Seawater intrusion

Flooding

Flood map depicting Menlo Park with 36 inches of sea level rise. Source: Adapting to Rising Tides. 

• Belle Haven and parts of the Bayfront face a higher risk of more frequent or permanent flooding. 
• Critical services and homes in low-lying areas are especially vulnerable, with fewer households having flood insurance. 
• Without planning, rising waters could damage infrastructure, displace residents, and harm tidal marshes. 

The Protection

Levees

A human-made embankment designed to keep floodwaters out of developed areas. 

Components of a levee

• Levee Crest - Highest point along the levee.
• Embankment - Barrier along a waterway that acts as a line of defense against flooding.
• Levee Toe - Where the embankment or floodwall meets the levee foundation or ground.
• Levee Foundation - Materials and ground upon which the levee is built. Concrete, soil, or other. 
• Pumps, Pipes, and Relief Wells - Help water pass through, under, around or away from a levee. During extreme tides, pumps, move rainfall trapped landward of the levee back into the Bay. 

Levees can also support habitat and recreation, with trails for walking, biking, and enjoying nature. 

Types of levees

Earthen Embankment 

• Constructed from compacted soil.
• Most Bay shoreline levees are earthen embankments upgraded over decades. 
• Alongside a waterbody or waterway to keep high water out of a shared area. 

Floodwall

• Common in areas where there is little space to build an earthen embankment. 
• There are several types, each defined by how they are anchored into or integrated with the levee system. 
• Alongside a waterbody or waterway to keep high water out of a shred area. 

Funding is required for the design, environmental review, permitting and construction for each reach and the restoration activities. The SFCJPA and the cities of East Palo Alto and Menlo Park have each been awarded funds to advance the overall SAFER Bay project from a number of sources, including:  FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) and Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority Measure AA, and the California Department of Water Resources. 

Menlo Park FEMA Grant
In December 2020, the City submitted a grant application to the California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) for the FEMA BRIC grant program along with partners SFCJPA, PG&E and Meta. The scope of work includes funding for engineering, design, environmental documentation, regulatory compliance, permitting, and public outreach for the project, from approximately the north side of the Dumbarton Bridge to the southeast side of Bedwell Bayfront Park. This area corresponds to three of the five reaches in Menlo Park and covers 3.7 miles of shoreline:

• Bayfront Expressway Reach
• Tech Campus Reach
• Substation and Marsh Restoration Reach

The FEMA BRIC program has allocated $3.76 million for the Project, which has substantial potential benefits to the City’s Bayfront and Belle Haven neighborhoods located near Bayfront Expressway.

• February 2025 - Award professional services contract for the engineering, design, environmental documentation, regulatory compliance, permitting and public outreach.

• Sept. 12, 2024 – Released Request for Proposals to perform engineering, design, environmental documentation, regulatory compliance, permitting, public outreach, and construction support for the project.

• May 17, 2023 – Received notification that grant application had been approved and that $50 million had been set aside for the engineering, design, and construction of the Project. Funding allocated in amount of $3,759,474 for Phase 1, which covers the engineering, design, environmental documentation, regulatory compliance, permitting and public outreach for the project.

• April 1, 2022 – Executed memorandum of understanding between City, SFCJPA, PG&E, and Meta

• Dec. 3, 2020 – Submitted 2020 FEMA BRIC grant application 

The SFCJPA is developing the needed technical studies and preliminary engineering designs that will be incorporated into a draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the overall SAFER Bay project. The draft EIR is planned for release in 2025.

As part of the final designs, the cities will supplement the EIR developed by the SFCJPA with additional studies as warranted. 

Email

650-330-6740