City of Santa Cruz Beach Vulnerability and Adaptation Strategy November 6, 2019 Table of Contents Santa Cruz Beach Management in the Face of Climate Change ........................................................................................................................3 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Previous Study: 2017 Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment ................................................................................................................................ 3 New State SLR Guidance ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 6 Scenario Selection for Planning ................................................................................................................................................................................. 6 Coastal Resource Goals of this Study ......................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Adaptation Strategy Development ............................................................................................................................................................................ 8 Santa Cruz Beach Segments ..........................................................................................................................................................................12 Seabright Beach ...........................................................................................................................................................................................13 Description ............................................................................................................................................................................................................... 13 Amenities and Use ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 14 Coastal Hazards ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 15 Management & Resource Goals .............................................................................................................................................................................. 19 Adaptation Strategies .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 20 Main Beach and Cowell Beach ......................................................................................................................................................................21 Description ............................................................................................................................................................................................................... 21 Amenities and Use ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 22 Coastal Hazards ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 23 Management and Resource Goals ........................................................................................................................................................................... 28 Adaptation Strategies .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 28 West Cliff Pocket Beaches ............................................................................................................................................................................29 City of Santa Cruz Beach Vulnerability and Adaptation Strategy 1 Description ............................................................................................................................................................................................................... 29 Amenities and Use ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 31 Coastal Hazards ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 32 Management and Resource Goals .......................................................................................................................................................................... 37 Adaptation Strategies .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 37 Natural Bridges ............................................................................................................................................................................................38 Description ............................................................................................................................................................................................................... 38 Amenities and Use ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 39 Coastal Hazards ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 40 Management and Resource Goals ........................................................................................................................................................................... 44 Adaptation Strategies .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 44 Development of Adaptation Pathways .........................................................................................................................................................45 Process ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 45 Adaptation Strategy Alternatives............................................................................................................................................................................. 46 Example Adaptation Pathways ................................................................................................................................................................................ 51 References ...................................................................................................................................................................................................55 Appendices Adaptation Strategy Summary Table 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Appendix A Adaptation Strategy Case Studies .................................................................................................................................................... Appendix B Diagrams of Coastal Change and Common Adaptation Strategies ..................................................................................................... Appendix C Socially Vulnerable Populations Impact Anlaysis Approach ............................................................................................................... Appendix D City of Santa Cruz Beach Vulnerability and Adaptation Strategy 2 . Identify secondary consequences to each of the initial Santa Cruz Beach adaptation strategies selected. (e.g., impacts to recreation, tourism, affordable housing of low income communities, Management in the Face of etc.) . Identify fiscal, policy and engineering strategies to mitigate any secondary consequences of the 3 alternative adaptation Climate Change strategies . Recommend triggers/thresholds (i.e. repetitive loss leading Introduction to infrastructure removal and retreat) that initiate next phase adaptation strategies (adaptation pathway) To understand the incremental effects of coastal adaptation policy on coastal resources (beaches, coastal access and use, visual and . Evaluate and identify public finance options and innovative funding to mitigate secondary consequences of adaptation recreation)