The coastal town of Pacifica — near San Francisco — made national news in January when strong El Niño waves caused dramatic erosion. Large sections of the cliffside under 320 Esplanade Avenue fell onto the beach, leaving apartments on that location jutting out over the edge of the cliff.
Pacifica’s battle against coastal erosion is part of a broader discussion about what to do amid rising sea levels. Winter storms and erosion are normal in Pacifica, but experts say rising sea levels are expected to increase erosion and flooding in the next century, threatening the land residences and businesses are built on west of iconic U.S. Highway 1.
In the podcast above, hear Pacifica residents Tom Adams, Greg Cochran and Andrew Lee discuss this issue.
