Building with nature: Can reviving a marsh save this California town from sea level rise?
Riverside, California. For many years, this small, rural town had a reputation for being high among the worst places for flooding.
It’s now known as a hot spot for an increase in wetlands, which help absorb the runoff from storm surges.
On March 10, 2016, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released a study that found that the town — home to more than 35,000 people — will experience more than 70 percent more precipitation during a decade’ worth of climate change, with more than 60 percent of that coming from a warming Pacific Ocean.
For a small town where people and nature have always been intertwined, it’s a scary prospect.
“People have been flooding their home ever since they’ve been here 10, 20, 30 years ago,” said Rick Stith, a member of the town’s historic Board of Supervisors. “You just kind of get used to it.”
Riverside, California. For many years, this small, rural town had a reputation for being high among the worst places for flooding.
But now, it’s known as a hot spot for an increase in wetlands, which help absorb the runoff from storm surges.
The town is also known for its strong leadership, making it one of the more successful in California in the fight for climate action.
How are they doing it? What has made it so successful?
The story of Riverside’s fight for climate change
In March 2017, residents of Riverside voted on a resolution that called on the region to go carbon neutral in just 22 years — through an “all-of-the-above” energy solution.
They also called on the University of California system to expand its carbon emissions research into local environments, to focus on protecting and restoring communities from climate change and the impacts of sea level rise.
As part of that push, UC Riverside scientists are collaborating with the City of Riverside, the UC Riverside Extension, and other partners to develop resilience strategies for areas that will be inund