How Is Coastal Erosion Linked to Urban Flooding?
How Is Coastal Erosion Linked to Urban Flooding?
How Is Coastal Erosion Linked to Urban Flooding?
As climate change intensifies, Southern California faces a looming threat that could rival the state’s worst natural disasters. UC Irvine researchers have uncovered shocking truths about the region’s outdated flood control systems, the staggering economic risks, and the communities most vulnerable to catastrophic flooding.
Brett Sanders (left) and Nicola Ulibarri
Brett Sanders, Chancellor’s Professor of civil and environmental engineering, has been focusing his research efforts on understanding flood risk to Southern California’s cities. Over the years, he has studied the impact of climate change-caused sea level rise along California’s coast. Lately, Sanders has been examining flood risk to areas farther inland, in many cases affecting people of lower socioeconomic status.
Nicola Ulibarri is an associate professor of urban planning and public policy at UC Irvine, specializing in environmental governance and sustainable infrastructure. Her research is centered on how collaborative decision making can improve water management, climate resilience and infrastructure development. Through her interdisciplinary work, Ulibarri seeks to advance policies that balance environmental protection with the needs of growing communities, particularly in regions vulnerable to climate change impacts.
Tremendous Costs and Disruptions
A severe flood in Southern California could have astonishing economic repercussions. UC Irvine’s research estimates that a 100-year flood could affect up to 874,000 people and damage over $100 billion in property. Such flooding would overwhelm existing stormwater systems, potentially causing long-term economic setbacks due to repair costs, decreased property values, and disruptions to daily life and commerce.
Tremendous Costs and Disruptions
A severe flood in Southern California could have astonishing economic repercussions. UC Irvine’s research estimates that a 100-year flood could affect up to 874,000 people and damage over $100 billion in property. Such flooding would overwhelm existing stormwater systems, potentially causing long-term economic setbacks due to repair costs, decreased property values, and disruptions to daily life and commerce.
Disproportionate Burdens on Vulnerable Communities
Flooding in Southern California disproportionately impacts marginalized populations. UC Irvine research shows that Black residents are 79 percent more likely to face severe flooding than their white counterparts, with Latino and Asian communities also at higher risk.
Climate Change Connection
Higher temperatures from global warming increase the frequency and intensity of atmospheric rivers, making massive storms more likely to strike California in the near future.
Outdated Infrastructure
Southern California’s aging flood control system, designed in response to a 1938 flood, is now insufficient to handle modern storm risks, raising concerns about its ability to cope with future deluges. Despite the clear risks, there has been inadequate investment in upgrading flood defenses and adapting infrastructure to meet the growing challenges posed by climate change.
By integrating engineering with environmental science, urban planning and social science, UC Irvine researchers are not only predicting floods but also revealing the deep social inequities they expose.
To learn more about how UC Irvine’s holistic approach is paving the way for innovative, equitable solutions that address future floods while also confronting broader environmental and social problems, read the feature “Flood Watchers” in UC Irvine Magazine.
