Recommendation to Accept the September 2020 Report Titled, “City of Alameda, The Response of the Shallow Groundwater Layer and Contaminants to Sea Level Rise.” (Public Works 310)
But also then ask a little question, follow up questions about their thinking. I'm there are some recommendations on policy, strategy, focus areas and some other next steps. And given that this does identify some kind of earlier than some of the other sea level rise strategies and recommends updating the carp based on them. I'm wondering what our next steps are on this project just so we we have kind of that. Okay, well, and like magic, here is our public works director Aaron Smith too. So Miss Smith, welcome is nice to see you. And would you like to give just for the public who's watching? Would you like to give a little overview of this item and then you could address the vice mayor's questions? Sure. Good evening, Mayor. As you Ashcraft and Vice Mayor Knox White members of council. I'm Aaron Smith, the public works director for the city. Thank you for the praise, Vice Mayor. The report has been quite the journey. It was first in the development of the Climate Action and Resiliency Plan around 2018. There was actually some press coverage from U.C. Berkeley researchers that had started to contemplate and characterize the rising groundwater and the implications with sea level rise. And that came out right during our development with the Climate Action Resiliency Plan. It was fairly high level regional data that was published, but it definitely sparked good conversation. It was beyond the scope of our climate action or resiliency plan to localize that regional data. But we did put an action item in the Climate Action and Resiliency Plan to further characterize the rising groundwater. So the rising shallow groundwater layer here in Alameda. So we kicked that work off actually with Silver Stream is a the consulting firm that actually worked with the UC Berkeley researchers. And we are lucky enough to the principal of that firm that helped us is actually an Alameda resident, which so I know this this work is very meaningful. For for her. That's Chris Meg. Anyway, so we've been we've kicked off the work and what this work really looks at as sees rise it will the groundwater here in Alameda will also rise the report the regional had very limited data well data as it related to Alameda so we were able to augment that regional effort with. Local. Local information. And the report, as has shown, has a more refined model. It definitely shows flooding, increased extent of flooding. When you contemplate what's called emergent groundwater, that's when the groundwater rises to a point. It's now on the surface. It increases that extent by 25%, and it may even have flooding from groundwater. Emergent groundwater occur sooner than what we had originally contemplated at Shoreline Overtopping. So it's definitely important information. And our first next next step is to incorporate that into the Climate Action Resiliency Plan. I work closely with our consultant here to do a little bit of that legwork. And you can see there's tables at the end of this document that actually are the updates to the tables that need to go into the Climate Action Resiliency Plan. So a lot of that work is to some degree done. The next step is really on the implementation front. I think that one of the first steps we will continue to do is is to advocate and collaborate with the regulating agencies that are responsible for groundwater contamination. They set remediation, corrective action plans that have historically considered a static climate. And so this report is pushing a conversation and that they're wanting and willing to have. It's just very new of how do we consider groundwater contamination when there's possibilities that that groundwater may. Rise with sea level. Rise projections. So continuing to work with them, continuing to install more monitoring wells both geographically and temporally, increasing maybe the rate in which we or the regulators are looking at them. I think there's continued points of collaboration with the educational institutions we have in the Bay Area because I think they're great. So I think pushing the conversation as much as we can. One other thing that will that is happening is this study is, you know, one of the first of its kind in the Bay Area and really was instrumental in Sylvester, um, the consultant working with the San Francisco Estuary Institute to win a climate one of the Climate California Resilience Challenge Grants. They will actually be doing this very same characterization with, I think, four counties in the Bay Area. It's a lot of really motivated, smart people going to be looking at this subject matter at a regional level in the hopes of pushing forward solutions. And the city has been asked to sit on that technical advisory committee. So we'll definitely be part of any ongoing solution discussions for this matter. If if I can answer any other questions, I'm happy to. I can probably keep talking but don't want to take. Too much time. I just want to thank you that you are always fascinating to to hear from. We do have one public speaker on this item now, but before we call on our public speaker, do does the device, me or anyone else have any clarifying questions on this report? Okay, so. Say not, but I'll just say thank you for the answers to the questions. Appreciate it. Thank you. Okay. So let's go ahead and hear from our public speaker, please. Madam Clerk. Michael Moon. Huh? Good evening, Mr. Ruby. Oh, hello. Sorry. Actually, it's the wrong one. I mean. I wasn't sure I wanted to come. In on six eight, so apologies about that. Oh, the. Truth. Let's get a note or. We'll get you here, okay? Okay. So do we have a this is a recommendation to accept this September 2020 report titled City of Alameda as a response of the shallow groundwater layer and contaminants to sea level rise. Do we have a motion to accept this report by saying that's why you want to say something more so? No, no. I just wanted to I was going to move with great appreciation. I just it's a fabulous it's really it's a really well done report. I think you so much. Second. To live by the vice mayor, seconded by Councilor Vella. May we have a roll call, please? Councilmember de san. Yes. Knox, right. Hi, Odie. Hi, Vella. I may as the Ashcraft I carries by five eyes. All right. Thank you so much, Ms.. Smith. Nice to see you. Okay. All right, then we move on to the next item, which is item five H, the. Adoption of resolution approving a final map and authorizing execution of a subdivision improvement agreement for tract 8500 aluminum arena as a condition to final map approval.