West County Wastewater (WCW) created a webpage dedicated to the North Richmond Living Levee Project.
The project intends to install a nature-based shoreline barrier that uses gently sloping earth and native plants to reduce flooding while preserving marsh habitat and giving the public access to the waterfront.
On the website, visitors can explore maps showing projected sea-level rise through 2030, 2050 and 2090, and learn how the project will help safeguard homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure along the shoreline from Castro Cove to Point Pinole.
WCW’s project is part of the North Richmond Collaborative Shoreline Adaptation Plan, a community-driven effort to combine climate resilience with environmental stewardship. The plan envisions new public-access features such as elevated boardwalks and improved connections to the San Francisco Bay Trail, while preserving wetlands that act as natural flood buffers.
In 2020, WCW secured a $644,709 grant from the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority to launch feasibility work on the living levee. In 2023, the project received a $50,000 supplement to expand tribal engagement and refine the levee alignment and design. Then last year, WCW was awarded $1,852,750 to advance the design and environmental planning for a 0.65-mile stretch of living levee and 7 acres of wetland restoration.
The total planning and design cost is projected at $2,052,750, with $200,000 provided by WCW as match. Phase 1 construction has been authorized for up to $45 million in federal funding under Water Resources Development Act of 2022, pending appropriation and permitting.
“North Richmond’s wetlands are among the most intact and ecologically rich in the Bay Area,” WCW noted. “This living levee represents both a climate solution and a commitment to protecting our community and environment for generations to come.”
To explore maps, updates, and visuals of the project, visit www.wcwd.org and click on the North Richmond Living Levee Project page.
