Bay Farm Island Adaptation Project

In September, the Alameda Sea Level Rise Planning Fair explored sea level rise concepts for the development of the Alameda Shoreline Adaptation Plan and the Bay Farm Island Adaptation Project. The materials(PDF, 7MB) for the Bay Farm Island area cover an Introduction, Near-term Alternatives, Mid- to Long-term Adaptation and the Near-term Project.

The Bay Farm Island Adaptation Project is a near-term sea level rise adaptation project to address current flooding and up to two feet of sea level rise. The project addresses shoreline over topping at Veterans Court and the Lagoon Outfall as well as along the northern waterfront.

Bay Farm Island Bay Trail at Veterans Ct.

Immediate Shoreline Erosion: The Public Works Department is pursuing an amendment to the original San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) permit to allow immediate installation of temporary measures to protect eroded areas along the north shore of Bay Farm Island.

Project Description

Purpose

To remove the lagoon area of Bay Farm Island from the FEMA 100-year floodplain; bolster the northern shoreline and Bay Trail from erosion; enhance shoreline habitat with nature-based solutions; enhance public recreation, including improvements to the San Francisco Bay Trail.

Project Area

Bay Farm Island's northern shoreline for the near-term project and the entire Bay Farm Island for the long-term strategy, in concert with the Alameda Shoreline Adaptation Plan.

Existing Conditions

Current FEMA flood maps show the northern shoreline of Bay Farm Island as an entry point for coastal flooding at the 100-year flood event. An existing aged concrete seawall protects lower magnitude flood events from entering Veterans Court from the Bay. The top of the seawall is at a lower elevation than the 100-year event. Many properties on Bay Farm Island are lower in elevation than the northern shoreline and would be potentially subject to flooding in the event of over topping or failure.

Seawall at Veterans Court with overflowing water

Expected Future Conditions

The northern shoreline area already is experiencing erosion by wave action. The rate of sea level rise is dependent on global carbon dioxide emissions and other factors so it is not possible to determine exactly when the Bay will rise by a certain amount. Areas along the northern shoreline of Bay Farm Island are likely to over top due to sea level rise. Over topping is linked to projected inundation that is expected to extend into the adjacent neighborhood.

Erosion along northern shoreline of Bay Farm Island

Design Concepts

City Council endorsed the Bay Farm Island Adaptation Project design concept(PDF, 8MB) in January 2025.

Funding

FEMA: The design concept and 30% design phase was funded with FEMA community project funding, which covers community outreach and preliminary design and terminated fall 2025.

BRIC: In 2023, the City of Alameda – on behalf of the Oakland Alameda Adaptation Committee (OAAC) – submitted a $56 million Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant to FEMA to complete the design and to construct the near-term project. In July 2024, FEMA recommended the project for further review. In April 2025, FEMA discontinued the BRIC program including this Bay Farm Island Adaptation Project.

Prop 4: The City of Alameda has been recommended for a Prop 4 grant award to develop 60% design, initiate environmental documentation and permitting and continue community engagement. The California Coastal Conservancy Board will make a decision of award at its February 19, 2026 board meeting. Final design, permitting, construction and continued stakeholder review will be done with future funding. Long term visioning will be occurring in 2026 and 2027 as part of the Alameda Shoreline Adaptation Plan.

Schedule

2025

January 21: City Council Concept Designs Endorsement - presentation(PDF, 8MB), staff report, and video (starts at 14:20)
January 22: Commission on People with Disabilities concept design review - presentation(PDF, 8MB) and staff report
August: Completed 30% design, which was funded by the federal earmark obtained through U.S. Representative Barbara Lee
September: Alameda Sea Level Rise Planning Fair at REAP Climate Center - boards(PDF, 7MB) and survey results(PDF, 1MB)
October: Began geotechnical studies to inform the next phase of more detailed design

2024

January: King Tides Site Walk - presentation(PDF, 19MB)
Feb 6: Alameda City Council Work Session on Adaptation - link to staff report and video (51 minute mark) - Alameda Post article
Feb 13: Oakland Public Works and Transportation Committee on federal grant - link to staff report
Feb 20: Alameda City Council Bay Farm Island federal grant resolution adoption - link to staff report
May- August: Conducted first round of community engagement
November 20: Transportation Commission - presentation(PDF, 5MB), staff report, and video (starts at 2:37:49)
December 4: Bay Farm Island Draft Concept Designs Workshop - presentation(PDF, 30MB), survey results(PDF, 170KB), and video - Knee Deep Times article
December 16: Planning Board - presentation, staff report, and video (starts at 1:04:35)

2023

Early: Analyzed initial ideas of shore-term fixes in the northern shoreline area - presentation
June: Alameda City Council approved the adaptation project Community Partner - Greenbelt Alliance - staff report
Sept: Alameda City Council approved the Technical Consultations for the adaptation projects - staff report
Fall: Began grant to continue exploring short-term fixes in the northern shoreline area and to develop a long-range plan for Bay Farm Island, and approved a Project Charter

2022

March: US Congresswoman Barbara Lee announced $1.5 million for the Bay Farm Island Adaptation Project in the Omnibus Appropriations Bill. Analyzed initial ideas of shore-term fixes in the northern shoreline area - presentation
June: Alameda City Council approved the mid-cycle budget, which included $500,000 from the General Fund as the local match for the federal Congressional Community Program grant - staff report
Dec: Alameda City Council accepted $1.5 million in grant funding for the concept design - staff report

2021

June: Alameda City Council approved $100,000 in Local Stormwater Fees for fiscal years 2021 to 2023 as shown in the Capital Improvement Program Project Sheet
June: City staff submitted a Proposition 68 grant to the State Coastal Conservancy
August: Conservancy notified that the City was unsuccessful at receiving Proposition 68 grant funds

2020

June: Alameda City Council approval of $350,000 in General Fund monies for this project - staff report
Nov: Alameda City Council accepted the report: “City of Alameda, The Response of the Shallow Groundwater Layer and Contaminants to Sea Level Rise”, which states that the areas at risk of future flooding increase by up to 25% when considering emergent groundwater - staff report

2019

Sept: Alameda City Council approval of the City of Alameda Climate Action and Resiliency Plan - staff report
Nov: Alameda voters passed the Water Quality and Flood Protection Fee on the ballot, which is used to operate and maintain a storm drain system, protect water quality, replace critical aging infrastructure, and prepare for sea level rise and the impacts of climate change

Key Documents

Community Workshop - Presentation boards(PDF, 7MB) (September 2025)

Governance White Paper(PDF, 894KB) (December 2024)

Bay Farm Island Draft Concept Designs Workshop Presentation and Recording (December 2024)

Interview with Corinna Gould, Sogorea Te' Land Trust (October 2024)

Community Workshop Presentation, Recording, and Survey Results(PDF, 213KB) (May 2024)

Community Partner Engagement Strategy(PDF, 4MB) (March 2024)

OAAC FEMA BRIC Grant Application - Technical Report(PDF, 8MB) (February 2024)

Existing Conditions Report(PDF, 22MB) (February 2024)

OAAC ADAPT Sea Level Rise Criteria(PDF, 4MB) (January 2024)

OAAC ADAPT Team Charter(PDF, 433KB) (January 2024)

OAAC King Tides Site Walk Project Overview Presentation(PDF, 19MB) (January 2024)

Contact

Gail Payne, Project Manager

gpayne@alamedaca.gov

510-747-6892

If you need an alternative or translated format, please contact ada@alamedaca.gov.

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Progress

City Council endorsed the design concept on January 21, 2025. The City staff/CMG consultant team has completed 30 percent design. A Prop 4 grant, which is administered by the California Coastal Conservancy, will complete 60 percent design and environmental documentation.