Contact: Christina S. Johnson – Sea Grant California – June 29, 2012

Sea levels in California, south of Cape Mendocino, are predicted to rise between 90 and 95 cm between 2000 and 2100, with a range as high as 167 cm and as low as 42 cm, according to a 2012 report by the National Academy of Sciences. Whatever the ultimate rise in sea level is, it will largely control the fate of tidal marsh habitats in the San Francisco Bay-Delta. Tidal marshes are wetlands periodically inundated by tidal flows and, unlike mudflats, are vegetated. They provide overwintering and foraging habitat for resident and migratory birds, and are a buffer against floods and storm surge. They also filter and remove pollutants. For full story, click here.