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Flood risk maps for the Bay Area

A screenshot from the ART Bay Shoreline Flood Explorer
Association of Bay Area Governments
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Screenshot
A screenshot from the ART Bay Shoreline Flood Explorer

An atmospheric river brought heavy rain, strong winds, and flooding to parts of the Bay Area this week. The National Weather Service issued a flood advisory warning to parts of Marin County. San Francisco and Alameda County are currently on flood watch. Do you know your flood risk?

Here are 5 interactive maps you can check to look up potential flood risk from storms or sea level rise.

  1. The Adapting to Rising Tides (ART) Bay Shoreline Flood Explorer
    The ART map focuses on flooding in the San Francisco bay. It does not include the Pacific coast west of the Golden Gate Bridge.  You can use it to see potential flood risks from sea level rise, storm surges, or King Tides.
  2. The San Francisco 100 year storm flood map
    This map shows which parts of SF are likely to experience “deep and contiguous flooding” in a 100-year storm. That means stormwater flooding at least 6-inches deep for at least half  an average city block. The 100-year storm has a 1% chance of occurring in a given year. The map does not provide the exact depth or extent of flooding at a given point. It also does not show areas in the City that may experience shallower and/or more localized flooding in a 100-year storm, or areas of the City that may flood in storms larger than a 100-year storm.
  3. The Alameda County Local Hazard Map
    Alameda County’s hazard map shows potential flood zones in the event of a 100-year and 500-year storm. A 500-year storm has a 0.2% chance of occurring in a given year, but climate change means they’re happening more and more frequently.
  4. The Marin County FEMA Flood Map
    The Marin FEMA flood map allows you to search by street address or property ID to see flood hazard zones and even if flood insurance is required.
  5. Marin Map Sea Level Rise Viewer 
    The Marin Sea Level Rise Viewer app uses countywide sea level rise data. It includes six sea level rise scenarios, three of sea level rise alone and three with the addition of a 100-year storm surge event, to explore near, medium, and long term sea level rise. Users can zoom in and out, pan, and click on features to see pop-ups with additional information.
Wren Farrell (he/him) is a writer, producer and journalist living in San Francisco.