Port of San Francisco Waterfront Resilience Program

The Port of San Francisco’s Waterfront Resilience Program (WRP) aims to address immediate hazards (seismic and flood risk) and plan for long-term hazards (sea level rise) across 7.5 miles of San Francisco’s shoreline. In addition to building a more physically resilient shoreline, the WRP enables the Port to preserve critical assets and respond to community priorities for the future waterfront.

SITELAB led the Envision element of the WRP, in close collaboration with CMG Landscape Architecture and a multidisciplinary team of designers, engineers, and community engagement consultants. Envision is focused on long-range visioning for 2100, with the goal of understanding the range of sea level rise scenarios and the adaptation approaches that are needed to adequately address them. 

Draft Waterfront Adaptation Strategies 

In addition to Envision, SITELAB plays a key role in advancing and steering the WRP including convening five city agencies with the Port and CH2M/Arcadis to develop seven draft adaptation strategies for the 7.5-mile waterfront.

Different Approaches to Reducing Risk

The resulting Draft Waterfront Adaptation Strategies use different approaches to reduce flood risk and increase flood resilience, while managing the complex combination of coastal, stormwater, and rising groundwater hazards. Strategies were presented to the Port Commission across three geographical study areas: Islais Creek / Bayview, Mission Creek / Mission Bay, and Embarcadero.

Engaging the Public

The development of the Draft Waterfront Adaptation Strategies is a reflection of five-plus years of citywide community engagement that has connected with tens of thousands of San Franciscans on what a resilient, sustainable, equitable waterfront means to them. Ongoing engagement of the strategies has included a community open house, walking tours, and digital events.

SITELAB’s approach is informed by technical studies of edge conditions, waterfront-wide analyses, stakeholder engagement findings, and is anchored in a series of urban design principles. Across all, SITELAB brings a people-first approach to resilience—building towards a future waterfront that creates equitable opportunity for all residents, workers, and visitors.

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