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<br /> <br />Sea Level Rise <br /> <br />Beaches <br />Approximately 13 miles of beaches in the County are exposed to sea level rise hazards. Some parts of the <br />County’s coastline are eroding faster than others. For example, Surfer’s Beach has lost around 140 feet of beach <br />since 1964. In addition to providing essential habitat for local fauna, beaches are an important recreational asset <br />for all County residents. They also provide tourism-related economic benefits (County of San Mateo, 2018). <br /> <br />Animal Species <br />The County’s natural environment supports a wide range of shorebirds, waterfowl, and other terrestrial and <br />aquatic species, including ones listed as threatened or endangered. In particular, the threatened western snowy <br />plover is vulnerable because it requires ground for nesting and its habitat is sensitive to temporary and permanent <br />flooding. As dry ground decreases with sea level rise (assuming no management actions), western snowy plover <br />habitat may become limited. The following species and groups of animals are of particular concern with respect to <br />sea level rise alone (i.e., other climate factors are not considered); they are not listed in order of vulnerability <br />(County of San Mateo, 2018): <br /> Ashy storm petrel <br /> Black oystercatcher <br /> Black rail <br /> California mussel <br /> Cassin’s auklet <br /> Cavity nesting birds <br /> Mole crab <br /> Ochre sea star <br /> Red abalone <br /> Sea palm <br /> Surface nesting birds <br /> Western snowy plover <br /> <br />Groundwater <br />Sea level rise is anticipated to increase the groundwater table and could pose potential vulnerabilities and impacts <br />on groundwater resources in the County, particularly in areas where municipal water supplies depend on <br />groundwater (County of San Mateo, 2018). <br /> <br />Kelp <br />Eleven acres of kelp forests are present in the County and could be vulnerable to sea level rise. Sea -level rise may <br />affect kelp forest communities through decreased light availability and forced shoreward migration. Sea level rise <br />may also change the shape of the coastline and substrate composition (e.g., rocky versus sandy shores), and thus <br />affect the availability and living conditions of macroalgae and their associated species (County of San Mateo, <br />2018). <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />13-9