Mission Creek / Mission Bay Community Resilience

The Mission Creek / Mission Bay community faces urgent seismic risks and increasing flood risks from sea level rise. The Port of San Francisco, along with City partners, are tackling both of these risks through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers San Francisco Waterfront Coastal Study and the Southern Waterfront Seismic Vulnerability Assessment.


Flood and Earthquake Risks in Mission Creek and Mission Bay

Flooding from sea level rise has the potential to impact life in the Mission Bay neighborhood. Today, stormwaters flood the Mission Creek area. As sea levels continue to rise, there will be increased flood risks, particularly along the shoreline, including to Muni and key utility infrastructure. Flooding could directly impact homes and disrupt local commercial corridors, commutes and transit options, parks and open spaces, emergency services, and hospitals and healthcare centers, posing serious challenges to the Mission Creek / Mission Bay community and the city as whole.

Mission Bay was originally an over 500- acre salt marsh and lagoon inhabited by the Costanoan people before it was filled in the late 1800s/early 1900s. The area began to transition to industrial in the late 1800s and was filled with 1906 debris. Filled areas, like Mission Creek, are subject to liquefaction in the event of an earthquake.

Impacts of Flood and Seismic Risks

  • Transportation and mobility
  • Emergency response and recovery
  • Disruption and damage to residences
  • Disruption and damage to Port operations and tenants
  • Disruption and damage to community assets and services including parks, roadways, hospitals and healthcare centers, and commercial corridors

Given the complex nature of these issues and the scale of potential impacts, many interrelated efforts are being conducted in the City to understand the severity and progression of climate change impacts, involve the people and communities that could be potentially affected by flooding or earthquakes, and create ideas and actions to protect communities, the economy, and the environment. These efforts are described below.


Resilience Efforts Underway

USACE San Francisco Waterfront Coastal Study

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Port have partnered to study flood risk along San Francisco’s bayside shoreline. The USACE San Francisco Waterfront Coastal Study is an important opportunity to develop strategies and solutions to strengthen the waterfront’s resilience to risks in the Mission Creek/Mission Bay community in a way that protects life safety, as well as the assets, resources, and infrastructure that are most valued by those who live, work, and recreate in the neighborhood. Potential Waterfront Coastal Study benefits to the neighborhood include the following: the identification of resilience alternatives, federal, state, and local investment in flood protection, and future projects with job creation opportunities.

  • Focus: Flood Risk, Protecting Assets in the Federal Interest, and Identifying Local Priorities, Potential to Qualify for Federal Construction Funding
  • Implementation: Short, Medium, and Long-Term
  • Lead Agencies: Port of San Francisco and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Learn more about the USACE San Francisco Waterfront Coastal Study


Southern Waterfront Seismic Vulnerability Assessment

The Port is leading an effort in the southern part of the Port’s jurisdiction to assess the vulnerabilities, identify the opportunities and develop near, mid- and long-term adaptation strategies for the area. The purpose of the assessment is to fill any gaps in the Port, City, and community understanding of the risks and opportunities. The Assessment will draw from, and integrate with, a number of existing efforts, including Islais Creek Adaptation Strategy, the Seawall Program, the USACE San Francisco Waterfront Coastal Study, and the Citywide sea level rise work.

  • Focus: All hazards, broad resilience (Equity, Environment, Economy)
  • Implementation: Short, Medium, and Long-Term
  • Lead Agency: Port of San Francisco

More information on the Southern Waterfront Seismic Vulnerability Assessment coming soon.


The Port Commission's Commitment to Waterfront Resilience

In recognition of the Port’s critical role in creating a sustainable waterfront, the Port Commission requires that every project address current and future flooding. This innovative approach includes the following recent and upcoming projects:



The Mission Creek / Mission Bay community faces urgent seismic risks and increasing flood risks from sea level rise. The Port of San Francisco, along with City partners, are tackling both of these risks through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers San Francisco Waterfront Coastal Study and the Southern Waterfront Seismic Vulnerability Assessment.


Flood and Earthquake Risks in Mission Creek and Mission Bay

Flooding from sea level rise has the potential to impact life in the Mission Bay neighborhood. Today, stormwaters flood the Mission Creek area. As sea levels continue to rise, there will be increased flood risks, particularly along the shoreline, including to Muni and key utility infrastructure. Flooding could directly impact homes and disrupt local commercial corridors, commutes and transit options, parks and open spaces, emergency services, and hospitals and healthcare centers, posing serious challenges to the Mission Creek / Mission Bay community and the city as whole.

Mission Bay was originally an over 500- acre salt marsh and lagoon inhabited by the Costanoan people before it was filled in the late 1800s/early 1900s. The area began to transition to industrial in the late 1800s and was filled with 1906 debris. Filled areas, like Mission Creek, are subject to liquefaction in the event of an earthquake.

Impacts of Flood and Seismic Risks

  • Transportation and mobility
  • Emergency response and recovery
  • Disruption and damage to residences
  • Disruption and damage to Port operations and tenants
  • Disruption and damage to community assets and services including parks, roadways, hospitals and healthcare centers, and commercial corridors

Given the complex nature of these issues and the scale of potential impacts, many interrelated efforts are being conducted in the City to understand the severity and progression of climate change impacts, involve the people and communities that could be potentially affected by flooding or earthquakes, and create ideas and actions to protect communities, the economy, and the environment. These efforts are described below.


Resilience Efforts Underway

USACE San Francisco Waterfront Coastal Study

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Port have partnered to study flood risk along San Francisco’s bayside shoreline. The USACE San Francisco Waterfront Coastal Study is an important opportunity to develop strategies and solutions to strengthen the waterfront’s resilience to risks in the Mission Creek/Mission Bay community in a way that protects life safety, as well as the assets, resources, and infrastructure that are most valued by those who live, work, and recreate in the neighborhood. Potential Waterfront Coastal Study benefits to the neighborhood include the following: the identification of resilience alternatives, federal, state, and local investment in flood protection, and future projects with job creation opportunities.

  • Focus: Flood Risk, Protecting Assets in the Federal Interest, and Identifying Local Priorities, Potential to Qualify for Federal Construction Funding
  • Implementation: Short, Medium, and Long-Term
  • Lead Agencies: Port of San Francisco and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Learn more about the USACE San Francisco Waterfront Coastal Study


Southern Waterfront Seismic Vulnerability Assessment

The Port is leading an effort in the southern part of the Port’s jurisdiction to assess the vulnerabilities, identify the opportunities and develop near, mid- and long-term adaptation strategies for the area. The purpose of the assessment is to fill any gaps in the Port, City, and community understanding of the risks and opportunities. The Assessment will draw from, and integrate with, a number of existing efforts, including Islais Creek Adaptation Strategy, the Seawall Program, the USACE San Francisco Waterfront Coastal Study, and the Citywide sea level rise work.

  • Focus: All hazards, broad resilience (Equity, Environment, Economy)
  • Implementation: Short, Medium, and Long-Term
  • Lead Agency: Port of San Francisco

More information on the Southern Waterfront Seismic Vulnerability Assessment coming soon.


The Port Commission's Commitment to Waterfront Resilience

In recognition of the Port’s critical role in creating a sustainable waterfront, the Port Commission requires that every project address current and future flooding. This innovative approach includes the following recent and upcoming projects:



Page last updated: 18 October 2021, 23:00