Santa Cruz County has a long history of storm damage, particularly in Capitola.

Storm surges and coastal flooding on Dec. 28 once again afflicted the town’s streets and local businesses. Due to the repetitive nature of the disasters, scientists and public officials have long questioned whether repairs are worth their high costs.

The severity of the storm this year was heightened due to the effects of El Niño, which causes increased rainfall and water levels. The Dec. 28 storm was a fraction of last year’s January storm’s severity, but caused over $4 million in damages.

Climatologists define El Niño as a shift in normal trade wind patterns as they move across the equator. Storms in El Niño years have greater potential for natural disasters such as heavy rainfall, flooding, and landslides.

“We have, what I like to call, a short disaster memory,” said distinguished professor of earth and marine sciences Gary B. Griggs.

Griggs questions the longevity of reconstruction efforts in face of rising ocean levels. In his 56th year of teaching at UC Santa Cruz, Griggs is all too familiar with the weather patterns that destroyed numerous landmarks and community staples.

Griggs points out that many proposed restoration plans are not long-term solutions, and that Santa Cruz County lacks “managed retreat” strategies; a tactic coastal communities worldwide utilize to accommodate the rising sea levels and combat the ocean’s temper.

Homeowners of the vibrant condos along the Capitola Pier barricade their doors with wood panels and sandbags as a precaution against future coastal storms.

Instead of trying to bolster unsustainable terrain, communities should fall back to avoid the deteriorating ground beneath, said Griggs. The alternative is what he labels “unmanaged retreat,” in which normally occupied spaces are destroyed before any kind of retreat is initiated.

Disaster Response

On Jan. 9, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors held their biweekly meeting. Dave Reid, the Director of the Santa Cruz County Office of Response, Recovery, and Resilience, presented a report addressing recent coastal storms and the county officials’ response.

“We want to work more effectively with our city partners to try to secure those high-risk areas, because those large waves can carry logs, boulders, [and] all kinds of things,” said Reid regarding future response and recovery efforts.

According to the report, last January’s storm produced a storm surge over seven feet, with waves reaching 30 to 40 feet. The Dec. 28 storm was less severe, but the surge still topped six feet, and the tallest waves were 30 feet.

The city of Capitola cautions both locals and visitors to steer clear of the Capitola Wharf as reconstruction is underway.

This year, streets in Capitola Village were flooded when the high surf broke sand barriers protecting the area. The ocean waves brought debris onto the roads, and multiple businesses on the Village Esplanade were forced to close until clean-up was completed. Santa Cruz County issued evacuation orders on Dec. 28 in Coastal Rio Del Mar, Pajaro Dunes, and Capitola Village, which were lifted later that day.

“We cannot prevent these disasters,” said Fifth District Supervisor Bruce McPherson in the Santa Cruz Board of Supervisors meeting. “But we can make our communities more resilient.”

The Capitola Wharf Reimagined

During the January 2023 storm, the Capitola Wharf sustained considerable damage to its midsection, creating a split that made it unsafe to access the pier. Since then, plans have been made to remodel and strengthen the structural integrity of the once-frequented space.

Jessica Kahn, the Capitola Public Works director, spoke on the Capitola Wharf reconstruction efforts set for completion in fall 2024. In wake of this season’s storms, resilience and long-term stability is a high priority for the project.

“Weather dependent, we’re hoping to have this project completed this fall,” Kahn said. “One of the big things [that is] making the wharf more resilient and hopefully last longer over time, is it’s being made wider.”

Kahn says that widening the 20-foot wharf to 40 feet will help stabilize it during future storms. The project is estimated to cost $7.7 million. Kahn also said there are plans to reinforce the wharf with fiberglass beams in place of wood pilings to improve longevity. The main drive for these reinforcements comes from community members that are “really emotionally attached” to the wharf, she added.

However, this sentiment is not shared by all. Ryan Bacon works as a manager in Zelda’s, a restaurant that sits right on the water in the Capitola Village. While the wharf’s disrepair can be seen from the patio’s outdoor seating, business carries on as usual.

“I lived in Santa Cruz almost my whole life,” Bacon said. “I’m 38. I’ve never been on the wharf once.”

Restaurants along Capitola Beach have reopened for business following the storm on Dec. 28 that caused many emergency closures along the wharf. From the respective patios, customers can observe the heightened water levels and debris across the beach.

A looming threat on Capitola’s horizon will come to head if, as Griggs points out, the city does not reassess its priority list.

“We cannot hold back the Pacific,” Griggs said. “We should begin to plan for the long term.”

Lucas Sanchez provided additional reporting.