On Friday, the California Coastal Commission approved some planned changes at Palco Marsh — largely upgrades for the stormwater network, with aims to prevent flooding from storms and future sea level rise. It was approved unanimously as part of their consent calendar, without discussion. Eureka’s Public Works department wants to take on a bundle of projects at the marsh. This includes discharging more partially treated stormwater there, upgrading stormwater infrastructure, dredging 350 feet of new channels and deepening 800 feet of tidal channels (with sediments put on the marsh plain), and upgrading drainage between the marsh and Humboldt Bay — all impacting 86 acres of fresh and saltwater marsh between U.S. Highway 101 at Broadway and Humboldt Bay, south of Del Norte Street. According to a Coastal Commission staff report, Palco Marsh gets untreated runoff from commercial, industrial and residential areas totaling 395.7 acres, and after this project, it would see water from 685 acres.

Other sea level rise articles:

• The Mercury News: Court rules California Coastal Commission can limit construction of seawalls for thousands of property owners
• KQED: Listen: How 3 coastal cities are tackling sea level rise
• KQED: ‘We cannot wait much longer’: King Tides foreshadow a far wetter future for SF shoreline