Living in the ‘Blue Zone’ of a sea-level rise inundation map: Community perceptions of coastal flooding in King Salmon, California

Abstract

As sea-level rise (SLR) inundation maps proliferate, it is important to study their politics – both how they are created and how they act upon and shape various lives and places. This paper uses the example of King Salmon, CA – a rural, low-income residential area projected to be one of the most at risk to SLR on the US West Coast – to examine how a community responds to external projections showing SLR risk to their homes and businesses. Through interviews with 17 King Salmon community members and observation of a county-hosted ‘communities at risk’ workshop, we examined the community’s social context, their past experiences with flooding, and their reaction to SLR projection maps including what next steps they would like to see taken. Residents expressed a strong connection to the place, noting that it is one of the few affordable places to live on the coast in California. We found that residents already live with regular flooding during larger tides of the year and have taken steps to adapt. We observed a strong generational component in responses to projection maps with many older respondents believing or hoping that the worst effects from SLR would not come until after they passed away. Residents expressed a lack of faith in government to address flooding concerns both at present and into the future, noting that general maintenance issues have gone unaddressed for decades. Many residents interviewed and observed seemed open or at least resigned to the possibility of relocation at a future undetermined time. This work reveals the power dynamics inherent in climate projections like SLR maps, which, due to their technical nature and mobility, can leave communities out of conversations related to potential futures. Findings also have implications related to climate and SLR work – highlighting the importance of understanding community context; contributing to equity considerations about how wealth and other demographic factors shape how communities interact with SLR planning; and spotlighting the need for sustained learning, engagement, and co-production with communities in the ‘blue zones’ of SLR inundation maps.