Many communities in the East Bay’s flatlands are built in areas that were either wetlands or completely underwater less than two centuries ago. Following the Gold Rush, much of the Bay was filled in so that industry, neighborhoods and landfills could be developed along the shoreline. Now these areas are at risk not only from increasing sea levels, but also rising ground water that contains toxic chemicals accumulated from decades of unregulated pollution. Confronting the future of climate change demands understanding the history of this land.

Rosanna Xia’s brilliant book “California Against the Sea: Visions for our Vanishing Coastline” (Heyday Books) not only explores these threats, but also highlights promising (albeit complicated) solutions, such as wetlands restoration, that are already being deployed throughout the Bay Area. On October 28, I interviewed Rosanna in front of a packed crowd at Clio’s Books in Oakland. Listen to the episode to hear all about our shifting shorelines, why sea walls won’t save us, and much more.

Don’t forget to follow the East Bay Yesterday Substack for updates on events, tours, exhibits, and other local history news: https://substack.com/@eastbayyesterday

To see photos and links related to this episode, visit: https://eastbayyesterday.com/episodes/sea-walls-wont-save-us/

Special thanks to the sponsor of this episode: Every week at UCSF’s Food Farmacy clinic, nurses, staff, and volunteers distribute fresh produce and food to Bay Area and Oakland families. This free program makes sure growing children have dependable access to healthy food options, growing produce oases in urban food deserts. To learn more, visit: https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2023/08/425936/food-farmacy-provides-fresh-and-free-food-oakland-families