Recent storms battering California's coastline have exposed a growing threat to the state's historic piers and wharves, as climate change brings increasingly unpredictable and powerful weather patterns that these aging structures weren't built to handle.
The latest casualty came this week when a section of the Santa Cruz Wharf collapsed during intense winter storms, sending two contractors and a city employee plunging into the water. This incident highlights the mounting challenges facing California's coastal infrastructure.
At least 10 of California's public piers were forced to close partially or completely in 2024 due to storm damage from the past two winters. Five more piers have scheduled long-term upgrades to address structural concerns.
"We have exposed infrastructure across the entire California coast, and it's going to be stressed by the impacts of climate change, whether it's changes in storm patterns, frequency and magnitude or sea level," explained Patrick Barnard, research director for the Climate Impacts and Coastal Processes Team at the U.S. Geological Survey.
The repair costs are staggering. Ventura Pier's restoration topped $3 million, while Capitola Wharf required about $8 million in repairs. In San Diego, officials determined that continuing to repair the Ocean Beach Pier was no longer feasible, opting instead for a complete replacement project costing over $8 million.
Many of these structures are now reaching their centennial marks, having been built in the early 1900s when storm patterns were more predictable. Scientists warn that climate change is creating more erratic weather conditions, with storms approaching from unexpected angles that can catch even sheltered piers off guard.
"In some of the recent storms in Santa Cruz, we're seeing some of these events come a little more from the south or a little more from the west," Barnard noted. "A lot of these piers were built in these more sheltered areas... so even when those waves shift by five or 10 degrees, it can make a huge difference."
The situation forces difficult decisions about which structures to save and which to abandon. After severe damage in early 2023, officials chose to completely remove the Seacliff State Beach Pier near Santa Cruz, just shy of its 100th birthday.
As climate change continues to reshape California's coast, communities face tough choices about the future of these beloved landmarks that have long served as centers for recreation, commerce, and coastal life.