10 foot tides possible this El Niño season along San Mateo Co. coast, prompts emergency declaration
PACIFICA, Calif. (KGO) -- San Mateo County officials are preparing for potentially severe coastal impacts from El Niño as the county moves forward with an emergency declaration and Pacifica begins emergency stabilization work on its damaged Municipal Pier.
County officials say the combination of projected king tides and a severe El Niño storm could bring water levels higher than any previously recorded along the San Mateo County coastline.
"This year, we are projecting those king tides to be about 7 feet. But if a storm comes, if one of the El Nino storms hits and it's a severe one, those tide levels could rise to 10 feet. Well in San Mateo County we have never seen above 8 and a half so it would be an unprecedented impact to our coastline," Ray Mueller, a San Mateo County supervisor, said.
The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors voted on an El Niño emergency declaration ahead of storms projected to affect the region in late November, December and January.
"It allows us to go ahead and activate antigouging laws. It streamlines and allows us to move rapidly and go ahead and preposition resources for these storms," Mueller said.
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Mueller said the county has already begun activating contracts so contractors can be quickly deployed to clear debris from streams, waterways and culverts.
"During the 2023 storms, we saw happen is that a lot of those areas became jammed up with debris and fallen trees," Mueller said.
In Pacifica, attention is focused on the Municipal Pier, which has been closed since June after extensive structural damage and cracks threatened its integrity. Residents living nearby are monitoring conditions as large waves are expected during the coming storm season.
"When the king tides come maybe these properties may be a little disastrous, but we will see in the Wintertime how big it really gets because there have been some big swells the last several years," Pacifica resident Glenn Greggains said.
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The city of Pacifica said emergency stabilization work at the pier is set to begin this week.
"A large crane, along with associated equipment, is scheduled to begin mobilization on October 21, 2026, to support the project's emergency pier stabilization activities," the city said in a statement.
Pacifica resident Lisa Schertler said she has already noticed work aimed at reinforcing sections of the waterfront.
"As you walk along the walk they have gone in and have had to fill in concrete to help support the boulders all the way down," Schertler said.
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Asked whether she is prepared for the coming conditions, Schertler said, "I got my boots because I'm not taking her for a walk in that water."
The city said the emergency stabilization work will take multiple days as officials work to reinforce the pier ahead of the anticipated storms.
