Protecting our homes, roads and habitat – Save the date for sea-level rise workshops this fall

September 19, 2025 1:30 am
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Submitted by San Juan County.

San Juan County is taking steps to better understand and plan for the future of sea-level rise in the islands, including mitigating the impact on public and private infrastructure. The County is planning a series of community workshops to share information about sea-level rise and solicit thoughts, concerns and feedback from community members about how to address these challenges together.

Community workshops

Each of the four ferry-served islands will host two community workshops, facilitated by an external consultant specializing in community response to sea level rise.

The first workshop will focus on the big picture, reviewing the science of sea-level rise globally and locally. This science will include reviews of key studies done in San Juan County and how the County can expect to be affected in the next 20-50 years. The first workshop is scheduled as follows:

• San Juan Island: Monday, Sept. 29, from 5:30-7:30 p.m., Marie Boe Building at the San Juan County Fairgrounds, 849 Argyle Ave.

• Lopez Island: Tuesday, Sept. 30, from 5-7 p.m., The Lopez Island Grange, 452 Richardson Road.

• Shaw Island: Wednesday, Oct. 1, from noon to 2 p.m., The Shaw Community Center, 42 Reef Net Bay Road.

• Orcas Island: Wednesday, Oct. 1, from 5:30-7:30 p.m., Orcas Island Grange Hall, 3398 Orcas Road.

The second workshop will dive into island-specific case studies that illustrate potential responses to sea-level rise for both public assets (roads, beaches, shoreline access, cultural and ecological resources, etc.) and private assets (homes, septic, water systems, etc.). The case study sites include: False Bay Road at False Bay (San Juan Island), Deer Harbor Road at West Sound (Orcas Island), Port Stanley Road at Swifts Bay (Lopez Island) and Blind Bay Road at Blind Bay (Shaw Island). Each site was chosen for its different condition scenario, which is broadly representative of what can be found at similar sites identified on other Islands as well.

The second workshop will be held during the last week of October – exact dates, locations and times are to be announced.

The County is hopeful for strong community engagement in these workshops and encourages all those who are interested to attend in person, although virtual options are also available.

More information about the workshops, including agendas and supplemental materials, will be available on the County’s website: https://engage.sanjuancountywa.gov/sea-level-rise-shoreline-habitat-infrastructure-adaptation-strategies.

Questions? Contact: Tyler Davis, environmental project manager, tylerd@sanjuancountywa.gov.