S.F. Embarcadero could be devasted by quake that damages sea wall: report

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1 S.F. Embarcadero could be devasted by quake that damages sea wall: report By Los Angeles Times, adapted by Newsela staff on Word Count 892 The Ferry Building in San Francisco is decorated with the number 50 for the Super Bowl in February In the background is the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. Photo: AP/Eric Risberg SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. Rising at the northeast tip of Market Street, the Ferry Building here has long been a symbol of survival.

2 The building withstood the great 1906 earthquake and fire that destroyed much of the city 110 years ago today. It was a gathering point for survivors back then, and again for commuters after the 1989 earthquake brought down a section of the Bay Bridge. But city officials and engineers now say the popular Embarcadero area surrounding the Ferry Building faces a different kind of seismic threat.

3 New studies have found that a massive sea wall along the Embarcadero could be shoved toward the bay by more than several feet in a massive earthquake. It would take with it some of San Francisco s most famous and expensive real estate. Beautiful, Bustling Area Is Most At Risk Engineers say a picturesque three-mile stretch of the Embarcadero between Fisherman s Wharf and AT&T Park is at risk. This is one of the city s most bustling areas, where historic streetcars glide down the street, sharing the waterside boulevard with tourists, joggers and foodies sampling the various eateries. A report by the Port of San Francisco released last week outlined a grim scenario if the sea wall gives way: severed access to the ferries; damaged piers, wharves and the buildings on top of them; distorted streetcar tracks; big cracks in the Embarcadero roadway and promenade; and disrupted utilities. A damaged sea wall could also be further eroded by waves and tides. The cost for securing the wall was placed at roughly $2 billion to $3 billion. This is one of the most critical pieces of infrastructure in the city, and most people don t even know it even exists, said Patrick Otellini, San Francisco s chief resilience officer. We can t be afraid to have the conversation. We have to talk about the risk. No Major Quake Since 1906 The sea wall vulnerability is particularly frustrating because officials have worked over the years to improve the seismic safety of individual buildings along the Embarcadero. A big problem is that most of the buildings and piers in San Francisco s northern waterfront were built after the 1906 earthquake and have not been tested in a major temblor, the port report said. The 1989 Loma Prieta quake, which was centered about 60 miles to the south in the Santa Cruz Mountains, was considered only a minor test. The sea wall was built to expand San Francisco s ancient coastline that once went as far inland as the Transamerica Pyramid near Chinatown, two-fifths of a mile from today s waterfront. By reclaiming the tidal marsh as land, San Francisco was able to build out over deeper bay waters, constructing port facilities for large ships. To this day, the sea wall provides protection against floods. If there wasn t anything built there, that wouldn t be a problem, said Steven Reel, a professional engineer with the port. But we ve got utilities through that zone. We have a beautiful and important promenade that s built in that zone. The Embarcadero corridor is important. Risk To Sea Wall Is A New Challenge For City It was only recently that officials began to be aware of the sea wall s vulnerability.

4 The overall risk: It s greater than we previously thought, Reel said. At risk is $1.6 billion in property along the Port of San Francisco and disruption of $2.1 billion a year in rent, revenue and wages. The waterfront is a major draw for millions of tourists, who annually bring in about $11 billion. Scientists and historians say the sea wall is what made today s City by the Bay possible. The city started pushing into the bay in the 1850s a gradual process that took 70 to 80 years to complete, said historian Joseph Amster. It was essential for maritime navigation and created a lot of land in a city that s pretty hilly, said Robin Grossinger, a senior scientist at the San Francisco Estuary Institute. The bad news is we moved the city out toward the bay and we put the city in a more challenging place to protect. "We made these decisions a hundred years ago, and now we have this unexpectedly expensive result," Grossinger said. Officials Are Still Looking For Solutions Solutions are still being formulated. One idea is to stiffen the mud supporting the rock wall by injecting it with cement kind of like forcing down bits of fruit into a dish of Jell-O. You put enough fruit down there, and you ve firmed it enough and you really stabilize the rock, Reel said. Officials are also suggesting updating or replacing brittle concrete supports that hold up the wharves and wall. Even if they come up with a plan, officials will still have to find a way to pay for it. San Francisco has embarked on a major campaign to update about 5,000 apartment buildings that are at risk of collapse during a big temblor. That effort took more than a decade of planning and delicate negotiations with property owners and renters. On the horizon is another looming problem: rising sea waters prompted by climate change. Dealing with that could cost an additional $2 billion. If you were to do nothing, somewhere in between 2070, 2100, the old shoreline is going to be back, Reel said. And now with sea-level rise, the sea is trying to take that land back.

5 Quiz 1 Which of the following BEST explains San Francisco's development over the wet marshlands, according to the article? San Francisco had been a much smaller city for a long time, and it built out into the marshlands in order to create a new area for tourists. San Francisco expanded out into the marshlands after the 1906 earthquake to reinforce the unstable area and provide extra land for residents. San Francisco had begun to run out of room to house its many citizens, so it began to fill in the marshland and create new apartment buildings for residents. San Francisco expanded the city into the marshlands over 100 years ago to improve deep water access for ships and build more flat land. 2 According to the article, which person would MOST likely be happy to see this article in the news, since it is a sign that people are learning and talking about this issue? Patrick Otellini Steven Reel Joseph Amster Robin Grossinger 3 Read the paragraphs from the section "Beautiful, Bustling Area Is Most At Risk." The cost for securing the wall was placed at roughly $2 billion to $3 billion. This is one of the most critical pieces of infrastructure in the city, and most people don t even know it even exists, said Patrick Otellini, San Francisco s chief resilience officer. Which phrase BEST defines the word "infrastructure" as used in the quote? tourist attraction founding institution physical framework transportation system

6 4 Read the paragraph from the section "Officials Are Still Looking For Solutions." Even if they come up with a plan, officials will still have to find a way to pay for it. San Francisco has embarked on a major campaign to update about 5,000 apartment buildings that are at risk of collapse during a big temblor. That effort took more than a decade of planning and delicate negotiations with property owners and renters. Which words BEST convey the meaning of the word "delicate" as it is used above? sensitive, tricky fragile, breakable foolish, wasteful worrisome, troubling

7 Answer Key 1 Which of the following BEST explains San Francisco's development over the wet marshlands, according to the article? San Francisco had been a much smaller city for a long time, and it built out into the marshlands in order to create a new area for tourists. San Francisco expanded out into the marshlands after the 1906 earthquake to reinforce the unstable area and provide extra land for residents. San Francisco had begun to run out of room to house its many citizens, so it began to fill in the marshland and create new apartment buildings for residents. San Francisco expanded the city into the marshlands over 100 years ago to improve deep water access for ships and build more flat land. 2 According to the article, which person would MOST likely be happy to see this article in the news, since it is a sign that people are learning and talking about this issue? Patrick Otellini Steven Reel Joseph Amster Robin Grossinger 3 Read the paragraphs from the section "Beautiful, Bustling Area Is Most At Risk." The cost for securing the wall was placed at roughly $2 billion to $3 billion. This is one of the most critical pieces of infrastructure in the city, and most people don t even know it even exists, said Patrick Otellini, San Francisco s chief resilience officer. Which phrase BEST defines the word "infrastructure" as used in the quote? tourist attraction founding institution physical framework transportation system

8 4 Read the paragraph from the section "Officials Are Still Looking For Solutions." Even if they come up with a plan, officials will still have to find a way to pay for it. San Francisco has embarked on a major campaign to update about 5,000 apartment buildings that are at risk of collapse during a big temblor. That effort took more than a decade of planning and delicate negotiations with property owners and renters. Which words BEST convey the meaning of the word "delicate" as it is used above? sensitive, tricky fragile, breakable foolish, wasteful worrisome, troubling