September 16, 2026
There’s nothing quite like Seattle's marine shoreline. It is the backbone of our region, supporting vital jobs, infrastructure, communities, and ecosystems. Situated on deepwater Elliott Bay and bisected by the Duwamish River, Seattle’s waterfront connects inland markets to Puget Sound and global trade routes.
But the shoreline itself is uniquely vulnerable. The topography of the waterfront consists of low-lying industrial areas built on fill that created land out of a former estuary, including Harbor Island, the largest human-made island in the United States. Much of Seattle’s economic foundation sits on fragile ground, already feeling the pressure from sea level rise and seasonal flooding. Climate impacts are no longer a distant threat — they are already here. Projections indicate Seattle will see sea levels climb by about a foot by 2050 and potentially three feet by 2100, causing severe coastal flooding and widespread damage.
Regional effort backed federal support
To get ahead of these challenges, the Port of Seattle is teaming up with local partners, backed by a $1 million federal appropriation secured by U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal. This funding comes directly from the Congressionally Directed Spending program included in the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies appropriations bill for FY 2026. Specifically designated for the "Seattle Waterfront Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment," this financial backing will help the Port , with its partners at the City of Seattle, King County, the Northwest Seaport Alliance, and the Washington State Department of Transportation launch a comprehensive study of our exposure to climate hazards.
This regional assessment will examine how rising seas, severe storms, shifting groundwater, earthquakes, and compound disasters where multiple hazards strike at once could impact our shorelines. This joint effort allows everyone to look at the big picture together, ensuring that resilience strategies protect both our environment and our economy. It will consider Seattle’s marine shorelines, with a focus on nodes where Port infrastructure clusters and intersects with transportation and utility networks, as highlighted in the map below.
Ultimately, the project will help these partners coordinate and sequence their investments, ensuring funding goes where it's needed most. While funding is secured through the federal budget, the project still undergoes the full grant application process, with funds expected to be awarded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) next year. Stay tuned for more updates.
