How is Santa Barbara preparing for a changing climate?
County of Santa Barbara, Fall 2023
How to Navigate the Page
This story map provides an opportunity for community members to learn and provide comments about the Santa Barbara County Adaptation Plan.
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What is an Adaptation Plan?
Climate change is making hazards like extreme heat, drought, flooding, and wildfire more intense and/or more common. Depending on where you live, work, or go to school, this can mean greater risk of flooding to your home or neighborhood, water or power being cut off, getting heat stroke, or having to evacuate because of wildfire.
The County of Santa Barbara is developing a Climate Adaptation Plan that will include strategies to address the impacts of climate change hazards and provide resources that keep people healthy and safe. These resources may include roads and water pipes, buildings, local businesses, natural areas, and key services like public transit and emergency medical services. The Plan will focus on the most important actions the County can take in the next five to ten years to help reduce the greatest risks from climate change and avoid harm.
Scenic Santa Barbara
The Adaptation Plan is focused on climate adaptation, not mitigation. The County's Climate Action Plan focuses on climate mitigation, with the Adaptation Plan complimenting that effort.
Mitigation vs. Adaptation
From Vulnerability Assessment to Adaptation Plan
The following is the process that the County of Santa Barbara is currently undergoing to develop a Climate Adaptation Plan.
Adaptation Planning Process
What are the greatest risks in Santa Barbara County?
To identify how populations and community assets are vulnerable to climate change hazards, the County completed a Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment. This process analyzed which assets, such as roads, buildings, and homes, may be impacted most by climate change hazards; how prepared we are now to deal with these hazards; and which groups of people are most vulnerable and should be prioritized in future adaptation planning.
The Vulnerability Assessment also incorporated frontline populations, which are people that experience the impacts of climate change earlier and/or to a disproportionately severe degree than others in the unincorporated county and are the least able to access resources. Examples of frontline communities that are the most vulnerable are:
The Adaptation Plan is focused on the unincorporated areas of the County - shown here in brown. The County will form partnerships to address Countywide issues where possible, but this Plan is County focused.
Santa Barbara County covers 3,789 square miles of land and water with approximately 142,100 people in the unincorporated areas. The County of Santa Barbara government oversees the unincorporated areas and collaborates with cities and other agencies.
For this project, the county is divided into three major areas: the Valleys and North County, South Coast, and Cuyama Valley areas. The Vulnerability Assessment used these areas to understand geographic differences.
The Valleys and North County
The Valleys and North County is the largest subregion and includes the northern county coastline, Santa Maria Valley, Lompoc Valley, and the Santa Ynez Valley. Approximately 68,500 people live in unincorporated areas, and the majority live in population centers such as Santa Ynez, Los Olivos, Los Alamos, Vandenberg Village, Mission Hills, and Orcutt.
The climate hazards that most affect the Valleys and North County are flooding, wildfire, drought, landslides and debris flows, and extreme heat.
Cuyama Valley
Cuyama Valley is an isolated subregion of the county located in the northeastern section. Just under 1,000 people live in the area, primarily in New Cuyama, Cuyama, and Ventucopa. Agriculture, open space and oil and gas extraction make up the majority of land uses in the area. The Los Padres Forest is adjacent and the area is accessible by Highways 166 and 33.
The climate hazards that most affect the Cuyama Valley are extreme heat, drought, wildfire, landslides and debris flows, and flooding.
South Coast
The south coast subregion covers the southern coastline of the county from Point Conception to Ventura County. The Santa Ynez Mountains provide a border to the north, the Pacific Ocean to the south, and Ventura County to the east. Approximately 86,900 people live in the unincorporated county in this area, primarily in communities such as Montecito, Eastern Goleta Valley, Isla Vista, Hope Ranch, Summerland, Toro Canyon, and Mission Canyon.
The climate hazards that most affect the South Coast are wildfire, landslides and debris flows, coastal flooding, and extreme heat.
One Climate Initiative Vision & Draft Adaptation Plan Goals
A vision and goals for adaptation will be used to guide the development of the plan and to ensure that community values are the foundation for strategies and implementation. The goals are based upon community and stakeholder input, and the vision is a part of the County One Climate Initiative's Vision. Learn more about the County's One Climate Initiative below.
The draft goals for the Adaptation Plan are below. Please read and take the survey to let us know how well they meet the community's needs.
SURVEY:
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Take a minute to tell us what you think about the goals and if they make sense to you.
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Strategy Areas
Icons next to the sector indicates how they
connect to the goals above.
The following summarizes the strategy areas that represent the highest priority sectors and geographic locations that require immediate action to address climate vulnerabilities and increase resilience. This focused approached is designed to enable the County to implement needed interventions effectively and with the greatest impact.
The Transportation Infrastructure covers infrastructure related to roads, bridges, bus routes. Roads are a primary means of moving through and around the County, as well as critical for movement for evacuations. County either controls or has some influence over these assets.
Roads and Evacuation
County residents rely on roadways to evacuate during an emergency, get to work and school, and transport and receive goods. However, some roads throughout the County are extremely vulnerable to climate hazards, which may leave residents without reliable roadways.
Strategies will address:
Countywide Transportation Infrastructure
County Roads
North County Single Egress Roads, Bridges, and Bus Routes
South Coast Roads, Highways, and Bridges
Coastal Roads and Single-Egress Roads
The Infrastructure Sector covers water and service and infrastructure, flood control infrastructure, and electricity infrastructure. The County may own, operate, regulate, or have some influence over this critical infrastructure.
Water Supply
The majority of the County gets its water from groundwater sources, which have become more scarce in recent years. This can result in reduced water availability for agriculture and urban users. Extended periods of drought and intense rainfall can damage water supply infrastructure.
Strategies will address:
Groundwater and its users
Flooding Control
Landslides, debris flows, and inland flooding will likely become more frequent and problematic as climate related extreme weather, wildfires, and flooding impact the area. These events put more pressure on the current flood control infrastructure and require additional County resources to manage.
Strategies will address:
Coastal flooding
Flood control infrastructure
Debris basins that capture flood waters and debris and protect development
Power Reliability & Resilience
Power outages can result from a variety of climate hazards, namely wildfires, debris flows, and extreme heat. County residents and businesses rely on electricity for health, safety, and economic livelihoods, including communication during emergencies.
Oil and Gas
Oil and gas infrastructure in coastal areas of the County is particularly vulnerable to coastal storms, dune and bluff erosion, landslides, and wildfires. Damage to this infrastructure could cause toxic materials to be released into the air, water, and soil, resulting in negative economic and public health effects.
Strategies will address:
South Coast - Oil, Natural Gas, and Gasoline Infrastructure
Countywide – Electrical Infrastructure
The Building Sector covers residential, commercial, and institutional buildings throughout the County. The residential buildings, which are at the highest risk, are broken up between inland housing, coastal housing, and those living in insecure housing to reflect the unique vulnerabilities of each type of housing.
Vulnerable Housing
Homes located throughout the County are vulnerable to climate hazards. Those located by the coasts can be damaged by coastal storms, dune and bluff erosion, and sea level rise. Inland housing can be damaged or destroyed by inland flooding, severe weather, and wildfires. People who are unhoused, or live in their vehicle are especially vulnerable.
Strategies will address:
Inland Housing
Coastal Housing
Insecure/Vulnerable Housing
Resilient Essential Buildings
Resilient working government facilities and services (equipment and resources included) are essential to effectively delivering services and resources to the community. County staff are disaster responders and must have adequate resources and facilities to do this work during an emergency.
Strategies will address:
Resilient Essential Facilities and Government Buildings
Cuyama Valley Buildings
In Cuyama Valley, specifically New Cuyama, homes, schools, and commercial buildings are highly vulnerable to inland flooding, severe weather, and may not provide adequate respite during extreme heat events.
Strategies will address:
Cuyama Valley Buildings (including homes, schools, and public buildings)
The Natural Areas that the Plan will focus on are County parks and open spaces including beaches and coastal parks. The strategies will consider the ecosystem as a whole with the goal of developing multi-benefit strategies. Sediment management is a regional issue that the County can take collective action with other entities to develop strategies.
Beaches and Parks
County-run parks and beaches are damaged by climate change hazards, such as coastal storms and beach erosion. Due to limited funding and increasing climate change hazards, more money is being spent on maintaining current parks and beaches, and limits the County's ability to provide additional opportunities for recreation, especially in rural communities.
Strategies will address:
Beaches and Coastal Parks
Coastal Parks and Beaches Sediment Management
Parks and Open Spaces (All)
The Economic Drivers Sector covers agriculture and agritourism and electricity reliability’s impact on all economic sectors. These topics address the effects of climate change hazards on the major economic drivers in the County.
Agriculture
The agricultural industry and those working within it are especially vulnerable to climate change hazards, such as extreme heat, drought, and wildfire. These hazards may contribute to reduced or compromised yields, and outdoor workers can be effected both physically and economically.
Strategies will address:
Agriculture/Agritourism - Industry
Outdoor Agricultural Workers
Domestic and other Outdoor Workers
Power Outages & Decreased Power Quality
Power outages and declines in power quality can result from the impacts of climate change, namely wildfires, debris flows, landslides, flooding, and other severe weather. Power can be out for a long period, and the community can be unprepared for these outages. County businesses depend on electricity for everyday business operations and often lack the preparation or alternatives needed to keep them running.
Strategies will address:
All Economic Sectors due to Power Outages & Decreased Power Quality
The Community Resilience Sector covers behavioral health issues, human health hazards, and specific at-risk frontline populations: households in poverty, outdoor workers, undocumented people, people experiencing homelessness, low-resourced minorities/people of color and isolation within the Cuyama Valley.
Isolation
People living in small and easily isolated rural communities, particularly the Cuyama Valley, often do not have the resources and services need to respond to climate change hazards, especially when isolated. They are more likely to be isolated during a hazard, due to compromised roadways. Reliable access to food, water, communications, power, and health care may all be issues resulting from climate related hazards - particularly those for long-duration. In the case of any climate change hazard, the Cuyama Valley must be prepared to be cut off from power and other supporting resources in nearby communities for an undetermined amount of time. This includes being cut off from the closest hospital which is in Santa Maria.
Strategies will address:
Small Rural Communities Countywide
Community Isolation in the Cuyama Valley
Health and Mental Health
Health and Mental Health
Primarily because of warmer temperatures, climate change will increase human health hazards such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, and other organisms that cause diseases and illness in people. The stressors and emergencies brought on by climate change may create or exacerbate behavioral and mental health issues, particularly in those living alone or with disabilities. Lack of access to quality medical care in many frontline communities is a major contributor to inequity in the county that can be exacerbated by more frequent climate-related hazard events.
Strategies will address:
Behavioral and mental health
Human health hazards
The plans, processes, and systems of County Departments need to ensure they adequately respond to the needs of the community. This means adjusting these elements to changes in frequency and severity of climate hazards to adapt effectively over time. County services that keep people safe and healthy, such as Emergency Management, Fire, Public Health, and others are a particular focus.
Emergency Services
Many County resources and services, such as those from Public Health, Social Services, Fire, and Emergency Management are strained by new and exacerbated climate hazards. The County will need to prepare and plan for an increase in frequency and intensity of incidents and issues and adjust staff capacity and budgets that ensure continued adequate provision of these services.
Strategies will address:
Hazard Gaps Assessment (further study of certain hazards)
Strained County Services
Emergency Care and Sheltering
Extreme Heat Response
Long-Term Disaster Recovery Assistance
Planning Knowledge
Currently, there is no method to incorporate climate-related assumptions into County planning and infrastructure upgrades. This is the case with changes in inland flooding and how it will effect roadways and flood control systems. Additionally, there is not always reliable data for certain aspects of climate hazards and their future effects, such as how sundowner winds or the effects of El Nino might change with a changing climate. Further studies or collaboration with researchers is needed to understand and anticipate changing hazards.
More Information
Learn more about how strategy areas were identified and read more in depth about the gaps and needs the Adaptation Plan will address.
Gaps and Needs
The strategy areas (e.g. infrastructure, buildings, natural areas) were developed by first creating detailed problem statements, analyzing them with County Staff, stakeholders, and by determining where the County or other entities are already addressing these problems. All of this phase of work is detailed in the Gaps and Needs Assessment that is available to community members to review by clicking on the button below.
The Vulnerability Assessment included extensive mapping of the county and the hazards. These maps are available to anyone to review. Click below to reach an interactive website with the Vulnerability Assessment maps.
The next step in the planning process is developing strategies to address each area identified above.
The county will be hosting online and in-person activities for the community to provide additional input.
To get more information and learn about those activities, visit the project website embedded within the One Climate County website where you can also sign up for project notifications.
