Our Ocean Backyard
Ongoing articles by Gary Griggs
El Niño bringing changes to Northern California ocean conditions and marine life
CBS News, By Kenny Choi, September 3, 2026
Lasting effects of Half Moon Bay dredging project to combat coastal erosion are uncertain
CBS News, By Kenny Choi, September 1, 2026
What could a supercharged El Niño mean for SoCal’s beaches?
LAist, on AirTalk, August 13, 2026
Is There Enough Cliff to Support Any Del Mar Housing Development?
Voice of San Diego, by Fiona Bork, August 10, 2026
A Carlsbad beach lost most of its sand in less than 2 weeks
SFGATE, by Tessa McLean, August 8, 2026
Dana Point homeowner's stunning $10M mansion is hanging off a cliff. Now he's bracing for a super El Niño
California Post, by Benjamin Brown, July 19, 2026
Why a growing mass of warm water in the Pacific could be trouble for future weather
NPR, by Ezra D. Romero, July 14, 2026
In Depth: An Interview With Gary Griggs
City of Santa Cruz
Slab of cliff falls into the ocean at iconic surf break
SFGATE, by Olivia Harden, June 23, 2026
Sea Level Rise — Iconic Santa Cruz surf spots could slip away with erosion
KALW, by Erin Malsbury, July 21, 2025
Should Malibu fire victims rebuild their coastal homes when the ocean is advancing?
Los Angeles Times, by James Rainey, March 27, 2025
How does sea level rise challenge modern notions of property lines?
Los Angeles Times, by Rosanna Xia, March 25, 2025
What happened to the walking path on Capitola’s Depot Hill?
Lookout Santa Cruz, by Max Chung, March 18, 2025
A staircase in Pismo Beach has been closed due to storm damage. Should it be demolished?
San Luis Obispo Tribune, by Joan Lynch, February 26, 2025
Are Santa Cruz County governments prepared for sea-level rise?
Santa Cruz Local, by Jesse Kathan, January 31, 2025
In the Battle of AI and Copyrights, a Judge Seeks a Tech Lesson
Bloomberg Law, by Isaiah Poritz, January 29, 2025
Rising tides could wipe out Pacifica, but residents can’t agree on how to respond
San Francisco Chronicle, by Connor Letourneau, January 12, 2025
Repair Work Left Santa Cruz Wharf Vulnerable to Collapse. A Rebuild Is Uncertain
KQED, by Nik Altenberg, December 27, 2024
King tides are back and what they’re telling us
The Mercury News, by Farah Aziz Annesha, December 13, 2024
5-year West Cliff plan takes shape with road shift at Lighthouse Field
Santa Cruz Local, by Jesse Greenspan, November 20, 2024
Should California give up on Highway 1?
University of California, Stephen McNally, Julia Busiek, UC Newsroom – October 30, 2024
New book California Catastrophes challenges coastal communities to confront reality
UCSC, by Jasmin Galvan – October 17, 2024
Landslides are destroying multimillion-dollar homes in California, and they’re getting worse
CNN, by Laura Paddison – September 7, 2024
New project could revive Santa Cruz wetlands in effort to fight flooding
CBS News Bay Area, by Kenny Choi – August 28, 2024
Fact check: Sea levels are already rising faster per year than Trump claims they might rise over ‘next 497 years’
CNN, by Daniel Dale – June 28, 2024
Officials agonize over how to keep iconic Highway 1 open
Spectrum News 1, by Jamie Kennedy – May 28, 2024
Why Highway 1 is the climate challenge that California can’t fix
The Washington Post, by Melina Mara, Scott Dance and Brianna Sacks – May 7, 2024
California's Highway 1 road conditions will only get riskier, experts say
The Guardian, by Gabrielle Canon – April 1, 2024
Gary Griggs explains the policy of managed retreat (video)
The Tribune, by David Middlecamp – March 13, 2024
Panel levels realities of coastal erosion in Pacifica
Pacifica Tribune, by Jenna Hards – March 6, 2024
A climate Q&A with coastal geologist Gary Griggs
Half Moon Bay Review, by Tyler Paing – February 29, 2024
Sea level rise in Pacifica: We need vision, open minds and empathy
Pacifica Tribune, by Christine Boles – February 26, 2024
Were December’s Coastal Floods a Harbinger of Things to Come?
Public Policy Institute of California, by Sarah Bardeen – February 6, 2024
Waves Are Getting Bigger Due to Climate Change, Experts Suggest
Surfer, by Dashel Pierson – January 8, 2024
State officials wouldn’t let these homeowners build a sea wall. Their lawsuit could reshape California’s coast
Bay Area News Group, by Paul Rogers – January 7,2024
One year later, Save West Cliff mobilizes around four visions for the future of West Cliff Drive
Lookout Santa Cruz, by Wallace Baine – January 7, 2024
Huge waves are crashing on the California coast, in part due to climate change
All Things Considered, NPR, KQED, by Ezra Romero – January 5, 2024
California storm brought huge waves to this coastal community — again. Here's how it's responding
San Francisco Chronicle, by Hannah Hagemann – December 29, 2023
Can California continue to fight the ocean? A new book argues for new approaches
Santa Cruz Local, by Wallace Baine – October 22, 2023
‘Living shoreline’ concepts try to stem storm damage on Santa Cruz County coast
Santa Cruz Local, by Jesse Kathan – October 6, 2023
In the face of sea level rise, can we reimagine California’s vanishing coastline?
Los Angeles Times – August 22, 2023
Waves grow up to 13 feet tall in California as Earth warms, research finds
The Associated Press, by Julie Watson – August 3, 2023
California waves get bigger as Earth warms, research finds
KSBW – August 2, 2023
Preparing for El Niño
Santa Cruz Good Times – August 1, 2023
USGS report predicts rising sea levels threaten California's coast
CBS Bay Area – May 30, 2023
Can California’s coastline be saved? Study shows up to 70% could be wiped out by 2100
Santa Cruz Sentinel – May 30, 2023
Holding Back Sea Level Rise
KNTV NBC Bay Area, by Kari Hall – May 2, 2023
Fact check: Trump’s latest false climate figure is off by more than 1,000 times
CNN, by Daniel Dale – April 24, 2023
Expert warns flooding may plague Virginians regardless of where they are
RADIO IQ, by Sandy Hausman – April 14, 2023
UC Santa Cruz professor says rising sea levels are a growing threat to coastal California
KCBX Public Radio – April 11, 2023
Dr. Gary Griggs: Rising seas threaten U.S. coastlines and cities
SciLine, AAAS – April 6, 2023
Perils in Paradise: Natural Disasters in Santa Cruz County with Gary Griggs
Talk sponsored by the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History – March 2, 2023
In wake of storms and floods, local leaders discuss effects of climate change with community
Lookout Santa Cruz – March 17, 2023
Series on Natural Disasters Comes to Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History
GoodTimes – February 28, 2023
What California’s big winter storms mean for the future
Q&A with Gary Griggs
Bay Area News Group – February 18, 2023
Collapse of cliff above Santa Cruz surfers is caught on video
Santa Cruz Sentinel – February 16, 2023
Santa Cruz’s Waterfront Promenade Reaches an Inflection Point
New York Times – February 13, 2023
‘It’s a losing battle’: Storms shattered Santa Cruz's iconic promenade. Is it worth fixing?
San Francisco Chronicle – January 31, 2023
Future of Iconic Coastal Road in Doubt Following January Storms
The San Francisco Standard – January 25, 2023
Battered by Storms, California Coastal Towns Prepare for Another Deluge
New York Times – January 10, 2023
Santa Cruz’s most-tenured ocean observer in awe of storm damage
Lookout Santa Cruz – January 6, 2023
Seabright and the Castle: Then and Now with Dr. Gary Griggs
Talk sponsored by the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History – August 11, 2022
Legendary oceanography professor has made sea changes in students' lives
UCSC Newscenter – May 19, 2021
Seymour Marine Discovery Center – Our Ocean Backyard Archive
Coastal Care
Website co-hosted by Gary Griggs
From the Ground Up: UCSC Professor Gary Griggs as Researcher, Teacher, and Institution Builder