UC Santa Cruz Releases Coastal Flood Risk Tool

The new interactive platform helps local officials evaluate erosion damage and plan storm mitigation strategies.

Updated on Oct. 27, 2026 in Geography

Rugged California coastal bluffs overlook the Pacific Ocean with waves crashing against offshore reef structures under a cool, overcast sky. — Researchers at UC Santa Cruz launched the COSMOS ADAPTS tool to assist local officials in modeling coastal erosion risks and planning storm mitigation. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Is your local government doing enough to invest in protective measures against coastal storm and flood risks?

Researchers at UC Santa Cruz have launched the COSMOS ADAPTS tool to help city and county leaders assess flood and erosion risks across the California coast. The interactive platform uses data from the U.S. Geological Survey to simulate the effectiveness of various mitigation strategies.

Why it matters

The tool aims to assist local decision-makers in prioritizing vital storm and fire mitigation projects. It is designed to provide actionable insights for infrastructure protection planning rather than individual construction efforts.

Developed by the Center for Coastal Climate Resilience, the platform utilizes color-coded mapping to display damage risk and flood reduction outcomes. The tool specifically models the impact of nature-based solutions such as dunes and offshore reefs.

The players

UC Santa Cruz

This public research university serves as the host institution for the Center for Coastal Climate Resilience.

Center for Coastal Climate Resilience

This academic body is responsible for the development of advanced climate adaptation tools and coastal research.

U.S. Geological Survey

This federal agency provides the scientific data and mapping information that powers the new coastal risk assessment tool.

The details

By simulating flood reduction outcomes, the tool allows officials to evaluate the effectiveness of nature-based strategies like offshore reefs. It provides essential cost estimates and risk data to guide large-scale coastal protection initiatives.

Winter 2026-2027: The tool is expected to support planning during the upcoming El Niño season.

The Big Picture

This release marks the latest practical application of the Center for Coastal Climate Resilience's ongoing efforts to integrate scientific data into local coastal policy. The tool shifts the paradigm from reactive disaster response toward proactive, data-driven resilience planning.

While the tool is not intended for individual home construction projects, it helps ensure that local leaders have the data needed to protect shared community infrastructure. Residents may see more informed, targeted investments in nature-based defenses like dunes and reefs in the future.

The takeaway

The COSMOS ADAPTS platform offers a critical resource for local governments preparing for unpredictable coastal weather patterns. Officials can now utilize data-backed simulations to weigh the long-term benefits of nature-based flood mitigation against traditional approaches.