Where'd the Beach Go?

Rodeo Beach

Big changes could be ahead for Rodeo Beach and the lagoon behind it. When we burn fossil fuels like coal and oil for energy, we add more and more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. This buildup acts like a blanket that traps heat, warming and expanding ocean waters and melting glaciers. As a result, sea level is rising, and storms are becoming more powerful.


Barrier beaches like this become submerged during rapid sea level rise. Winter storm waves already wash across the barrier. Without its protective beach, Rodeo Lagoon would become much saltier and pose environmental challenges to rare species who make their home here, such as the tidewater goby and red-legged frog.