West Yost Newsletter – Winter 2025

Together, we’re securing funding, planning strategically, and turning challenges into opportunities. When we combine technical expertise with a shared commitment to community, we don’t just build projects; we build trust, progress, and a better future for all. 

In this issue, you’ll find:  

• Sea level rise initiatives: A regulatory and planning update outlining California’s new requirements, regional frameworks, and West Yost’s role in helping coastal and Bay Area communities prepare for increasing flood risks.

• Monterey Project Spotlight: A look at how West Yost’s comprehensive planning study and technical guidance supported the Monterey Peninsula Desalination Project’s major approval milestone and long-term water supply resilience.

• GSA updates: A summary of Sonoma County’s groundwater sustainability progress, including major grant funding wins, new monitoring efforts, and long-term basin management strategies.

• Strategic planning in action: An inside view of how West Yost partners with clients to build alignment, define priorities, and shape actionable, community-centered strategies through collaborative facilitation.

Among this year’s highlights was receiving an PSMJ award for the work featured in Building a Better World, Together (Read Here), a recognition that reflects the dedication and partnership at the heart of everything we do.
Share a highlight from your year!

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Winter 2025 Table of Contents:

• Regulatory Update
• Project Spotlight: Monterey
• Project Spotlight: Sonoma
• Industry Insight: Strategic Planning
• Firm Updates
• Team Spotlight
• Closing Message
• West Yost Word

Regulatory Update: Preparing for Sea Level Rise Along California’s Coasts and San Francisco Bay Shorelines 

Rising Seas, Rising Risks  

California’s coastline is changing as climate change drives sea level rise and intensifies storms. These forces are eroding bluffs, flooding homes and businesses, and damaging roads and critical infrastructure. Nearly 70% of Californians live in coastal counties, and millions more visit each year sustaining a $44 billion coastal economy^[1] built on recreation, culture, and connection to nature.  

State projections estimate that by 2150, sea levels could rise between 2.6 and 11.9 feet^[1], underscoring the urgency of preparing our communities for dramatic coastal change.  

San Francisco Bay Shoreline Impacts  

The San Francisco Bay shoreline makes up one-third of California’s coast but is expected to bear two-thirds of the state’s total economic losses from sea level rise^[2]. With just four feet of rise, the Bay Area could experience widespread flooding of homes, businesses, vulnerable infrastructure, sensitive wetlands and other habitats, particularly impacting low-income and vulnerable communities.  

Protecting the shoreline will be costly. A 2023 study estimated that defending the Bay from a worst-case sea level rise and storm surge scenario by 2050 would require at least $110 billion in new flood protections^[2]. Yet failing to act would cost far more. Strategic, coordinated, and science-based investments in adaptation are essential to safeguard the region’s shared future.  

Policy and Regional Planning  

Senate Bill 272, signed into law in 2023, mandates that coastal jurisdictions prepare sea level rise plans by 2034^[3]. These plans will be either Local Coastal Programs (for Cities and counties located along the open California coast) or San Francisco Bay Shoreline Resiliency Plans (for local governments along the San Francisco Bay shoreline) and must be approved by the California State Coastal Commission or the Bay Conservation and Development Commission, respectively.  

To guide Bay Area efforts, the Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan (RSAP)^[2], released in December 2024, provides a regional coordination framework for Bay Area communities, with guidelines and minimum standards that all Subregional Shoreline Adaptation Plans (SRSAPs) must meet under SB 272.  

West Yost’s Role in Coastal Resilience  

West Yost is supporting Bay Area communities to assess and plan for flooding risks. The San Francisco Waterfront Coastal Flood Study evaluated 7.5 miles of shoreline to determine strategies for managing tidal and fluvial flooding^[4]. The study analyzed costs, benefits, and environmental impacts—including effects on aquatic habitats, wildlife, and local resources. Dr. David Jaffe served as an independent expert reviewer for hydrology, hydraulics, and related engineering elements.  West Yost’s Dr. David Jaffe served as an independent expert reviewer for hydrology, hydraulics, and related engineering elements.  In the North Bay region, the engineering leadership of Doug Moore and Anne Girtz for the City of Vallejo’s Mare Island project has involved assessing every aspect of Mare Island’s infrastructure, stormwater, sewer, water, and roads, to support smart redevelopment and sea level rise planning. Hawkeye Sheene has supported Bay Area communities in Contra Costa County and the City of Palo Alto in stormwater project planning and funding.

Looking Ahead  

Preparing for sea level rise will take ongoing collaboration and long-term investments across California’s coastal and Bay Area communities. Grants can help provide needed funding. The California Ocean Protection Council’s Senate Bill 1 Sea Level Rise Adaptation Planning Grant Program is helping to fund plans and projects that comply with SB 272. California’s Proposition 4 Climate Bond will also fund resiliency efforts in coming years.  

West Yost is proud to partner with local agencies and regional leaders to transform plans into practical, science-based solutions. By applying new data and insights from evolving climate conditions, and pursuing strategic grant funding, West Yost is helping build a safer, more resilient future along California’s shores.  

Links:  

1. State of California Sea Level Rise Guidance, 2024 Science and Policy Update

2. Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan: One Bay Vision, Strategic Regional Priorities, and Subregional Shoreline Adaptation Plan Guidelines  

3. S. Laird, California Senate Bill 272: Sea Level Rise Planning and Adaptation (California Legislative Information, 2023
4. San Francisco Waterfront Coastal Flood Study IEPR Final Report  
5. Ocean Protection Council Senate Bill 1 Sea Level Rise Adaptation Planning Grant Program 

Interested in learning more about Coastal Resilience? Reach out to our team!

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Project Spotlight: Monterey Desalination

Building resilience throughout the Monterey Peninsula requires foresight, consistent collaboration, and a data-driven understanding of limited resources. In May 2025, West Yost completed the Comprehensive Planning Study (CPS) for California American Water’s Monterey District. This was an ambitious, multi-year effort that aimed to chart a sustainable path for one of California’s most water-constrained regions. The CPS looked ahead to 2040, modeling projected demands and available supplies to help support reliable water service for communities throughout the Monterey Peninsula. 

The result was a comprehensive, data-backed roadmap that positions California American Water and the communities they serve to make confident, informed decisions about long-term water security.

This region faces significant supply restrictions due to orders by the State Water Resource Control Board, as well as additional adjudication orders which have reduced allowable extraction volumes from the groundwater basin. To address these challenges, West Yost evaluated the full range of water supply resources, including Aquifer Storage and Recovery, recycled water through Pure Water Monterey, and desalination, to identify opportunities for optimization of a reliable water supply strategy. The result was a comprehensive, data-backed roadmap that positions California American Water and the communities they serve to make confident, informed decisions about long-term water security. 

Pictured: Segunda Pump Station

Just months after our study’s completion, the Monterey Peninsula Desalination Project received long-awaited approval of the demand and supply projections. This massive milestone allows the Monterey Peninsula Desalination Project to move forward. Serving as Subject Matter Experts for Ex-Parte meetings with the Advisors to the California Public Utilities Commission (who regulates privately-owned public utilities), West Yost assisted in the validation of this region’s water needs amid complex community and regulatory discussions and ultimately gained approval by the Commission. 

By combining this rigorous technical analysis with transparent stakeholder engagement, West Yost’s work on this important project exemplifies how thoughtful planning and collaboration can enhance resilience, not only for the Monterey Peninsula, but for the greater Central Coast region that depends on sustainable water systems for its future. 

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Project Spotlight: Supporting Groundwater Sustainability in Sonoma County, California

Across California, groundwater has long served as a hidden lifeline, providing drinking water for homes, supporting businesses, sustaining farms and ranches, and providing critical water for ecosystems.  Groundwater basins store water underground and are used as a primary water supply or as a backup for use when surface supplies, like rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, run low. Today, local communities that depend on sustainable groundwater basins are working together to protect this vital resource as a cornerstone of long-term water resilience.  

Over a decade ago, California took a historic step by enacting the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). This landmark law requires local agencies to form Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) and to prepare Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs) for high- and medium-priority basins. These plans set a 20-year roadmap for balancing groundwater use with recharge, avoiding overdraft, and protecting water quality and ecosystems.  

Sonoma County’s Groundwater Basins  

Sonoma County includes three priority groundwater basins: Petaluma Valley, Santa Rosa Plain, and Sonoma Valley, which together cover roughly 170,000 acres (15% of the county) and serve about 350,000 residents (72% of the population). Within these basins are more than 112,000 parcels; including 9,300 rural residential groundwater users, prime vineyards, dairies, and other agricultural lands, plus extensive municipal and commercial uses. Sonoma County also holds the distinction of having the highest number of wells per capita in California—over 40,000 in total.  

Following their formation in 2017, the local GSAs developed GSPs that outline how each basin will achieve groundwater sustainability by 2042. Because the county’s basins and watershed areas are interconnected, coordination among the agencies is essential. Though governed individually, the Sonoma County GSAs have prioritized collaboration to support consistency across the county, align and implement projects, and manage shared resources efficiently. 

West Yost’s Role in Sustainability  

Since 2018, West Yost has supported the Sonoma County GSAs with administration, operations, fiscal management, public engagement, and grant funding assistance. In 2023, West Yost helped the GSAs secure over $15 million in state grants from the California Department of Water Resources to fund critical GSP implementation projects. Projects include installing 14 new deep and shallow aquifer monitoring wells, studying surface water-groundwater interactions, monitoring for seawater intrusion, and partnering with well owners to track groundwater levels and use. Other efforts include enhancing groundwater recharge, stormwater capture, expanded recycled water use, and promoting water conservation and efficiency programs.  

Groundwater basins are an essential strategy to Sonoma County’s climate resilience.

Looking Ahead  

Groundwater basins are an essential strategy for Sonoma County’s climate resilience. The collaborative efforts underway will sustainably support people, agriculture, and ecosystems for generations to come. West Yost is proud to continue supporting this vital work to protect and enhance Sonoma County’s groundwater resources.  

Learn more about Groundwater Services Here!

Industry Insight: Building Resilience Through Strategic Planning – A Collaborative Approach

Strategic planning is more than setting goals; it is about building alignment, defining priorities, and creating a shared vision for the future. At West Yost, our facilitation approach creates an engaging process that ties organizational goals to one of our core values: supporting the communities we serve. 

Strategic planning is more than setting goals; it is about building alignment, defining priorities, and creating a shared vision for the future.

Our team recently led a strategic planning initiative for a long-term client. Because we had partnered with them on many projects, we began with a strong understanding of their history, challenges, and aspirations. Rather than relying solely on that experience, we used it to inform our approach while allowing the process to define the outcomes. 

We began by conducting interviews and developing a pre-planning report to identify key themes and focus areas. This informed an off-site planning session with leadership and operations teams, where discussions centered on alignment, collaboration, and shared goals. From those conversations, we developed a detailed output report, presented findings to the agency’s Board of Directors, and refined the plan based on feedback before sharing it with the broader community. 

Throughout this process, a common theme emerged: a shared commitment to supporting communities and delivering meaningful, sustainable results. This value provided a foundation of trust and collaboration that strengthened both the planning process and the partnership between our teams. 

The experience also deepened our understanding of the challenges municipalities face today and highlighted how West Yost’s multidisciplinary strengths in facilitation, communications, and data visualization can drive thoughtful, actionable results. 

Looking to update your strategic plan? Reach out to David Garrison to see how we can help.

Wins & Successes: Welcoming Andy Bochman – Strengthening Resilience at West Yost

Prior to joining West Yost, Andy served as a Senior Grid Strategist at Idaho National Laboratory, where he helped advance system resilience and risk reduction strategies at a national scale. He is also the co-author of Countering Cyber Sabotage and a recognized thought leader on designing infrastructure that can withstand evolving digital and physical threats.

In his new role, Andy will collaborate across all West Yost sectors to help clients address today’s complex challenges with integrated, forward-looking solutions that connect technology, climate, and community resilience.

Read more about Andy’s perspective in our upcoming West Yost Word feature.

Team Member Spotlight: Kathryn Gies

Kathryn’s work focuses on optimizing treatment processes and supporting facilities as they adapt to changing regulations, new technologies, and growing community needs. She is also a longtime member and current president of the California Water Environment Association (CWEA), where she continues to mentor others and advocate for the advancement of the profession.

Kathryn truly embodies West Yost’s value of taking pride in what we do. Her dedication, leadership, technical acumen, and collaborative spirit strengthen not only our projects but also the communities we serve every day.

Closing Message: From Amy Kwong   

Looking back after 19 years with West Yost, I’m grateful to see how much our Bay Area team has grown, not only in size but also in capability, innovation, and connection. It’s been inspiring to see how far we’ve come together, evolving from a small local group into a team that now plays a major role in shaping resilient water systems across the region.

What stands out most to me are the people who make up this team. I’m inspired by my teammates, who bring passion and care to every project. Whether we’re tackling complex modeling challenges or brainstorming new ways to support our clients, there is a genuine sense of pride and collaboration that makes this work so rewarding.

As we look ahead, I’m excited for what’s to come. The challenges ahead, from climate adaptation to sustainable infrastructure, will call for innovative thinking and teamwork, and I know West Yost is ready. Together, we’ll continue strengthening our communities, supporting one another, and building a future we can all be proud of.

The West Yost Word