Palo Alto’s 500-foot horizontal levee reuses wastewater to restore marshes and test sea-rise defence

Palo Alto engineers have created a unique horizontal levee along Harbor Marsh. This innovative structure combines native plants and treated wastewater for coastal protection. The project aims to provide habitat and adapt shorelines to rising sea levels. Researchers are monitoring its performance as a pilot for future defenses. This living shoreline offers a new model for coastal resilience and ecosystem integration.