The Port of Oakland and the California College of the Arts recently launched a new Float Lab at the Port’s Middle Harbor Shoreline Park. Acting as a reef, Float Lab seeks to curb shoreline erosion caused by waves and draws mussels, crustaceans and other sub-surface marine animals.
The college staff will study the buoyancy of structures in a marine environment and biologists will examine the Lab’s sub-surface environment. The Bay Conservation and Development Commission and other members of the regulatory community will have a chance to delve into how “pilot structures, designed to study and combat sea-level rise, fit into the regulatory framework,” according to the port.
“Float Lab is a collaboration between academic and community stakeholders to help us better prepare for the port’s climate future,” said Port Director of Environmental Programs and Planning Richard Sinkoff. “At the same time, students, through a partnership with local schools, will learn about the importance of marine communities and biodiversity.”
