The project deploys a variety of methods including flood-proofing of Fisherman Wharf and Pier 39, building a higher seawall on The Embarcadero, and creating natural berms on Mission Creek, according to a report in the San Francisco Chronicle.

Flood barriers would be built on the bridges crossing Mission Creek and warehouses south of an area known as Dogpatch along Islais Creek may be demolished to create a "water-friendly" wetlands, the report said.

For Fisherman's Wharf, an area stretching from the Hyde Street Pier to the cruise terminal on Piers 27-31, the plan calls for the installation of two-foot-high concrete "curbs" along the edge of each pier to protect the piers and waterside buildings from floors. This area has a higher ground elevation than the Embarcadero, so the primary concern is to repel waves from future storm surges.

The most challenging part of the project will involve raising the Embarcadero, an area that stretches from the cruise terminal to the Bay Bridge.

In addition to rebuilding the Embarcadero roadway and transit lines (as well as the utilities that lie beneath them), bayside buildings in the area also will have to be raised by seven feet, including the 600-foot-long Ferry Building, an icon that features a 245-foot clock tower and thick walls of sandstone.

A map of the project area illustrates the impact of sea level rise and storm surges if no action is taken: an estimated 36-inch rise in higher tides accompanied by storm surge will flood The Embarcadero as well as neighborhoods surrounding Mission Creek, according to the map, which color-codes the flooded areas in blue. The existing seawall on The Embarcadero is more than 100 years old.

With scientists projecting that flooding in San Francisco will accelerate in the years leading up to 2050, the shoreline plan's ambitious timeline hopes to take action to avoid the worst of what is coming.

The city is hoping to complete a public review of the plan by the end of next year, finalizing it and presenting it to Congress for approval in 2026.

The Army Corps began developing the plan for the bay shoreline in 2017, working in tandem with port staff throughout the process. The project presented on Friday represents the work the engineers believe can be completed within 15 years of Congress authorizing federal funding for the work.

Speed is essential not just because of anticipated natural disasters: the raising of the Embarcadero and Ferry Building will involve closing down these popular areas, as well as dozens of retail and office tenants, for an extended period that could involve years rather than months.

The plan envisions the Feds paying for 65% of the project, with San Francisco responsible for raising the remaining 35% of its cost.