SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KRON) -- Sea lions and a historic ocean swell were on a list of reasons released by officials Friday explaining why part of the iconic Santa Cruz Wharf collapsed. The wooden wharf is more than 100 years old and extends a half mile over the ocean. On Friday, officials said they may surrender to the forces of climate change by not rebuilding the 150-foot section that collapsed. City manager Matt Huffaker said, "(We can't) speak with any confidence at this point as to whether rebuilding that section of the wharf is feasible or the appropriate thing to do, in light of the increased frequency and power of these storm events we are experiencing along our coastline. We've got some hard conversations and some hard decisions we are going to have to make." The Santa Cruz Wharf is seen on Dec. 24, 2024 after a section fell into the ocean during high surf in Santa Cruz, Calif. (Photo by Stephen Lam/ San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images) Around 12:44 p.m. on December 23, monster-sized waves pounded the pier when three pier pilings, construction workers, a crane, a bathroom, and benches tumbled into the ocean below. Waves breaking between 20-30 feet swept the bathroom into the San Lorenzo River mouth. Shards of the wharf washed up on beaches as far as 10 miles south. Lifeguards Sam Hofmann and Isaiah Mullen helped the three victims make it back to shore without major injuries. Rescue swimmers paddle out to victims who fell from the Santa Cruz Wharf into the ocean. (Photo courtesy Santa Cruz Fire Department) Santa Cruz officials held a press conference on Friday to release what they've learned so far. Dec. 23 marked Santa Cruz's largest ocean swell in 30 years, said Tony Elliot, parks & recreation director. The wharf collapsed at it's weakest point -- the far end -- before construction crews were able to repair it from last winter's damaging storms. Construction began in September and was slated to be completed in March 2025. "We knew it was a vulnerable spot, and we knew the swell was coming in. We had replaced 20-30 pilings already, but there was a lot more work to do to stabilize the wharf," Elliot said. A bathroom from the Santa Cruz Wharf was swept into the mouth of the San Lorenzo River. (Photo by Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images) Hundreds of sea lions live under the end of the pier. The city has had a master wharf plan crafted since 2015 that would have prevented this week's collapse, Huffaker told reporters. The plan, however, was heavily delayed because of lawsuits filed to protect sea lion viewing areas. "Lawsuits against the city slowed down those important investments (and) left our wharf more vulnerable. The litigation took quite some time," Huffaker said. The city manager said it's "ironic" that the sea lion viewing holes "are no longer there" because of the collapse. Officials said their first two priorities are public safety and salvaging debris. Beach-goers should be extremely cautious of wharf debris still in the ocean between Santa Cruz and Manresa State Beach. Elliot said, "It's not safe to be around these items washing to shore, period." Debris from the wharf drifts in the ocean. (Image courtesy Santa Cruz Fire Department) More than 2,000 feet of the wharf is still standing. When Huffaker was pressed about when the surviving section of wharf will reopen to the public, he answered, "We don't have a definitive timeframe. Our hope is weeks. I know folks are anxious to see the wharf reopen. We can't reopen the wharf until it's safe." Engineers are currently assessing the pier’s structural integrity. The damaged Santa Cruz Wharf is seen after the section of the pier fell into the ocean in Santa Cruz, Calif. (Photo by Stephen Lam /San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images) "The wharf is a cherished and iconic asset. The wharf is an incredibly important place," City councilmember Scott Newsom said. It's future is now uncertain. Mayor Fred Keeley said the pier's "charm and character" is "wonderful," but climate change is spurring a tough discussion before concrete decisions can be reached. Simply rebuilding the 150-foot section without factoring in climate change would be irresponsible, Keeley said. Keeley said, "What's the right thing to do here? Do you take 400 feet off? No one has made a decision yet." Two beaches flanking the wharf, Main and Cowell, could reopen by this weekend, city officials said.