Lead Organization: San Diego Association of Governments

Partners: California Department of Boarding and Waterways and San Diego region coastal cities

Project Summary: The shoreline along the San Diego region’s coast is steadily eroding due to development along the coastal plain, which prevents sand from naturally flowing down watercourses to the beach. The goals of this project are to restore and maintain coastal beaches, sustain recreation and tourism, enhance public safety, restore coastal sandy habitats, and reduce the proliferation of protective shoreline structures including harbors and jetties.

Project Outcomes & Status: In the fall of 2012, SANDAG placed 1.5 million cubic yards of beach quality sand on regional beaches to counter coastal erosion. The sand was dredged from offshore deposits and pumped to the shoreline, which is a less expensive and more aesthetic alternative to building seawalls. The project built off the success of the 2001 Regional Beach Sand Project and replenished sand at eight area beaches from Imperial Beach to Oceanside. Based on the 2014 Monitoring Program Annual Report, the results of the project were that shoreline volume increased at two sites, decreased at two sites, and remained unchanged at the remaining four sites.

More Information: http://www.sandag.org/index.asp?projectid=298&fuseaction=projects.detail