We’ve covered beach erosion and its possible solutions here before; this time, the issue is a bit closer to home for us at Erosion Control. One of our local beaches here in California has experienced ongoing erosion problems and some controversial fixes. Now, representatives of two environmental organizations are urging locals to support a new project designed to deal with the situation without causing further damage.
Erosion control efforts at Goleta Beach Park have included beach renourishment, construction of sea walls (legal and otherwise), and a proposed groin to trap sand. This last project was never carried out, as the California Coastal Commission decided it would likely deprive other coastal areas of sand and increase erosion there. “Managed retreat”—moving vulnerable structures out of the way, rather than trying to stop the erosion entirely—is looking like a more viable option.
The current plan would simply reconfigure parts of the beach, remove some walls that were constructed without permits, and, importantly, move sewer lines and underground utilities that are in danger of being exposed by erosion.