Surfrider report warns of imminent loss of California beaches
SAN DIEGO, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) -- The Surfrider Foundation recently released its annual State of the Beach report, evaluating coastal health and risks for communities nationwide. It also identifies key strategies for success.
California's coastal conditions are a major concern, according to the report. The threat of losing beaches is urgent and imminent.
"By 2100, it is estimated that more than 50% of our sandy beaches will be completely lost due to sea level rise driven by climate change alone," the report says. "In states like California, the figure is as high as 70%."
Erosion of sandy beaches is a normal coastal process, but climate change is increasing the severity and intensity.
Plus, climate change is impacting more than just erosion rates, including climate-driven wildfires in Los Angeles early this year, which destroyed neighborhoods and deemed nearby beaches unsafe to swim in for months.
"California's beaches, and their immense cultural, economic, recreational and social value, are at risk of being permanently lost in the coming decades," said author of the report Emma Hayodocy. "At a time when federal leadership has pivoted away from climate resilience, urgent action is needed by local communities to protect these vital resources."
In the report, three Southern California beaches are thoroughly analyzed, in addition to several other U.S. locations.
After a decade of activism, the Surfrider Save Trestles campaign, which focused on stopping a 6-lane toll road that would have cut through San Onofre State Beach, ended with a landmark lawsuit in 2016. In 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill that permanently protects San Onofre State Beach and Trestles from road construction.
However, San Onofre State Beach, located in north San Diego County, is at risk again, now due to erosion. It could close permanently without proper care.
Additionally, Orange County's San Clemente is just a few miles down the road, and the report says San Clemente has become a stark example of how poorly planned development and climate change exacerbate coastal erosion, storm impacts and infrastructure vulnerability.
"Longstanding efforts to protect San Onofre and San Clemente's beaches have now shifted to the future as the coastline is experiencing the impacts of decades of diminishing sand supply due to developed watersheds and coastal armoring, including the construction of Dana Point Harbor in the 1960s," the report says. "Coastal erosion and a changing climate pose significant challenges to this iconic coastline, which has led the Surfrider Foundation, its volunteer network, and coalitions of partners to spearhead innovative and locally tailored solutions through campaigns, nature-based projects, and community-driven planning."
The third beach is Surfers' Point in Ventura, California, one of the most iconic coastal stretches in the state and one that has been a critical resource to people for millennia.
According to the report, Surfers' Point is the leading global example of the potential for nature-based coastal adaptation solutions driven by the community.
"Surfrider's managed retreat strategy Surfers' Point is now equipped with a relocated bike path and parking lot, and a restored shoreline, adding decades of resilience to erosion and climate change impacts," the report says.
How to help
The report mentions five things that can be done to protect the coasts:
- Go to the beach
- Join your local Surfrider chapter
- Restore your favorite beach
- Contact your representatives
- Attend a City Council meeting
It also discusses key takeaways:
- Nature knows best
- You cannot do it alone
- Locals must lead
- Strong policy enables successful projects
"We can prepare and adapt to current and future challenges posed by climate change by collaborating with each other, and with nature, to foster community led, nature-based solutions and strong, science-driven resilience policy," the report says.
