Oceanside, California, has been waiting for decades for the federal government to address the erosion of its beaches, which has been exacerbated by the construction of the Camp Pendleton Harbor complex in 1942. The government admitted fault in 1953 but has only now released a draft report outlining a plan to restore the beaches.

Background

The construction of the harbor jetties at Camp Pendleton has blocked the ocean’s currents, causing Oceanside’s beaches to lose sand. Rising sea levels have also contributed to the erosion. The city has been trying to find a solution, and in 2000, Congress passed a law mandating the Army Corps to study how to restore the beaches.

The study was supposed to be completed in 44 months, but it took 26 years due to funding gaps. The city of Oceanside has since taken matters into its own hands, launching its own plan to save its beaches, called RE:Beach. The project includes the construction of two headlands to stabilize sand on the back beach and an offshore artificial reef to slow down nearshore erosive forces.

Current Developments

The Army Corps’ draft feasibility report recommends beach nourishment, which involves dredging 4 million cubic yards of sand from an offshore borrow site and placing it along Oceanside’s beaches. The goal is to sustain a minimum 85-foot wide beach from Oceanside Harbor south to Buena Vista Lagoon. However, it could be another couple of decades before the project is completed, and it is unclear if the government will cover the full costs of construction and subsequent sand replenishments.

Original reporting: Voice of San Diego — read the source article.