Adam Brockie found just the right spot on the sandy stretch of beach to prop up his umbrella and lounge, ready to enjoy his seaside lunch while looking out toward the glistening blue ocean.
Just a few months ago, this stretch of beach in Dana Point was dotted with cobblestone rocks, big boulders and there was little sand to be found after several years of strong surf and high tides battering the quaint beach.
But now Capistrano Beach and Doheny State Beach are getting a much-needed infusion of sand, a project that could serve as a roadmap for other coastal areas also searching for creative ways to save disappearing beaches as erosion shrinks valuable sand space, which not only gives a place to play for millions of beachgoers but also serves as an important buffer between the sea and infrastructure.
Large sand replenishment projects spearheaded by the federal government historically costs tens of millions of dollars, require countless permits and spend years, sometimes decades, waiting for approvals.
But a surplus of sand stuck in the Santa Ana River following last year’s severe rain prompted officials to come up with an alternative: scoop it out, and instead of hauling it to a landfill, take it to a beach in need.
“I’m happy about it,” said Brockie, 82, who likes Capistrano Beach’s short walk to the sand and proximity to a nearby parking lot. “I come down more often.”
More discussions and concerns have been raised in recent years as the severity of the region’s coastal erosion issues have become more apparent.
A railroad in south San Clemente was shut down for months following track damage from erosion and on the north end of town, much of the sand goes underwater for several hours a day during higher tides.
Where the county is currently dumping sand by the truckload at Capistrano Beach, a popular basketball court buckled from battering waves five years ago, a restroom had to be removed and boulders were dumped to try to…
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