Not all beaches in San Clemente are equal.
Some are so sand starved they are considered in critical condition, at risk of being reclaimed by the ocean. Meanwhile, other stretches of San Clemente’s coast seem stable, or even growing, with ample sandy space for beachgoers.
The beach town recently released a report, titled “Critical Erosion Hot Spots,” that aims to identify the most-troubled areas and find solutions to address short-term and long-term coastal erosion. The report, part of the city’s Nature Based Resiliency Project Feasibility Study, notes that erosion already is threatening infrastructure in some areas and limiting opportunities for coastal access and recreation.
Jorine Campopiano, who recently served on the Beaches Park and Recreation Commission and spent five years on the city’s Coastal Advisory Committee, said the study is important to better understand the areas most vulnerable to erosion, and to help planners pinpoint where to direct the city’s restoration efforts.
“To date, we haven’t had any sort of ranking on the eroded state of our beaches so this study is an important milestone, helping us gain a better picture of what is happening along our shoreline so the city can make more informed decisions in the future,” said Campopiano in an e-mail.
The loss of sand along the city’s shoreline is concentrated in “erosional hotspots,” while other areas are relatively stable or are even accreting sand, according to the report, which was written by consulting firm Moffatt & Nichol. The city hopes to develop coastal resiliency solutions aimed at reducing erosion where needed, and to stabilize and widen beaches by using nature-based or ‘green’ pilot projects as a first priority, according to the report.
The width of the shoreline varies throughout San Clemente. Some areas are significantly wider than others and the narrowest stretches have nearly no beach at all during mid-to-high tides.
Also, this year, a series of…
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