Oceanside faces severe beach erosion, particularly south of the pier where sandy shores have vanished. This means residents and visitors have no beach, especially in South Oceanside, and surf conditions have deteriorated greatly. While the city has hired a Coastal Zone Manager and proposed the ambitious RE:BEACH project, implementation remains a few years out and still requires permits and funding to be achieved. The critical question is, what actions can Oceanside take now to protect its beaches from erosion and rising seas?
One simple, cost-effective strategy that's gaining steam in California is native coastal dune restoration. Coastal dunes occur naturally at wide, sandy beaches as onshore winds (and waves) move sand away from the ocean. As sand accumulates further back on the beach, native plants begin to take root and stabilize the fledgling dunes. The stabilized dunes collect additional sand and grow, little by little, creating a natural, vegetated buffer zone between the beach and the land.
Vegetated dunes improve overall beach health by retaining sand on the beach. They also shield our built environment, providing natural protection against coastal flooding from big swells and high tides. And when such storm surge events erode the beachfront, the accumulated sand in the dunes helps replenish what was lost. Dunes also restore native habitat for plants and shorebirds, resulting in a beautified shoreline that reminds us that in addition to being a place to recreate, the beach is also a valuable living ecosystem.
A dune restoration project at South Ponto in Carlsbad (also shown in this post's banner image)
Coastal dunes were once prevalent across Oceanside’s beaches (and much of Southern California). But buildings and roads went up over most of them, while those that remained were combed over in favor of a flat, sandy beach deemed more amenable to recreation and tourism. Our historic dunes, along with the valuable sand retention and ecosystem services they provide, are now a distant memory.
Perhaps this helps explain why a pilot dune restoration project in Oceanside – something of benefit to a community suffering from chronic beach loss – has been mired in controversy for two years and still hasn’t seen the light of day. The project, fully funded by U.S. Dept. of Fish & Wildlife, aims to restore a single acre of historic dune habitat at Oceanside Harbor Beach, the San Luis Rey river mouth, and along the beach north of the pier (North Strand).
Native dune habitat just north of the Oceanside Pier, 1894 (Credit: Oceanside Historical Society)
The proposals at Harbor Beach and North Strand both came under fire from several influential stakeholders, including the beach soccer association, owners at Robert’s Cottages where the North Strand dunes were originally slated, and surprisingly, the city’s own Harbor & Beaches Advisory Committee. The main contention at Harbor Beach was that the space allotted for dunes would take away recreational space for people, thus reducing access. At North Strand, cottage owners were concerned about view obstruction, despite the fact that dunes are unlikely to surpass 2-3 feet in height and would take several years to mature.
Surfrider hears these concerns. However, we believe people and nature can coexist at the beach, and that our beaches will be healthier and better preserved by allowing the project to proceed. The pilot project aims to restore dunes on the back of the beach, rather than take up prime "towel space" real estate. Meanwhile, the City's own 2019 Draft Coastal Hazard Adaptation Plan states that "by 2040, daily flooding during high tide is expected to be a common occurrence, even without storms, for beachfront properties... extending south past Roberts Cottages" (due to projected sea level rise). Overall we gain more than we lose, especially considering the sand retention services that dune habitat provides.
Unlike RE:BEACH, a reactive project that aims to rebuild beaches we’ve already lost, dune restoration is a proactive step toward preserving the beaches we still have. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, as the old adage goes. For example, South Oceanside’s beaches may have fared better if coastal dunes had been preserved or restored years ago. Instead, giant boulder revetments take up valuable beach space and exacerbate erosion for the sake of protecting property and infrastructure. Dunes alone will not save Oceanside’s beaches. But they’re a tool in the toolbox that we can use today, to help keep sand on the beach and prevent calls for more destructive coastal armoring.
Despite some controversy, we believe there is still hope for dune restoration in Oceanside. This means hope also exists for residents and visitors alike that when they feel like exercising their right to visit the beach, a sandy shore still awaits them. If you love the beach and care about its health, your voice matters! Stay tuned for ways you can help support this beneficial project in Oceanside.