Celebrated for its stunning coastline and pristine beaches, the thriving city of San Clemente, California, is facing a shocking reality: it is running out of sand.
Known for its Spanish-style architecture and world-famous surf culture, San Clemente has been dealing with extreme erosion for decades.
After several years of relocating millions of pounds of sand and millions of dollars spent, the ‘Spanish Town by the Sea’ has run out of places to get its sand.
The “sandless” situation has become so desperate that officials have begun exploring the Pacific Ocean for a new source of sand, hoping to find an “ancient sandbar.”
Workers move fresh sand delivered by barge to the main public beach during a sand replenishment project along the eroded shoreline on May 21, 2024 in San Clemente, California.
Workers measure sand elevation along fresh sand during a sand replenishment project
Last week, the San Clemente City Council approved a nearly $800,000 measure that tasked an engineering firm with finding millions of cubic yards of sand to restore the once-vast beaches.
But moving large quantities of sand to shore is an expensive task that can become even more expensive if the sand is far from the delivery location, creating an even bigger task for the engineering company.
As part of its plan to breathe new life into coveted beaches, the city has organized two replenishment projects with the intention of delivering 1.5 million pounds of sand to local area beaches, but neither plan has approved a sand source, according to an Oct. 15 report. town hall report.
Finding an abundant source of sand is vital to protecting the picturesque coastal town as it will undergo sand replenishment projects every five to six years for the next five decades.
Work on the seemingly impossible sand replacement project could begin this week, as a study paid for by a grant funded by the California Coastal Commission may uncover a suitable source.
To fund the city’s costly effort, it will ask voters in November to approve a half-cent sales tax increase to pay for beach replenishment, among other items.
City Manager Andy Hall said San Clemente is projected to spend about $10 million this year on projects related to the arena, the CO Registration information.
An excavator moves freshly delivered sand to a public beach in San Clemente as part of a sand replenishment project.
Located in Orange County, San Clemente is a wealthy city known for its surf scene and sandstone cliffs, as the loss of sand on its beaches has become a major problem and erosion greatly reduces the size of the coast
To fund the city’s costly effort, it will ask voters in November to approve a half-cent sales tax increase to pay for beach replenishment, among other items.
Located in Orange County, San Clemente is a wealthy metropolitan area known for its surf scene and sandstone cliffs. However, the loss of sand on its beaches has become a major problem and erosion greatly reduces the size of the coast.
The Pacific Surfliner Amtrak train is also in danger, having closed five times in the last four years due to extensive erosion. The 350-mile passenger train runs along the Southern California coast between San Diego and San Luis Obispo.
Erosion is a problem affecting coastlines across the United States, causing many to speculate about the best solution to the current problem. Some researchers question whether moving sand is a sustainable way to protect beaches in the long term, especially as sea levels rise and stronger storms batter the coast.