The affluent city of San Clemente, California, celebrated for its breathtaking coastline and pristine beaches, is facing a shocking reality: it’s running out of sand.
Known for its Spanish-style architecture and world-famous surfing culture, San Clemente has suffered from extreme erosion for decades.
After years of moving millions of pounds of sand and spending millions of dollars, there are no more places in the “Spanish village by the sea” for the sand to come from.
The “sandless” situation has become so desperate that officials have begun scouring the Pacific Ocean for a new sand source, hoping for an “old sandbar.”
Workers move fresh sand brought by barge to the main public beach during a sand replenishment project along the eroding coastline on May 21, 2024 in San Clemente, California
Workers measure the sand height 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 a costly undertaking that can become even more expensive if the sand is far away from the delivery location, creating an even bigger undertaking for the engineering firm.
As part of its plan to revitalize coveted beaches, the city has organized two replenishment projects with the intention of delivering 1.5 million pounds of sand to local beaches — but neither plan has approved a sand source, according to a October 15 report report from the city council.
Finding an abundant source of sand is critical to protecting the picturesque coastal city, as sand replenishment projects will take place every five to six years for the next five decades.
Work on the seemingly impossible sand replacement project could begin as soon as this week, as a study paid for by a grant funded by the California Coastal Commission could reveal an adequate source.
To fund the city’s expensive efforts, the city will ask voters in November to approve a half-cent sales tax increase, in part to fund the beach replenishment.
City Manager Andy Hall said San Clemente is expected to spend about $10 million on sand-related projects this year. OC register reports.
An excavator moves newly delivered sand to a public beach in San Clemente as part of a sand replenishment project
Located in Orange County, San Clemente is an affluent city known for its surfing scene and sandstone cliffs, as sand loss on its beaches has become a major problem, with erosion significantly reducing the size of the coastline
To fund the city’s expensive efforts, the city will ask voters in November to approve a half-cent sales tax increase, in part to fund the beach replenishment.
Located in Orange County, San Clemente is an affluent metropolis known for its surfing scene and sandstone cliffs. However, sand loss on beaches has become a major problem as erosion has significantly reduced the size of the coastline.
The Pacific Surfliner Amtrak train is also at risk because it has been closed five times in the past 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 plaguing coastlines across America, leading many to speculate about the best solution to the ongoing 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 hit the coast.