Shoreline Erosion Control & Public Beach Restoration
Under statute and executive order, DBW is the state entity with principal responsibility for statewide shoreline maintenance and control.
To fulfill this mandate, DBW administers two coastal erosion control programs, the Shoreline Erosion Control Program and the Public Beach Restoration Program. The general objectives of each program are:
• Shoreline Erosion Control Program: To study, plan, and construct solutions for coastal erosion and stabilization problems.
• Public Beach Restoration Program: To restore public beaches through the cost-effective placement of sand on or near beaches.
Examples of activities supported by these programs include:
• Providing local assistance grants to agencies to study, plan, and construct strategically located coastal erosion solutions. To learn more about our grant programs, please visit this web page: https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/coastalerosiongrants.
• Coordinating studies and information-sharing among federal, state, regional, and local agencies that share an interest in preserving California’s coastal shoreline. DBW participates in and hosts the web page for the Coastal Sediment Management Workgroup (CSMW). To learn more about studies and other products developed by the CSMW, please visit this web page: https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/csmw.
• Advises public agencies on coastal erosion control options and opportunities. For more information, please contact Casey Caldwell, Program Lead, at casey.caldwell@parks.ca.gov.
DBW’s strategic approach to coastal erosion control
The appropriate steps to address coastal erosion vary with different locations’ circumstances. At locations where no infrastructure is threatened, the most appropriate response is often to let nature take its course. When action is needed, erosion control options can include “soft” solutions like sand replenishment and dune restoration, “hard” solutions like seawalls and rock revetments, or some combination of soft and hard elements. State policy encourages the use of soft solutions instead of hard solutions where feasible, but each situation requires a site-specific review of feasible alternatives in light of costs, regional impacts, and efficacy.
DBW has been the state entity with principal responsibility for statewide shoreline erosion control since 1970. This responsibility was reconfirmed in a 1997 Executive Order (W-162-97) and in the 1999 legislation (AB 64, Ducheny) that established the Public Beach Restoration Program.
| Funding Year | Project Name | Location | Project Phase | Budgeted Amount | Program |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | San Dieguito Lagoon Shoreline Protection Planning Project | City of Del Mar | Planning | $500,000 | PBR |
| 2022/23 | Encinitas-Solana Beach Shoreline Protection Project | Encinitas and Solana Beach | Construction | $11,500,000 | PBR |
| 2022/23 | San Clemente Beach Restoration Project | San Clemente | Construction | $1,085,000 | PBR |
| 2022/23 | Surfside-Sunset Beach Restoration Project | Orange County | Construction | $2,900,000 | PBR |
| 2019/20 | Pacifica Beach Boulevard Protection Project | Pacifica | Study | $750,000 | SEC |
| 2019/20 | San Clemente Beach Restoration Project | San Clemente | Construction | $231,000 | PBR |
| 2018/19 | Coyote Point Eastern Promenade | San Mateo County | Construction | $700,000 | SEC |
| 2018/19 | Carpinteria Shore Protection Project | Carpinteria | Initial Study | $600,000 | PBR |
| 2017/18 | Surfside-Sunset Beach Restoration Project | Orange County | Planning and Construction | $989,000 | PBR |
| 2017/18 | Surfer's Beach Restoration Pilot Project | San Mateo County | Planning and Construction | $800,000 | PBR |
| 2017/18 | Carpinteria Shore Protection Project | Carpinteria | Initial Study | $600,000 | PBR |
| 2016/17 | Surfside-Sunset Beach Restoration Project | Orange County | Construction | $5,250,000 | PBR |
| 2016/17 | San Clemente Beach Restoration Project | San Clemente | Construction | $3,400,000 | PBR |
| 2016/17 | Santa Cruz Beach Front Project | Santa Cruz County | Construction | $700,000 | SEC |
| 2016/17 | Sand Compatibility and Opportunistic Use Study | Monterey | Initial Study | $140,000 | PBR |
| 2015/16 | Rincon Parkway Shoreline Restoration | Ventura County | Construction | $2,900,000 | PBR |
| 2015/16 | Surfside-Sunset Beach Restoration Project | Orange County | Planning | $739,000 | PBR |
| 2015/16 | Development of Regional Sediment Master Plans | Sonoma County, Marin County, Eureka, San Francisco | Initial Studies | $485,000 | PBR |
| 2015/16 | Encinitas-Solana Beach Shoreline Protection Project | Encinitas and Solana Beach | Planning | $450,000 | PBR |
| 2015/16 | Purchase of Dredge Booster Pump | Monterey | Purchase | $200,000 | PBR |
| 2015/16 | Carpinteria Shore Protection Project | Carpinteria | Initial Study | $75,000 | PBR |
| 2014/15 | Rincon Parkway Shoreline Restoration | Ventura County | Construction | $2,100,000 | PBR |
| 2014/15 | Solana Beach Restoration Project | Encinitas and Solana Beach | Planning | $450,000 | PBR |
| 2014/15 | Beach Erosion Control: Price Street | Pismo Beach | Planning and Construction | $400,000 | PBR |
| 2012/13 | Beach Erosion Control: St. Anderw's | Pismo Beach | Planning and Construction | $865,000 | SEC |
| 2012/13 | Encinitas-Solana Beach Shoreline Protection Project | Encinitas and Solana Beach | Initial Study | $187,000 | PBR |
| 2012/13 | Carpinteria Shore Protection Project | Carpinteria | Initial Study | $162,000 | SEC |