Posted on July 29, 2024
Ten months after OCparks deposited 45,000 cubic yards of sand at Capistrano (Capo) Beach Park and the South end of Doheny State Beach (an area known locally as “Hole in the Fence”) about 2/3rds of it seems to have dissipated, creating a sandier, gentler slope into the water for certain, but also, drifting south to adjacent beaches, and sadly, partially drifting out to sea. Just as sandbags supporting the beloved coastal trail between the County owned Capistrano Beach Park and State Beaches were starting to be exposed by the perennially heavy surf, OCparks obtained a CA Coastal Commission permit to deposit another 20,000 cubic yards of the precious material on the sand-starved stretch. Locals are thrilled to see more sand on the beach. But if it keeps moving south, does replenishment make sense? And how much more will it take to restore this and other beloved South Orange County beaches to health? UCI researchers may have some answers.
According to a recent study authored by UCI researcher Daniel Kahl and Brett Sanders, PhD, the Capistrano bight, the long bay stretching from Cotton’s Point in San Clemente up to Dana Point , “has good sand retention… and is a good candidate for replenishment projects.” Based on their study of 20 years of satellite images, the sand near Cotton’s Point tends to move north, while sand near Dana Point moves south.
Bulldozer distributes mounds of precious sand from Santa Ana Riverbed along eroded shoreline.
While some will inevitably be lost to major surf events, most of it is expected the stay within the bight, albeit not necessarily at the beach where it was deposited. According to a recent Orange County Register article, Kahl believes that “if you nourish San Clemente or Doheny, the sand isn’t going to move south and nourish San Onofre. It will stay in that area. It will naturally grow if there’s enough sand.”According to a recent study authored by UCI researcher Daniel Kahl and Brett Sanders, PhD, the Capistrano bight, the long bay stretching from Cotton’s Point in San Clemente up to Dana Point , “has good sand retention… and is a good candidate for replenishment projects.” Based on their study of 20 years of satellite images, the sand near Cotton’s Point tends to move north, while sand near Dana Point moves south. While some will inevitably be lost to major surf events, most of it is expected the stay within the bight, albeit not necessarily at the beach where it was deposited. According to a recent Orange County Register article, Kahl believes that “if you nourish San Clemente or Doheny, the sand isn’t going to move south and nourish San Onofre. It will stay in that area. It will naturally grow if there’s enough sand.”
Southern reach of Capistrano Beach Park . Equipment can’t replenish here. Even at low tide, there’s simply no room to maneuver.
Unfortunately, there’s at least 5 decades of sand loss to remediate, and restoration with “enough sand” will be costly. Decades of inland development has deprived the beaches of annual nourishment from nearby San Juan Creek – a manmade problem that many believe warrants manmade solutions. The sand now being deposited on Capistrano Beach is sourced from Mother Nature via rain-washed deposits in the Santa Ana Riverbed. The “free” sand deposits have to be cleared for flood control purposes, so the only outlay is for the differential cost of trucking it to the beach instead of a landfill – a small price to pay, given the alternative of purchasing it. Nearby in San Clemente, where the city owns its beaches, the City is contemplating a sales tax increase to fill its sand fund – a necessary investment of millions annually for a town that relies on its beaches for tourism, local surf culture, and like most other beach towns, it’s very identity.
South end of Capo Beach with remnants of wooden 1920s sea wall visible at edge of eroded shoreline.
Capistrano Beach is identified as one of the “hotspots” for coastal erosion. It was a harbinger of things to come for South County beaches when it lost its entire boardwalk, basketball courts, restrooms, 60 parking spots and almost all of its beach in a series of events starting in 2018. Thanks largely to the advocacy of 5th District Supervisor Katrina Foley, Capo Beach may get more sand when the nearly Dana Point Harbor entrance is dredged later this year, and the promised living shoreline project approved by the California Coastal Commission in 2022 is poised to start soon. The project is viewed as a case study of sorts. The living shoreline – a dune like structure designed to mimic natural habitat and constructed of cobblestone, sand and native grasses is designed to dissipate wave action along the embattled segment and hopefully, ultimately, save Capo Beach.
Vanessa Delauny of Mission Viejo enjoying a sunny day at her favorite spot on narrow upper terrace at Capistrano Beach Park.
Meanwhile, locals and visitors are enjoying what’s left of Capo Beach every day, and especially on summer weekends. Last Saturday, Mission Viejo resident Vanessa Delaunay and her pooch Lunapaw (leashed dogs are allowed on the beach before 9AM and after 6PM in the summer, any time the rest of the year) set up their own little campsite on the beleaguered south reach of Capistrano Beach Park , complete with beach blanket, dog and people food, umbrella, and jewelry making equipment. “I love this little beach. We’ve been coming here for five years,” said Vanessa, an interior designer and jewelry maker. “It’s my workshop, my therapy, a place for healing and recentering. It’s the only beach where I can park close to the sand, drop my stuff and enjoy a great day. Sure, it’s falling apart; the beach is pretty much gone and the picnic tables are buried in sand, but it’s a special place where I meet amazing people.” Nearby, Dana Point locals Beau and Chad set up fishing gear, while a Dad chased a toddler along the water’s edge-an iconic scene worth saving.
Lifeguard Brody Dapena keeps watch as locals set up fishing gear and a toddler enjoys a day at Capo Beach Park.
