Posted on May 8, 2023
Public access to Capistrano Beach may be limited until early June as OC Public Works and OC Parks work to remove a stretch of sand cubes and construct a revetment to protect the coastline from erosion.
Starting on April 25, OC Public Works commenced the construction of a rip rap revetment, and the removal of approximately 200 linear feet of sand cubes and remnant materials. Public Works will also be repairing existing sandbag protection.
In 2015 and 2016, Capistrano Beach facilities were damaged by storm waves and high tides, causing OC Parks to respond with emergency shoreline protection methods.
After a portion of the boardwalk and steps collapsed because of high surf in late November 2018, OC Public Works installed more than 1,000 tons of large rocks in place of the boardwalk.
As officials have worked to figure out how to proceed, more boulders and sandbags have been placed over the years to delay the destruction of the beach, walkway and parking lot—a method called hard armoring.
In November 2022, the California Coastal Commission gave OC Parks approval to replace sand cubes and sandbags with additional armor rock.
In a construction alert, OC Public Works and OC Parks explained that the sand cubes placed in 2015 “reached its useful life and is in need of replacement,” and will be replaced with a revetment from “new and salvaged rock.”
Construction will occur Mondays through Fridays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., though the schedule may vary because of tides, weather and ocean conditions, OC Public Works said in the alert.
The Capistrano Beach parking lot will be closed during construction.
