Posted on October 17, 2024
San Clemente has finished a sand replenishment project at North Beach, a months-long effort to help widen a stretch of eroded coastline.
The project, which kicked off in late July, delivered 37,000 cubic yards of sand from the Santa Ana River, with truckloads hauling the material in and spreading it out on the north end of the coastal town.
The beach, which has been closed Mondays through Thursdays throughout the project’s duration, is now open to the public. The construction equipment is being removed.
“The emergency sand placement will enhance public recreation opportunities while also serving to bolster the function of the sandy beach as a natural buffer to protect critical public infrastructure and existing structures,” city official said.
The project cost an estimated $2 million and because the work was going faster than expected and was under budget, the amount of material to be hauled in was expanded a month ago to add 7,000 more cubic yards.
The city on Wednesday, Oct. 9, also got the go-ahead from the California Coastal Commission to beef up its opportunistic beach sand replenishment program to allow for 300,000 cubic yards of sand to be placed annually along four locations, including areas around the T Street beach.
The city also asked for a revised program that allows for 10 years of approval, verses the five-year duration previously given.
City officials also last month approved finishing a project with the US Army Corps of Engineers that is replenishing sand near the San Clemente Pier.
That project got underway early in the year and – after a few early snags and the need to move dredge sites – delivered about 114,000 cubic yards of the expected 251,000 cubic yards of sand by the time it had to stop work in the spring.
The project spans from Linda Lane to T Street and is designed to create a 50-foot wide beach berm.
Manson Construction’s dredger is expected to return in late October to complete delivery of the final 86,000 cubic yards of sand.
The city’s 35% share of the additional project costs is estimated at $2.6 million.
The project, which took 20 years to plan and get funded, is expected to be repeated every five to seven years. In future years, the Army Corps project is set to be a 50-50 cost-sharing project, meaning the city will shoulder more of the burden than it did for this first installment.
San Clemente voters will decide during the upcoming elections whether to add a half-cent local sales tax to maintain the city’s coastline. Ballots were mailed out this week, the last day of voting is Nov. 5.
