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Cardiff beach coastal resiliency a living shoreline
California, USA
At a glance
Over the years, the Cardiff Beach shoreline in the City of Encinitas has been susceptible to coastal erosion and flooding due to storm surges, sea-level rise and wave energy. The City was looking for a way to protect their precious shoreline and the Coast Highway 101, adjacent to Cardiff State Beach, from current and future threats.
Over the years, the Cardiff Beach shoreline in the City of Encinitas has been susceptible to coastal erosion and flooding due to storm surges, sea-level rise and wave energy. The City was looking for a way to protect their precious shoreline and the Coast Highway 101, adjacent to Cardiff State Beach, from current and future threats.
The challenge
The City of Encinitas and various stakeholders embarked upon a regional pilot program (first for the region) to assess the feasibility of constructing a dune system for shoreline protection and a Living Shoreline Project was born.
Our response
The City choose this approach due to the need to restore the historic sand dunes that were once part of the Encinitas coastline and coastal protection from sea-level rise and extreme waves and tides, as well as:
- Reduce the vulnerability of HWY 101 to flooding
- Create coastal dune habitat
- Create a pedestrian path adding a community-desired connection between Solana Beach and Encinitas
- Beneficially reuse sand from future San Elijo Lagoon annual dredging operations.
Post construction, GHD is coordinating monitoring efforts with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, Los Angeles, and other project partners to deploy and disseminate innovative scientific monitoring of the dune system.
The $4 million, 100% grant-funded civil works project provides a pedestrian trail/access with organized parking for a segment of the public beach and establishes a robust five-year monitoring program so that other coastal communities can learn from this endeavor.
The impact
- Beautified beaches with picturesque views for motorists and pedestrians
- Increased biodiversity and wildlife habitat
- Protected infrastructure for 35+ years
- Ease of pedestrian mobility and accessibility
- Results will inform the design decision of future projects
- Received 2020 Best Restored Beach Award
“Cardiff Beach’s dunes are an example of green infrastructure, an innovative new concept in shoreline resilience.” said Sam Schuchat, Executive Officer for California State Coastal Conservancy “This project uses natural features to protect communities from sea level rise while also creating wildlife habitat.”
This project is an example of state, regional, and local cooperation at its finest, with agencies uniting to protect our environment, wildlife habitat, beaches, and transportation infrastructure from the impacts of climate change and sea-level rise.”
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