TURNING BEACH WALKS INTO REAL DATA

Help measure shoreline change.

The SOS Community Science Program gives volunteers the tools and training to measure and monitor the state of Oceanside’s beaches. 

No science background needed,

just enthusiasm and consistency.

We'll provide the training and equipment.

If you’re an enthusiastic beach-goers interested in science, we can use your help. No previous science fieldwork is needed, we will train you.


By collecting sand level data (called transects) each month along our 3.7-mile shoreline, community scientists help track erosion, sediment movement, and beach health over time.


This data is used by coastal experts at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, GHD Engineers, and other agencies working on shoreline solutions — including the City of Oceanside’s ongoing sand study. It also lives on a public platform, helping researchers and engineers across the region.

Man standing on a rocky shoreline holding a pole beside choppy ocean waves
Group posing with e-standup paddleboards on a beach under cloudy skies
Person standing on a rocky beach beside the ocean, holding a fishing rod under a clear blue sky
Satellite map of a coastal city with red marked spots along the shoreline

Scripps Institution of Oceanography

This work is done in collaboration with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. The data is placed on a public access website used by engineering firms, the USACE, and others studying the Oceanside shoreline and developing potential solutions. 

See Oceanside beach profiles on the Scripps Institution of Oceanography Coastal Processes Group website.

VIEW BEACH PROFILES

Additional opportunities for anyone to participate in Community Science