Beach erosion is a man-made problem
Changes to our coastline and rivers have disrupted the natural movement and supply of sand. As a result, our shoreline shrinks year after year.
Man-Made Causes
of Sand Erosion
We’ve dammed our rivers, developed our coast, and built a harbor on the North end of our city. These actions reduce our natural supply of sand, resulting in our shrinking beaches.
The harbor didn't stop the movement of sand. It changed where that sand goes and how Oceanside has to replace it
Numbers Tell the Real Story
60%
OF THE COASTLINE HAS NO DRY SAND
6 Feet
OF BEACH LOST PER YEAR
2.2 Miles
OF UNUSABLE BEACH
$250 Million
ANNUAL ECONOMIC LOSS TO OCEANSIDE
Real Costs That Affect Us All
OUR COMMUNITY
As Oceanside's public beaches disappear, residents and visitors lose places to gather, exercise, surf, play, and experience the coast.
Our Economy
Oceanside's beaches support tourism, restaurants, hotels, shops, recreation, and local jobs.
Our CITY
Healthy beaches provide a natural buffer between the ocean and our infrastructure. Losing that buffer puts more pressure on the city to protect the coast.
Our Coastline Is
Out of Balance
Every healthy beach is constantly changing. Waves and storms carry sand away while rivers, bluffs, and other sources replenish it.
In Oceanside, sand flow remains out of balance.
The Ideal State of Sand Flow
Sand In ↓
Sand Out →
Rivers
Move new sand to the coast.
Waves & Storms
Continuously reshape the shoreline.
Coastal Bluffs
Naturally contribute sediment to the shoreline.
Longshore Currents
Move sand south along the coast.
Beach Nourishment
Dredging and restoration projects artificially replace lost sand.
Offshore Canyons
Carry sand into deep water where it is effectively lost from the beach system.
Beach Erosion Needs a Man-Made Solution
Oceanside's beaches won't fix themselves, but the solutions are within reach.
The path forward means restoring sand to our shoreline, retaining more of it once it's here, and renewing the beach as a place our community can enjoy for generations.
RESTORE
Bring the sand back.
RETAIN
Help keep sand here.
RENEW
Protect our beaches for generations.
