California’s iconic beaches are undergoing dramatic transformations, with erosion rates reaching alarming levels. The combination of El Niño and climate change is reshaping the coastline, threatening infrastructure and beloved beach destinations.
From Carlsbad to Malibu and Santa Cruz the ocean is reclaiming the land at an unprecedented pace. The forecast for a powerful El Niño this winter is expected to exacerbate the situation, putting additional pressure on already vulnerable beaches.
Point Dume Beach: A Battle Against the Tides
At Point Dume Beach in Malibu, the ocean has been steadily encroaching on the shoreline for decades. The situation reached a critical point when a distant hurricane sent powerful waves crashing onto the beach, eroding 50 to 60 feet of sand and threatening a key roadway.
Warren Ontiveros, deputy director of the L.A. County Department of Beaches and Harbors, described the scene: “The ocean has been taking sand from this area for decades, and so there’s been a shrinking buffer to protect that roadway.” The road in question is the only reliable access point for vehicles to reach what locals call Westward Beach.
In response to the erosion, workers have been constructing an emergency revetment—a barrier made of rocks—to armor the shoreline against the relentless waves. This temporary solution aims to protect the roadway, which is essential for emergency services, including the sheriff’s department, fire department, and lifeguards.
El Niño’s Impact on California’s Coastline
El Niño is a climate pattern characterized by the warming of the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. This phenomenon shifts the storm track during the winter, bringing above-average precipitation to southern california while leaving the Pacific Northwest drier than normal.
While El Niño’s influence on rainfall typically becomes apparent later in the winter, its effects are already being felt along the coast. “We’re kind of in a precarious place because we are seeing the effects of El Niño already from these hurricanes,” said Jonathan Warrick, a research geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey.
The increased prevalence of hurricanes this summer has caused significant erosion throughout Southern California, particularly in areas exposed to southern waves. In San Diego County sections of Carlsbad State Beach have washed away, forcing the closure of part of the Tamarack parking lot.
Communities Brace for More Erosion
Communities along the coast are preparing for the worst. With the last “very strong” El Niño in 2015-16 still fresh in their minds, residents and officials are concerned about the potential for further damage.
In Orange County beach communities are gearing up for another round of potentially dangerous surf. Lifeguards in Newport Beach rescued 425 people over a single weekend amid strong waves and rip currents. The powerful surf has also exposed remnants of construction from the 1930s and 1940s at the Wedge, a popular surf spot.
In Laguna Beach back-to-back storms have eroded the sand so much that a lifeguard station had to be tied to the shore to prevent it from being washed out to sea. “A lot of our lifeguard towers are very close to the water’s edge,” said Laguna Beach Marine Safety Capt. Dane Doran.
The Role of Climate Change
Human-caused climate change is playing a significant role in the increased sea levels and more frequent extreme weather events. Data show that the monthly average sea level has risen by about one foot in San Diego and San Francisco since the start of the 20th century.
Computer modeling released in 2023 by the U.S. Geological Survey and an Australian university estimated that between 24% and 75% of California’s beaches could become completely eroded by the year 2100 without any interventions, given estimates of sea-level rise of somewhere between 3 feet to 10 feet over that time frame.
As the situation continues to evolve, communities along the coast are grappling with the challenges posed by erosion and the need to protect their beaches and infrastructure. The future of California’s coastline hangs in the balance, with the combined forces of El Niño and climate change reshaping the shoreline in dramatic ways.
