CARLSBAD — The city of Carlsbad declared a local emergency Sept. 9 to expedite stabilization of an eroding coastal bluff supporting southbound Carlsbad Boulevard ahead of potential strong El Niño conditions this fall and winter.
The declaration followed a geotechnical report received Sept. 8 recommending emergency stabilization of the bluff above North Ponto Beach, north of the bridge at Las Encinas Creek, according to a release.
The work calls for extending an existing rock barrier, known as a revetment, approximately 192 feet north to protect the bluff, shoreline and roadway from erosion. Crews could begin placing boulders as early as the week of Sept. 14, pending an emergency coastal development permit from the California Coastal Commission.
The National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center in College Park, Maryland, said in its Sept. 10 advisory that there is a greater than 90% chance of a very strong El Niño during the fall and winter of 2026-27. The center also estimated a 75% chance that the event’s strength during the October-December period would exceed that of previous El Niño events dating to 1950.
The city said it routinely monitors coastal areas under its control. During a June 25 inspection along south Carlsbad Boulevard, staff observed cracks in the pavement on the shoulder and in the bike lane.
Staff placed orange cones and caution signs in the area, sealed the cracks to help stabilize the road and prevent moisture from entering the pavement, and began regularly monitoring the bluff for movement. The city also sought geotechnical expertise to investigate the stability of the bluff and roadway.
In mid-July, the city hired an independent geotechnical consulting firm to investigate the site and recommend further action. Beginning in August, city staff met with Coastal Commission staff to discuss the erosion, proposed emergency work and an application for an emergency coastal development permit.
The resulting Sept. 8 report recommended emergency stabilization measures, including extending the revetment.
“As we’ve seen throughout this year, the city takes a proactive approach to monitoring and maintaining our infrastructure, particularly ahead of storm seasons, so we can identify potential issues and address them before they become problems,” City Manager Geoff Patnoe said.
“We understand this is a heavily traveled roadway, and maintaining its integrity is essential to protecting public safety, as well as property and our coastal environment.”
The existing revetment consists of heavy boulders along 1,270 feet of the bluff’s base. Of that total, the city said it installed 750 feet in 2009 and 520 feet in 2015 and 2016.
While small cracks and other signs of erosion have appeared in the pavement north of the barrier, the roadway protected by the existing revetment remains stable, the city said.
A city spokesperson told The Coast News that the emergency declaration helps streamline contracting and permitting.
“The estimated cost of the emergency work exceeds the formal bidding threshold, and the formal bidding process takes approximately four to six months,” the spokesperson said. “The action of an emergency declaration allows the city to move forward with the emergency work immediately.”
The city said the work is intended to maintain public safety and coastal access for people walking, biking, driving or visiting the area.
Crews would place boulders weighing between 4 and 8 tons each, beginning at the northern end of the existing revetment and extending approximately 192 feet north.
Once work begins, motorists could encounter intermittent lane closures and traffic impacts along southbound Carlsbad Boulevard between Palomar Airport Road and Island Way. The city will continue monitoring conditions and provide updates as more information and a work schedule become available.
The emergency declaration took effect immediately and remains in place until the Sept. 15 City Council meeting, when council members will consider whether to confirm it. If confirmed, the council would review the declaration at subsequent meetings until ending the local emergency.
Separately, the Coastal Commission required a full review in July of the city’s request to extend a permit for part of the existing revetment through 2031 while it seeks funding for a long-term solution.
Commission records show that the city received follow-up approval in 2018 to retain previously installed portions of the barrier, as previously reported by The Coast News. The full review has not yet appeared on a commission agenda since the July action.
