Oceanside receives $1.835M state grant for beach restoration project

OCEANSIDE — Oceanside has received nearly $1.835 million in state grant funding to support its beach restoration efforts, city officials announced.

The California Coastal Commission approved the grant to fund a baseline monitoring program for the city’s RE:BEACH pilot project. The project aims to combat long-standing shoreline erosion through a “living speed bump” concept designed by Australian firm ICM.

The concept includes building two artificial headlands at the Tyson and Wisconsin Street beach access points and constructing an artificial reef offshore to help retain sand along the coast.

GHD, an engineering firm based in Oceanside, will lead the baseline monitoring program. The data will help refine the design and provide a point of comparison once the project is underway.

In addition to the monitoring work, Oceanside will use the funds to update its vulnerability assessment, add a focused supplement to its Coastal Hazards Adaptation Plan, and develop a targeted amendment to its Local Coastal Program to address sea level rise and related adaptation strategies.

“By investing in robust monitoring of shoreline conditions and taking a first step in updating the city’s Local Coastal Program to address sea level rise, Oceanside will be better equipped to make science-based decisions that protect its coast for future generations,” said Kelsey Ducklow, coastal resilience coordinator for the California Coastal Commission.

Erosion has plagued Oceanside’s beaches for decades, largely due to the construction of the Camp Pendleton Boat Basin in 1942 and the Oceanside Small Craft Harbor in 1963. Those developments blocked the natural flow of sediment into the Oceanside Littoral Cell, preventing sand from replenishing the city’s shoreline. In recent years, the erosion has worsened, leaving beaches covered in rocks and pebbles.

Officials hope the new headlands and reef will help capture drifting sand and restore the beach — a method that has seen success in Australia’s Gold Coast region, which faces similar coastal challenges.

ICM was selected as the design competition winner in early 2024 for its proposed solution. The project remains in its final design phase, and if full funding is secured, construction is expected to begin as early as next year. The estimated total cost is $55 million.

Oceanside Coastal Zone Administrator Jayme Timberlake called the grant a “critical step” toward advancing the city’s coastal resilience goals.

“Through our RE:BEACH initiative, we have closely partnered with the community to find the best solution to our coastal challenges – and now, per our new agreement with the Coastal Commission, we are able to increase our understanding of the current coastal conditions, which will enhance and inform implementation of the RE:BEACH Oceanside project and future planning for the entirety of Oceanside’s coast,” Timberlake said.

The City Council recently approved applying for a $21.25 million state grant to fund the sand nourishment portion of the project, which includes placing 900,000 cubic yards of sand at the project sites. If approved, the city will cover the remaining $3.75 million of the $25 million sand component through its sand replacement account, Measure X funds, or the general fund.

“Oceanside is taking action to restore beaches now and for future generations,” said City Manager Jonathan Borrego. “We are proud to be a leader among California’s coastal communities in identifying and implementing world-class solutions, and grateful to the coastal commissioners and staff for recognizing our need to preserve public access to sandy beaches.”

The final design will require approval from the California Coastal Commission before construction can begin.