HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. — Researchers at UC Irvine, the U.S. Geological Survey and others have found that on average, beaches in California have widened during the past four decades, causing them to grow by more than 500 acres.
Researchers used satellite data and other techniques to take a look at how the coast has changed over time. UCI civil and environmental engineering professor Brett Sanders said that in Southern California, about 50% of beaches have widened. Meanwhile, 20% have stayed about the same, but 30% has narrowed — including “erosion hot spot” Capo Beach in Dana Point.
One of the beaches that has continued to grow is Huntington Beach, which Sanders said grows by about 3 feet annually.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted a potential “Super El Niño” this year. Sanders said the study shows that during the past four decades, areas do recover from El Niños — but that as the rate of sea level rise is expected to increase, “we don’t necessarily have a solution for the long term. We shouldn’t expect that these beaches are going to keep widening forever.”
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