INTRODUCTION

Custom Search

Back

Up
7_BEACON Tech Report (FINAL)

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The Beach Erosion Authority for Clean Oceans and Nourishment (BEACON) is a California

joint powers agency established to deal with coastal erosion and beach problems on the south

central coast of California. BEACON's member agencies include the Counties of Santa Barbara

and Ventura and the Cities of Port Hueneme, Oxnard, San Buenaventura, Carpinteria, and Santa

Barbara. BEACON proposes to implement a program to actively pursue opportunities for

obtaining suitable material for placement at six beach sites for renourishment of a denuded

littoral cell, erosion control, and recreational benefits. The six beach enhancement sites are

shown in Figure 1-1 and Figure 1-2 and include Goleta Beach, Ash Avenue, Oil Piers, Surfer's

Point, Oxnard Shores, and Hueneme Beach.

1.1

BACKGROUND

Santa Barbara and Ventura County beaches have been receding for many years. Coastal erosion

is a natural process that can be aggravated by man-made features such as harbors, upland

development, and flood control structures. These features interfere with the migration of

sediment along the coast or delivery from rivers and creeks. It has been well documented that the

construction of Santa Barbara harbor has a significant effect on the movement of sediment along

the coast. Sediment supply to the littoral cell is reduced by upland development, resulting in the

continuing erosion of the beaches and coastal bluffs. Sediment carried by creeks and rivers to the

ocean is also intercepted by man-made structures such as flood control debris basins and dams

(BEACON 2000).

The beaches along this reach have a deficit of sand supply. For example, at Carpinteria, the

deficit is approximately 75,000 cubic yards (cy) per year, and from the Ventura River to the

Ventura Harbor it is 200,000 cy per year (USACE 1997). A deficit of 450,000 cy per year was

estimated east of the Santa Clara River mouth as a result of reduced sand delivery (Noble

Consultants, Inc. 1989). Also, beach retreat has been documented at upcoast areas such as

Goleta Beach.

Fill material placed on a beach can help nourish eroding shores. Opportunistic beach fill is

material which becomes available as a surplus from construction projects, and is therefore

available at little to no cost compared to the cost of material commonly used for beach

enhancement or nourishment. Examples of opportunistic beach fill include the byproducts of

flood control projects, transportation projects, dam removal activities, wetland restoration, harbor

and channel dredging, and excavation for upland development.

Flood control projects include "cleanout" of flood control debris basins and maintenance of flood

control channels and rivers. Flood control debris basins are very effective at reducing the debris

loads associated with flood flows. Unfortunately, sediments that would otherwise be transported

1-1

Moffatt & Nichol Engineers