Spring Edition Newsletter (Part 2)

Local Advocates for Sustainable Beaches

This Issue Includes:

A brief note…

We don’t mean to overload your inbox, but good things are happening on our shoreline and we want to make sure you’re aware of it.

We sent you an email last week filled with information about Phase 2 of the Sand Nourishment and Retention Pilot Project, SOS becoming an official non-profit, details about becoming a citizen science, and ways that you can get involved with SOS. if you missed our Spring Edition Newsletter (Part 1), you can check it out on our website here.

Part 2 of our Spring Edition Newsletter highlights the inside scoop on several important meetings we took part in during the first quarter of 2023 that are worth noting. We are also inviting all beach goers to help collect data on sand. Learn more below!

And lastly, be sure to SAVE THE DATE, May 31, 2023 for our next in person meeting at Bagby in Oceanside. More details to come.

Bring on the sunshine!

Save Oceanside Sand

SOS Meeting with Assemblywoman Laurie Davies, Elected Officials & Staff

Save Oceanside Sand (SOS) remains involved in all attempts to plan for a resilient Oceanside coastline. California's 74th district State Assemblywoman Laurie Davies chaired her first Oceanside Coastal Zone invitational workshop. This initial meeting aimed to assemble the region's concerned stakeholders so she could better understand our coastal management "Plan of Action" for future seminars.

After Representative Davies welcomed all attendees, she asked for a brief history of Oceanside beaches. She also asked for our input on what she could do to assist our efforts.

Bob Ashton from SOS started with a quote from Dr. Reinhardt Flick of Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO), "If you want a broad sandy beach, you must have the support and political will" He then acknowledged how we need Representative Davies's support and political will. Ashton talked about the construction of the Del Mar Boat Basin and the Oceanside Small Craft Harbor, which created a barrier that limits the sand movement to the south. He then expressed his admiration for the large sandy beach on Camp Pendleton just north of the Del Mar Boat Basin. He also explained to the group how the sand flows down the Santa Margarita River onto the beach and is retained by the harbor jetties. 

Dr. Flick spoke up and said that if we wanted a broad sandy beach, we must act now! He expressed significant frustration with having to redo all of the permitting for each Regional Beach Sand Project. Dr. Flick discussed the following:  

• Beach nourishment planning

• Retention systems, along with monitoring and adapting each system's Performance

• Sand nourishment plan for maintenance

• Repeat monitoring/adaptation/nourishment.

• Retention systems will most likely require smaller or fewer nourishment events.

• Getting one dredge to work all city nourishment efforts and amortize the mobilization cost.

• San Onofre nuclear power plant construction had two "pads" placed nearshore that acted like retention devices for years during construction, and as soon as they were removed, the beaches disappeared.

• Carlsbad's position is "somewhat misplaced" because they have retention devices and benefit from the down drift sand that moves from Oceanside beaches.

• Mitigating down drift issues by pre-filling a retention system and then maintaining the system!

It was agreed by the attendees that to get a beach retention project approved, we need to get ahead of the narrative and control the conversation. A statewide education campaign will be required to get the science known. It was also recommended that outreach such as the SOS weekend beach popups and special events with other organizations continue. Some attendees discussed cataloging all regional approved and planned projects for better coordination between cities and agencies. The meeting was summed up by all agreeing that coordinated action is required and the need for further engagement with elected officials.

Organizations represented at this meeting were as follows:

• State Assemblywoman Laurie Davies & Staff

• Congressman Mike Levin's staff:

• State Senator Katherine Blakespear's Staff

• Oceanside City Council & Staff

• Scripps Institution of Oceanography

• Resilient City Catalyst

• Save Oceanside Sand

SOS Meeting with USACE Commander & Staff

Colonel Julie Balten, commander, and key staff members from the Los Angeles District, US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) met on January 5th with the SOS Board of Directors to discuss beach restoration and retention. The meeting was at the request of and followed a meeting with city officials. It began with an inspection of Buccaneer Beach during a torrential downpour, followed by a candid and cordial discussion at Bagby's. Colonel Balten and staff viewed a static display of SOS activities, including the summer popup events and the Citizen Science Project. They appeared genuinely impressed with SOS's educational activities.

The discussion began with a statistical comparison with other cities in North County that showed that Oceanside's leverage of an investment in beach improvement exceeds any other city in terms of public beach access. It was pointed out that SOS was in support of the City's efforts and commended several actions taken by the City, including the Sand Replenishment and Retention Study, hiring a full-time Coastal Administrator, and other initiatives.

Detailed discussions ensued of other areas of concern, including near-term sand replenishment, extending (piggyback) annual dredging to nourish the beach and coordinating the USACE study and Oceanside Phase 2 Pilot Project, should Phase 2 be approved by the City. (The Phase 2 Pilot Project was subsequently approved on January 25th). In addition, the possibility of the Oceanside beach restoration project becoming a "Coastal Center of Study" as a focal point for scientific/engineering study was discussed. Colonel Balten seemed equally frustrated by the inability to plan and execute a near-term nourishment effort. She and her staff were fully engaged, professional, open to a candid discussion of these issues, and offering encouragement and helpful advice.

Colonel Balten pointed out that the major impediment to acquiring federal support and funding was that Oceanside needed an approved project, and the best way forward was the ongoing USACE study and approval of Phase II of the Sand Replenishment Study. Once a project is defined, several sources of funding become viable, such as earmarks on the federal level and grants on the state level. Among state grants, it was recommended that ecological grants be included for the restoration of fish and bird habitats. Colonel Balten and staff were open to consideration of our recommendations for more immediate sand restoration actions. Still, they cautioned that environmental permitting timelines and other restraints are often beyond its control.

Overall, it was an excellent meeting. Col Balton and her staff's comments indicated a genuine partnership had been established between USACE, the City, and SOS. SOS enthusiastically looks forward to assisting USACE and the City of Oceanside in supporting plans and executing projects to restore and retain beach sand on our shoreline. Nevertheless, Colonel Balten urged SOS to continue dialogue on these issues as "next steps" and designated points of contact to do so.

SOS Meeting with Save Our Beaches San Clemente (SOBSC)

The City of San Clemente has some of the same beach problems as Oceanside. Of course, the primary concern is the loss of sand. On February 9th, the SOS board met with Suzie Whitelaw (President) and Jorine Campamponi of Save Our Beaches, San Clemente. In addition to the sand loss problem, San Clemente has train track problems.

They are interested in exploring nature-based solutions to restore sand on the beach, including groin-like structures (constructed tidepools), seagrass beds, living shorelines, dune restoration, and living artificial reefs to retain sand and provide a habitat for marine life. They are also working on a potential consortium with other beach cities to manage a consolidated dredging program that would own and manage the necessary dredging equipment. SOS intends to stay in touch with the SOBSC board to inform each other of progress on each city's shoreline.

Snap the Sand!

Do you want to be part of studying our beaches? All you need is your smartphone, a U.S. coin, and some beach sand to participate.

SOS, in partnership with the City of Oceanside, CSBPA, NOAA, and the Army Corps of Engineers, is promoting participation in efforts to better understand the beaches the protect, nourish, and make our communities great. Scientists and engineers understand how beaches change by looking at the size of sand grains. Sand grain tells us about habitat and how beaches will recover from erosion.

SandSnap is a community developed database of beach sand grain sizes from photogrpahs. Your contributions will help build a national database about our beaches and help coastal managers better understand our beaches.

New Rock Art Gardens in Oceanside

Rock art is continuing to pop up throughout our streets in Oceanside. We love seeing the community come together this way!

Volunteer with SOS

In support of SOS goals this year, the following committees are being established and or expanding. We need skilled and interested volunteers as SOS team members to participate in these committees. If interested, please send a short note/email to hello@sosoceanside.com 

Committees Needing Volunteers:

• Digital Marketing - Grow our marketing strategy, SOS web design/updates, media outreach, etc.

• Events - Saturday in person pop-up at the pier and other local events

• Supporter/Sponsor/Fundraising - Engaging citizens, businesses, and others in support of the SOS mission

• Citizen Science - Assisting and conducting data collection on our shoreline. Data is provided to scientists and engineers to understand the problem better and develop sound solutions.

SOS is Looking for a Treasurer

SOS is looking for nominations for the SOS board of directors to consider as treasurer. The treasurer is one of the elected officers for SOS and performs functions such as tracking all finances, assisting in budgeting, etc. The office of treasurer is usually a 2-year position. All those interested parties, please send a short note/email to hello@sosoceanside.com.

Please forward this to your community. Thank You!