Newport Beach adds sand to build up beach in battle against the sea

It’s a race against the tides.

Newport Beach is scrambling to get sand on its beaches ahead of a mega high tide expected to hit early next week, and to add protection at the coast as forecasts warn of king tides and more Kelvin waves in coming months that could again threaten to flood the Balboa Peninsula.

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City officials declared an emergency this week ahead of the El Niño winter and following flooding that already caught the town off guard on Oct. 9 when a hurricane swell and high tides, along with elevated sea levels due to warm water conditions, combined to send seawater up and over already-eroded beaches and into streets and homes.

The city on Monday, Oct. 19, also approved a contract for about $1.5 million to scoop an estimated 100,000 cubic yards of sand, possibly up to 200,000 cubic yards, built up in the Santa Ana River mouth to spread on beaches between groin jetties throughout 36th and 62nd streets. That work started on Wednesday, Oct. 21.

A similar effort also got underway this week at the Wedge just north of the Newport Harbor entrance — an estimated  30 to  40 trucks a day are being filled with sand from the Prado Dam area near Norco to build protective sand berms ahead of next week’s tides, with a goal of delivering 2,000 cubic yards by the end of next week.

The preparation is in anticipation of higher-than-usual tidal swings that push water levels over seawalls and, if combined with swell, drive the ocean up beaches and into homes and roadways.

Astronomical tide levels at 9:15 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 26, are expected to be 6.5 feet; the next day at 9:50 a.m. a 6.7-foot tide is forecast, and at 9:50 a.m. on Wednesday at about 10:28 a.m. a 6.6-foot tide, according to the city.

Even higher king tides, a term used for the highest tides of the year typically in winter months, are expected over Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Tied to gravitational pulls, the king tides are seasonal and predictable.

One factor that could keep the ocean at bay in the days ahead: the surf forecast early next week shows waves in the 2- to 3-foot range, which could keep the sea mellow enough to stop water from rushing up recently built sand berms.

Also, the Kelvin wave — a band of warm water bouncing up the coast from the equator that elevates sea levels — has left the area for now, according to experts, though water levels are still higher than normal from warm water expansion.

While the region could be spared damage it has seen in recent weeks, there’s worry on the horizon.

More Kelvin waves are on the way by the end of November, just about the same time the next king tides — upward 7 foot expected on Nov. 24-26 and again Dec. 23-25 — are expected to hit.

With an added foot or two of warmer-than-usual water, a 7-foot tide could act more like a 9-foot tide, levels that could spill into low-lying areas such as the Balboa Peninsula, Balboa Island and Sunset Beach along Pacific Coast Highway — especially if it happens to rain around that same time.

Cities are spending funds to speed up work to bring sand to severely eroded beaches ahead of the high tides, hoping to help against the rising water and the dangers big swells pose.

Newport Beach Public Works Director Dave Webb recently said in a city meeting that sand from the Santa Ana River will be moved by truck to fill in the groins between 36th and 62nd streets using existing county permits.

The project is being funded from the city’s tidelands account and some oceanfront encroaching funds the city gets through permitting, he said.

The city may also be able to recoup some of the money from the county, since OC Public Works typically spearheads the sand removal every few years in the channel for flood control, he said.

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Resident Christina Grace said the project should be done with urgency.

“The beaches are the jewel. They are the reason why we are here,” she said, fighting back tears during the city meeting. “And right now, that’s in danger.”

Councilmember Erik Weigand called the city’s beaches the “lifeblood” of the coastal town, a draw for residents and tourists and part of the town’s economy.

“The city of Newport Beach has the word beach in it; our job is to protect this,” he said. “I’ve gotten to enjoy this my whole life, it’s important that we protect it for future generations. If we don’t do something now, we could be in jeopardy of losing everything we have. Bringing sand, it’s for the future. Spend a little money today to preserve that for the future.”

In addition to hauling in sand, the city has also spent the week reinforcing protective sand berms, preparing pumps and tide valves and positioning resources in flood-prone areas, officials said.

Crews have also placed thousands of sandbags in vulnerable areas of Balboa Island to protect low-lying and waterfront areas. The area is prone to flooding during extreme high tides, especially after rain when water levels are higher.

The city is urging residents to prepare their homes, offering free, prefilled sandbags at the Corporation Yard, Marina Park and Temporary Fire Station No. 1 at the east ocean front parking lot near the Balboa Pier.

Empty sandbags are available at Lifeguard Headquarters and all Newport Beach fire stations, while supplies last.

Newport isn’t the only beach city rushing to get sand on its beach.

The Alamitos Bay Entrance Channel Dredging Project got underway this week in Long Beach, after funding delays postponed work last year.

The project is expected to cost $11.4 million, about $10.8 million budgeted through the Marina Fund and $600,000 through the tideland fund, according to the city.

It has been more than 20 years since the entrance channel was last dredged. Over time, natural coastal processes have caused sand and sediment to build up along the shoreline and within the channel, creating shallow areas that make navigation more difficult and increase safety risks for boaters, according to the city.

The dredged material, an estimated 20,000 cubic yards of material a day, will be reused to nourish the shoreline along Peninsula Beach, between 62nd Place and the Jetty at 72nd Place.

“This environmentally preferred practice for dredging aligns with regional sediment management practices, and helps combat erosion, preserve recreational space and coastal access,” city officials said in an announcement. “This project represents an important investment in the city’s waterways and coastline, supporting both safe navigation and the long-term health of Peninsula Beach.”

The dredging and hydraulic pumping is expected to go through February, barring weather delays and other unforeseen circumstances.

The county also has work underway to place about 9,000 cubic yards of sand at Capistrano Beach Park at a cost of $520,000, to add a sand buffer to that damaged stretch of coast between San Clemente and Dana Point.

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