The Surfside-Sunset Beach Renourishment Project – Stage 13 – officially broke ground yesterday as many of its partners celebrated its kickoff in preserving the coastline and preventing reoccurring flooding. Led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Stage 13 will replenish sand along portions of Seal Beach, Huntington Beach, and Newport Beach to provide a protective natural barrier, protecting homes and the bluffs from damaging waves and erosion.
Col. Andrew J. Baker, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District, stated, “This is an exciting time for all of us, and it has been a tremendous team effort with our local, state, and federal partners. Thanks to the outstanding work by the team, we were able to start putting sand on the beach 18 months earlier than originally anticipated. This project will benefit so many of our beach communities in Orange County, including Surfside Colony, Newport, Huntington and Seal Beaches. We at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District are so excited to be a part of the amazing team that made this happen.”
“Although it’s Stage 13, the Surfside-Sunset Beach Renourishment Project has been over a decade in the making to make sure our coastline will be forever protected,” said Huntington Beach Mayor Gracey Van Der Mark. “I commend the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Rep. Michelle Steel for driving this important project to ensure the protection of our beaches and coastal communities for generations to come.”
Seal Beach Councilmember Joe Kalmick added, “The success of this project is due to the combined efforts and partnership of so many. Our legislators, the Army Corps, State, and County agencies and of course the cities who are finally going to see sand back on the beaches, protecting 17 miles of our valuable coastline.”
“Newport Beach would simply be Newport without the beach,” stated Newport Beach Mayor Will O’Neill. “Projects to ensure a thriving sandy area matter a great deal to the quality of life for our residents and millions of visitors each year. My thanks to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and our regional partners for ensuring that this vital resource remains plentiful.”
Other key partners attending the event included:
- Representatives from Rep. Katie Porter and Rep. Michelle Steel
- Representatives from California State Parks
- Senator Janet Nguyen
- Assemblymember Diane Dixon
- Supervisor Andrew Do
- Supervisor Katrina Foley
- John Kriss, Surfside Colony Stormwater Protection District
The $23.1-million-project will dredge and backpass 1.2 million cubic yards of sand along the coastline. The project is estimated to be complete by February 2024, and Stage 14 is anticipated to start in five years. The California State Parks – Division of Boating and Waterways, Surfside Colony Stormwater Protection District, County of Orange, cities of Seal Beach, Huntington Beach, and Newport Beach are project partners.
Background:
The Surfside-Sunset Beach Renourishment Project was originally authorized by an act of Congress (Rivers & Harbors Act) in 1962 to address the elimination of sediments formerly transported by natural transportation of sediment via the San Gabriel and L.A. rivers due to construction of flood mitigation infrastructure and jetties constructed by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Navy. The first beach renourishment project was in 1964 (Stage I).
