High surf, beach hazards worsen erosion along Orange County coast
Preparing for big surf and astronomical tides in OC
A beach hazards statement is in effect along the Orange County coast through 5 p.m. Sunday, with elevated surf, strong rip currents and high astronomical tides creating potentially hazardous conditions.
ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. - A beach hazards statement is in effect along the Orange County coast through the weekend, with elevated surf, strong rip currents and high astronomical tides creating potentially hazardous conditions.
In Newport Beach, the latest round of elevated surf comes after major erosion near Balboa Pier washed away sections of the beach, leaving steep drop-offs and exposing infrastructure beneath the sand.
What we know:
The National Weather Service says elevated surf along the coasts in Orange and San Diego counties could reach 3 to 5 feet, with sets as high as 6 feet during the beach hazards statement.
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High astronomical tides are also expected during the weekend. The combination of elevated surf and high tides could result in minor tidal overflow and additional coastal erosion.
The beach hazards statement remains in effect through 5 p.m. Sunday.
Erosion near Balboa Pier
The latest hazardous conditions come after days of high heat, humidity, rain and huge waves left behind major erosion along the Southern California coast.
In Newport Beach, sections of sand near Balboa Pier have been washed away, leaving drops of 8 to 10 feet in some areas.
The erosion has exposed rocks, wires, a large pipe and even remnants of a pier dating back roughly a century.
Beachgoers say they’ve never seen the shoreline this badly eroded, with some estimating the beach has receded by about 50 feet.
Crews have carved sand stairways in some areas to help people reach the water, but access remains difficult.
Large sand berms built around Balboa Pier have also taken a beating from the waves, providing another visible example of the impact along the shoreline.
Newport sand replenishment project
Newport Beach is also getting additional sand to help replenish part of its coastline, but that sand is not headed to the area around Balboa Pier.
Under an emergency agreement, roughly 200,000 cubic yards of sand from the Santa Ana River outlet will be moved to West Newport Beach.
The current plan calls for the sand to be placed between 36th and 50th streets.
That means the badly eroded stretch around Balboa Pier is not currently part of that sand replenishment project.
The Source: This story was written with information from the National Weather Service.