New sand replenishment project underway in San Clemente

SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. (KABC) -- The city of San Clemente is celebrating a landmark sand replenishment project 20 years in the making.

"The project will protect critical shoreline, infrastructure, including rail lines, utilities, businesses, homes, as well as preserve access, public access, to our beaches," said Mayor Victor Cabral.

A total of 251,000 cubic yards of sand will be dredged from an offshore site in Oceanside, Cabral said.

The sand will then be pumped onto the beach in San Clemente between Linda Lane and T Street, creating a 50-foot wide beach sand berm.

"As many of you know, loss of shore protection and recreational beach width and damage to coastal, residential and commercial properties from storm-induced waves are a severe threat to community members, homes, businesses and transportation and those who visit San Clemente State Beach for its natural beauty and many recreational opportunities," said U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Colonel Andrew Baker.

Some residents like Joe Wilson are glad to see efforts being made to save the beaches but believe more needs to be done.

"One of the keys though to success is how do we retain the sand and keep most of it from washing away from big winter storms," Wilson said.

The project will cost $15 million. The U.S. Corps of Engineers will pay around $9 million and the rest comes from the city.

Baker said the project will help protect the coastline.

"This project is designed to help address all of these issues by reducing the potential storm damage to facilities located along the coast of San Clemente and to help restore and maintain recreational use along the coastal area," he said.

The project will be repeated every 5 to 6 years over the next 50 years.

They expected to bring in 2 million cubic yards of sand over that time.