Options for sand replenishment in San Clemente still being discussed, delay could reach into summer

The earliest a dredger will be available to resume a sand replenishment project in San Clemente is likely going to be just as the busy summer season starts in the coastal town.

San Clemente officials gave an update Tuesday, Feb. 6, on the project, which remains in limbo after the first attempt resulted in more cobble and rocks being spread near the pier than expected and the city asked for a pause last month to address its concerns about the quality of the sand being delivered.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is spearheading the $14 million project, is evaluating alternate dredging sites that may be better suited with sand and is looking to see if the original Oceanside location tapped is still viable, Mayor Victor Cabral said during Tuesday’s update at the City Council meeting.

With the contractor finishing up a similar replenishment project in Solana Beach, and then set to head to Encinitas for its next scheduled project, it’s likely the dredger couldn’t come back to San Clemente until about May, at the earliest.

“Even if more delay is needed, our position is that in order to complete the 250,000 cubic yards of beach-quality sand, we take the time necessary to find the right borrow site, rather than delivering rocks and gravel that were delivered previously,” Cabral said.

Cabral gave a recap of what led the city to ask the project be halted about three weeks into the dredging, which started in December, with several delays due to the contractor’s dredger breaking. The city had waited some two decades for the project to be approved and funded.

The city has no direct authority to provide guidance to the contractor, since the work agreement is with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, he said.

“Under the direction of the Army Corps of Engineers, they developed and chose the borrow site,” he said. “It was studied, numerous core samples were collected, all during the period of 20 years when we started this project.”

The studies showed a layer of cobble and gravel, but beneath a large quantity of beach quality sand, he said. The contractor was dredging at about 6 inches, but the studies show the sand at a depth of about 3 feet, he said.

The city is in discussions with the Army Corps almost every day, Cabral said.

“It’s been a process that we have searched – almost on a daily basis – to find the answers,” he said. “We all have concerns.”

The sand is not just for San Clemente residents to enjoy, but acts as a buffer to help stabilize bluffs to protect the rail line that runs through town and has been vulnerable to landslides in recent years.

“We are listening to the city’s concerns and are continuing to collaborate with the city and all of our partners to come up with a solution for San Clemente. There are a few courses of action being considered, but an overall decision has not been made on those courses of action,” Army Corps of Engineers spokesperson Dena O’Dell said. “The biggest takeaway is that we all want the same thing – sand on the beach at San Clemente and project completion. We also want to ensure we get it right.”

Councilmember Chris Duncan asked if there’s a possibility the project won’t be done this year.

“No one is throwing in the towel at all, everyone is investigating every course of action,” said Leslea Meyerhoff, the city’s coastal administrator. “That could include placing sand in the summer season. It’s not ideal, but there could be reasons to do that. I am confident they are exploring all opportunities to come back soon to bring sand.”