Surfrider's Climate Action Program and Surfers' Point

On Earth Day the Surfrider Foundation announced  the Climate Action Program that aims to track and highlight on the great work of local Surfrider chapters around the country who have been working to restore their local beaches  

The Ventura County Chapter has been a leader in coastal ecosystem management, and the Surfers' Point Managed Shoreline Retreat is a featured project in the new program.  Although it took 15 years for the first phase of the project to be constructed, in 2011 the Chapter "adopted" the dune restoration portion of the project.  Hundreds of volunteer hours were dedicated to planting and maintaining the native dune habitat that is crucial to stabilizing wind-blown sand to naturally maintain the dunes.  We are hopeful that with the increased attention of the Climate Action Program that other chapters can use Surfers' Point as a model for restoring resilient shorelines around the country.     

Surfers' Point Managed Shoreline retreat project Phase 2:

The diagrams below are from the City's upcoming public outreach and illustrate the plans to relocate the damaged bike path and parking lot back to Shoreline Drive.   

Erosion at Surfers' Point continues
 requiring relocation of the bike path into the parking lot
Feb 8, 2024

Get Involved:

With construction still on track for Fall 2024, the City of Ventura is seeking public input on the public art component of the project:  

A community workshop for the Surfers Point Managed Retreat Project will be held on Thursday, May 2, at 5:30 p.m. at Santa Rosa Hall, located at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. Spanish interpretation will be available. 

"We are thrilled to involve our community in this pivotal stage of the Surfers Point Managed Retreat Project," said Mayor Joe Schroeder. "After receiving over $16 million from the State of California’s Coastal Conservancy to fund this project, community input and collaboration are crucial in creating a space that reflects the needs and aspirations of our residents and visitors for this iconic location."

This workshop presents a valuable opportunity for community members to engage in interactive discussions, activities, and collaborative sessions that will shape the amenities and potential public art themes at the Surfers Point site, among other aspects.

More on this blog:  

Surfers' Point Nature Based Solutions video

Surfers' Point

Headwaters to Ocean (H2O) Conference

The California Shore and Beach Preservation Association (CSBPA) and Beach Erosion Authority for Clean Oceans and Nourishment (BEACON) organized the 2023 Headwaters to Ocean (H2O) Conference.  This was the first big in-person gathering of professionals involved in watershed and coastal  health, restoration, and management since the COVID pandemic.

On Tuesday November 28, BEACON convened their science advisory panel and stakeholders for a morning meeting followed by lunch and guided tour of the Surfers' Point Managed Shoreline Retreat Project.  

H2O was a two day conference held in the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Ventura Beach on November 29-30. 

The H2O conference serves as a catalyst for collaboration across various fields, industries, institutions, and organizations united by their shared interests in topics related to water, oceans, coastal environments, sediment management, resilience, and the intersections between terrestrial and marine systems.  

A session on Surfers' Point included presentations from Paul Jenkin, Surfrider Foundation, Bob Battalio, ESA, Dave Hubbard, CRC, and Kiki Patsch, CSUCI.  The talks covered the history, engineering, dunes, and monitoring.

Paul Jenkin presented the lunchtime plenary talk, "A Lifetime of Coastal Activism; A Retrospective" or "Headwaters 2 Ocean; Ventura River, a Case Study"

H2O Conference Website: https://asbpa.org/2023/08/15/h2o-2023-conference/

 

Surfers' Point Nature Based Solutions video

"Fighting Climate Change with Nature," a video produced by the Surfrider Foundation featuring the Surfers' Point Managed Shoreline Retreat project:

Short version (60 sec): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fpbvWNfW3k

 

More at https://www.surfrider.org/fighting-climate-change-with-nature

California Climate Change Assessment

On August 27, 2018, the California Natural Resources Agency released California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment.  The goal of these assessments is to "provide the scientific foundation for understanding climate-related vulnerability at the local scale and informing resilience actions. The Climate Change Assessments directly inform State policies, plans, programs, and guidance to promote effective and integrated action to safeguard California from climate change."

The Key Findings summarize the impacts on people, infrastructure, and natural systems, and "provides critical information that will enable more ambitious efforts to support a climate-resilient California."

The Fourth Assessment included a Coast and Ocean Summary Report for the first time; this report synthesizes the latest research... about the challenges facing our coast and ocean because of climate change and what actions we can take to increase their resilience.

The Fourth Assessment study found that sea-level rise has become the dominant concern for coastal managers, and most also face funding and financing barriers.

According to the LA Times,

"At Surfers Point in Ventura County, officials turned an eroding parking lot and collapsing bike path into a cobble beach backed by vegetated dune. It has fended off erosion, widened the beach and become the most visited beach in Ventura County, the report said. During high wave conditions in the winter of 2015-16, no damage occurred at the project site: Wave run-up reached the bike path only where dunes were absent.

Other parts of the local shorelines were not so lucky: Ventura Pier was damaged in the storm and the Pierpoint neighborhood suffered inundation, the report said."
                                      
This was documented on this blog: Surfers Point - first real test



More information:

California Natural Resources Agency; http://resources.ca.gov/climate/safeguarding/research/

Climate Assessment; http://www.climateassessment.ca.gov

In the news:  Climate change will be deadlier, more destructive and costlier for California than previously believed, state warns, LA Times, Aug 27, 2018

Surf science

The LA Times reports that last winter's  El Niño triggered unprecedented erosion across California's coast.

The article highlights research analyzing last year's El Nino storm track that brought us one of the best winter surf seasons on record. 





This new research confirms what we observed in Ventura: the combination of large waves and drought drove unprecedented levels of winter shoreline retreat.

the "cove" at Surfers Point in Ventura
post El Nino winter beach, 5-6-2016

the "cove" at Surfers Point in Ventura
summer beach, 6-28-2016

The drought is just one factor in sand-starved beaches.  “...we dam the rivers for flood control and say, ‘Holy crap, the sand’s not getting to the beaches anymore.”

But last year another force was in play; rising sea levels.  The paper states that "Water levels anomalies of 7–17 cm above normal were measured across the US West Coast during the El Niño winter of 2015–2016, similar to anticipated global mean sea-level increases expected within the next few decades."

This El Niño may have been a big one, but it may become “the new normal”

Which raises the question;

How will rising sea levels affect surfing in the future?

This topic is explored in a new paper titled Using local knowledge to project sea level rise impacts on wave resources in California published in the journal Ocean & Coastal Management.

This research concludes:

Map of California surf-spot vulnerability, Reineman et al

1. Sea level rise will likely impact the quality of surf-spots; in California that impact will be a net reduction in overall wave quality at current surf-spots. 
2. Vulnerability of surf-spots to sea level rise varies geographically, with some surf-spots and some regions experiencing more significant reductions in wave quality; due to sea level rise, roughly 18% of surf-spots evaluated here are Threatened by drowning and 16% are Endangered; 5% could improve. 
3. Surfers' local ecological knowledge of waves constitutes a measureable source of data about environmental condition and variation. 

As sea level rises locally, surf-spots that break at low tide, or medium tide, or high-tide will be increasingly and sequentially inundated: the water will simply be too deep for them to experience their best conditions.

And perhaps most relevant to our local situation, in areas where landward migration of the beach is not permitted, either through seawalls or natural marine terraces, the beach will be "drowned."

Factors influencing surf-spot vulnerability, Reineman et al

This research relied upon surveys of thousands of surfers, who often have the best understanding of local conditions.  The paper concludes that;

Given the vast economic and cultural importance of surfing, these conclusions suggest that coastal managers should not only give credence to the wave knowledge of surfers, but also take wave quality and vulnerability into consideration, especially when planning coastal armoring, beach nourishment, or other developments, whose impacts to natural coastal processes could affect waves.


On this blog:

Surfer Magazine cover
C-St Ventura - cobble and erosion Dec 2015
Surfers Point - first real test
Surfers' Point emergency revetment


References:

El Niño triggered unprecedented erosion across California's coast, LA Times Feb 14, 2017

Extreme oceanographic forcing and coastal response due to the 2015–2016 El Niño.  Barnard, P. L. et al. Nat. Commun. 8, 14365 doi: 10.1038/ncomms14365 (2017).
http://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms14365


Using local knowledge to project sea level rise impacts on wave resources in California, Dan R. Reineman, Leif N. Thomas, Margaret R. Caldwell, Ocean & Coastal Management. Volume 138, 15 March 2017, Pages 181–191

1969 Floods and Ventura wastewater

As we prepare for 2016's predicted floods, it is interesting to look back in history.   The photos below illustrate the impact to the City of Ventura's wastewater infrastructure from the big floods of 1969.  The Santa Clara River jumped its banks and flowed around the wastewater treatment plant into the Ventura marina.  Broken pipes spilled raw sewage into the ocean for weeks.  

In many ways the wastewater treatment plant located at the mouth of the Santa Clara River continues to become increasingly vulnerable over time.  Upstream development has led to new and bigger levees, effectively channelizing the river and increasing flows near the river mouth.  Moreover, as time goes by climate change will compound the problem through increased storm intensity which will add to the threat of flood from upstream, while rising sea levels present a growing risk from the ocean.

The Olivas Park golf course was historically a productive wetland, which also provided an effective buffer to flood waters along the banks of the Santa Clara River. As illustrated below, in 1969 the river flowed right through the recently constructed golf course and into the marina.   

Solutions:  Surfrider has commented on the Santa Clara Estuary Special Studies that Ventura Water should take advantage of ongoing plans to reduce discharges into the Santa Clara Estuary through wastewater recycling, and consider developing a decentralized strategy.  This would over time reduce the volume of wastewater reaching the estuary, and increase resilience in the face of these risks.

More info:

Santa Clara River Estuary Special Studies
Ventura River Watershed - Flooding photos
...

Climate.gov (another case study)

Climate.gov News and Features: https://www.climate.gov/news-features/department/climate-case-studies

Thursday, November 12, 2015

Restoring Surfer's Point

Coastal erosion has repeatedly damaged surfside bike paths and parking lots near Ventura, California. It took local groups with varying viewpoints more than a decade to agree upon a strategy, but the first phase of their solution is now complete.

read more   https://www.climate.gov/news-features/climate-case-studies/restoring-surfers-point

Coastal Resilience - Ventura County

The Nature Conservancy is the lead in a study to assess potential changes to our coastline with future sea level rise and other climate change effects.

According to the website, The Nature Conservancy is leading Coastal Resilience Ventura - a partnership to provide science and decision-support tools to aid conservation and planning projects and policymaking to address conditions brought about by climate change.  The primary goals of Coastal Resilience Ventura are assessing the vulnerabilities of human and natural resources, and identifying solutions that help nature help people.

The recent report outlines a Catalogue of Local Sea Level Rise Planning Tools.  Key recommendations are:

• Sea Level Rise should be included in General Plan
• Sea Level Rise in should be included Local Coastal Program (LCP) Update
• Sea Level Rise in should be included Zoning Code Updates
• Sand Dune and Wetlands as Barriers and Buffers
• Flexible Options: Managed retreats, Transfer of Development Rights (TDR), and project siting and design considering sea level rise

Another product of this project is a web mapping tool to help illustrate potential inundation areas from sea  level, tides, waves, and river flooding.

More info:

project info: http://coastalresilience.org/geographies/ventura-county

map: http://coastalresilience.org/geographies/ventura-county/future-scenarios-map

'Swept Away' - KCET television

KCET examines the cost and consequences of climate change to California, using the examples of Broad Beach in Malibu contrasted with the Surfers' Point Managed Shoreline Retreat project.





The program streams on the KCET website: http://www.kcet.org/shows/socal_connected

Capps in Santa Barbara

Congresswoman Lois Capps held a press conference in Santa Barbara yesterday. The event was focused on Prop 23, a measure on the ballot that would reverse Prop 32, the California Climate Bill.

I was invited to speak and stressed Surfrider Foundation's 'Not the Answer' campaign - the title says it all - more offshore drilling is not the answer to our energy future, and threatens the sustainable management of our coasts and oceans. And as someone who has driven both electric and biodiesel vehicles over the past decade, I recognize the potential for California to become a world leader in the new technologies that will enable a sustainable energy future...


In the news: Capps_to_lead_environmental_rally_at_shoreline_park
KEYT news


More info: No on Prop 23
Not the Answer
Who Killed the Electric Car?
Sustainable Options

Recent news: Star probe turns up more about channel oil firms

Ventura Promenade repairs

If you were on the Promenade this weekend you probably saw the sign announcing the upcoming repair work. Surfrider had commented on this issue as far back as 2001, and it's taken the city this long to come up with the funding to do a partial fix of the aging seawall. Our concerns have been that the addition of rock will narrow the beach, and make it more hazardous.














Apart from the decaying concrete, one of the biggest maintenance problems for the city has been the stairs in the 'cove.' These are the ones we all use to get in and out of the water, and they take a beating at high tide.









The biggest change will be the removal of these stairs, to be replaced 150 ft down the beach. They will be made of timber, and set back from the beach to help resist the regular poundings from high surf.






Ironically, the public notice was placed next to one of the SLAP poles. Since the promenade was constructed in 1969, sea level has slowly risen and the beach has narrowed - increasing the impacts on the seawall. We have commented both to the city and the Coastal Commission regarding the potential for ever-increasing costs of maintaining structures on the coast in the face of rising sea levels. Time will tell how long these repairs will hold up...

The Ventura Experiment

The Ventura Experiment
Wednesday, Oct 28th - The Green Coalition of Ventura County

A student group from the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management at UCSB presented their project which will feature Ventura as a model city working to reduce community carbon emissions. The goals of the study are to determine what to do, how to do it, and how much it will cost.

Around the world a selection of “Pioneer Cities” are undergoing similar projects. Ventura will be linked to Wuxi, a city on the Yangtse River in China. The group in Ventura on Wednesday night included a student from China, who also presented some insights from his country.

The study will have three steps. Bren students will evaluate our carbon footprint as a community. They will design a menu of strategies for reducing our greenhouse gas emissions. Then they will develop a feasibility analysis of the political and economic factors of our community. In addition to a set of recommendations for Ventura they hope to create a toolkit adoptable to other communities.

Of note was a 'wordle' taken from their initial work. (Wordles are like the label cloud on this blog, or this.) In this case, Water turned out to be the primary word. The group discussed how low flow shower heads and other water conservation measures can reduce carbon emissions - yes, saving water reduces energy used in pumping and heating the water we use on a daily basis.

The project web page has a wealth of information on the project and references on technologies and strategies. We can look for the results in the spring of 2010.

Blog Action Day

Today is 'Blog Action Day' - this year's theme: 'Climate Change'

http://www.blogactionday.org/

The Ventura Ecosystem project aims to educate local residents and decision makers about adaptation to climate change and implementing solutions to ensure a sustainable future. In the arid climate of Southern California, it's all about water...

Other posts relating to climate change

Home - the film

The big picture... our Home



http://www.youtube.com/homeproject

We are living in exceptional times. Scientists tell us that we have 10 years to change the way we live, avert the depletion of natural resources and the catastrophic evolution of the Earth's climate.

VCReporter on Water

This week's edition of the VCReporter provides a local perspective on water. The feature article, H2O Redefined speaks of climate change and the growing threat of privatization of water supplies. It also includes a plug for Watershed Revolution.






Other headlines in this issue include:

Ventura_Eyes_State_Water_Sale

New_Ventura_County_Storm_Water_Permit_Good_for_Environment_Bad_for_Development

Thirsty_Street_Trees_Need_a_Drink_of_Water_and_Some_Love_from_Neighbors

Unfortunately, the writers failed to connect the dots on these issues. Interestingly, the most relevant analysis in this issue is embedded in the editor's note:

Rethinking Water Consumption

Here the editor makes a good case for greywater, and includes a link to www.graywater.org/

Although the future of cheap permitted gray water systems in the state of California appears to be a way’s away, for those who understand the importance of conservation and our severe drought situation, gray water is the future. We need to take it upon ourselves to start advocating for new ways to save our most precious natural resource.

Indeed, this was one of the most tangible actions outlined in the 2050-plan-for-post-peak-oil-ventura. Widespread implementation of greywater would reduce the burden on our wastewater treatment plant, offset overdraft of our river and aquifers, and temper the waste of once-used water that has been treated to drinking standards. It would also create hundreds of 'green collar' jobs that would directly address our need to adapt to climate change (almost 20% of California's energy demand is in transporting and treating water.) The only thing stopping us is bureacratic inertia and overzealous regulations combined with misdirected incentives that continue to focus on centralized infrastructure.

Urban Design

A great opportunity to get involved with local folks getting organized:

Dear Urban Design Activists,

Here are two great events that we hope you’ll take part in!

“Urban” is not a four-letter word Thursday, June 11 6:30-8:30 Main St. Architects - 422 E. Main St., Ventura (upstairs) Free Event

Nick Deitch presents an in-depth look at what New Urbanism is, and how it could play a role right here in Ventura City. He will share slides and a wealth of knowledge from his decades of work as an involved architect, designer, and activist. Afterword there will be a chance for discussion and dialog.


“Although it might seem foreign to many of us, urban form is actually our most natural habitat. People throughout the world live comfortable fulfilling lives in urban places. Urbanism is the constant pursuit of creating, shaping and reshaping our built habitat – our neighborhoods, towns and cities. Good urbanism allows us to live closer together comfortably, with less reliance on the car and more reliance on neighborhood proximity to the stuff of daily life.” – Nick Deitch VCCool’s New Urbanism Pod

Monthly meeting Thursday – June 18th 6:30 – 8pm Main St. Architects - 422 E. Main St., Ventura (upstairs)
This is a work and strategy meeting, so please do attend if you’re ready to roll your sleeves up, or if you think you might be ready to do so but need more info. Topics for discussion: We’re becoming more focused on promoting a city designed for enjoyment by people instead of for the storage of cars. Our last meeting sketched out a rough plan of action. Now, we need to decide on a name, vote on our new “statement of purpose,” and map out goals and objectives and milestones. Hope to see you soon. Please feel free to call if you have questions.

Warm Regards, Rachel Morris VCCool President www.vccool.org (805)648-1267

VCCool is a Ventura County global warming action group. Our mission is to engage all people of Ventura County in promoting a healthy climate.



This event is one of a series of events that the VCCool New Urbanism pod is presenting to open the vision and the dialog for greener communities. If you have friends or people who could benefit from learning more, please invite them – this is an important chance meet and share. Please pass the word!

Sustainable Ojai

Communities around the country are beginning to think in terms of sustainability.

Note that this is not about "sustainable growth," the oxymoron used by many to promote development.

Rather, this is about defining a future in which a community can provide for itself, in terms of the basic necessities, (i.e. food, water, energy, transportation, etc) and generate a secure social and natural environment along with a thriving local economy.

Last year the City of Ventura released a 'Post Peak Oil Vision Plan.' The basic recommendation:

• LOCALIZE. Localization is the overarching critical factor in reaching the goal of reducing energy and resource consumption while enhancing quality of life. By building a greater connection between people and place, an increased respect and understanding of the land and its systems is cultivated.

Similarly, the City of Ojai took some time to think it through. The results are this 'Roadmap to a Sustainable Ojai.'


Because this flowchart is by nature all-encompassing, therefore somewhat overwhelming, a more recent iteration is this (draft) action plan which focuses only on residential issues. (And is perhaps just as overwhelming?)

Embedded in this are things that we can do right now, and strive towards in the future. The Ojai Valley Green Coalition is organizing around these principles. It seems there is no shortage of things to do.

The trick now is making these types of actions the foundation of a local economy...

See also: Sustainable Santa Barbara

Council Approves New Beach Hotel

It was late Monday evening when the Embassy Suites Hotel came before Ventura City Council. Following a presentation by city staff,
Councilmen Brennan and Monahan both had relevant comments. Brennan
said he wanted to bring up the issue of compatible uses for the City Park in front of the hotel - would the hotel use the public park for weddings, etc? and how would dogs and frisbees potentially affect the dining facilities that front the park? Monahan asked if there were any remaining pipelines from the oil tanks, which remained unanswered. (Those of us who use the beach know that there is at least one pipe in the vicinity, although this could be the remnants of the sewage treatment plant that once discharged there)

Although Deputy Mayor Fulton had emphasized the impacts of sea level rise in his "Earth Day" speech at this location on Saturday, there was no discussion in response to Surfrider's comments on the issue, including funding current and future seawall maintenance. I told the Council that this was a missed opportunity to fund much-needed beach maintenance. The City Manager prompted the City Attorney to respond to Surfrider allegations that the environmental document was deficient, to which staff responded that the hotel will be 11.5 feet above sea level and there is no nexus under CEQA.

It was clear that the City Council is pleased with the design and
plans for this hotel. Construction is scheduled to begin within a year.

more here: http://venturaecosystem.blogspot.com/2009/03/coastal-development-at-c-st.html


Local Press: Ventura council approves hotel, market

California at the Tipping Point

This from KQED public television:

The world's climate is changing and California is now being affected in both dramatic and subtle ways. Get an in-depth look at the science behind climate change as we explore the environmental changes taking place throughout the state.


QUEST on KQED Public Media.

Coastal Commission Sea Level Rise

SEA LEVEL RISE WORKSHOP - Thurs April 9, 2009

The California Coastal Commission met in Oxnard this week. Thursday morning saw a presentation and discussion of recently issued draft reports that address the impacts of climate change and sea level rise on coastal flooding, erosion, and beach recreation. The workshop included California Coastal Erosion Response to Sea Level Rise—Analysis and Mapping by Philip Williams & Associates, LTD., The Impacts of Sea Level Rise on the California Coast by the Pacific Institute.

It was clear that this issue's profile is increasing, but some of the Commissioner's comments suggested a desire to maintain business-as-usual until even more studies are done.

I was among a handful of public comments urging the Commission to consider sea level rise in current and future policy. With a 2 minute time limit, I skipped my planned policy suggestions and said something like this:

The Surfrider Foundation is dedicated to protecting and preserving the world's oceans waves and beaches. The California coast has a legacy of decades of coastal development, all planned based on the assumption of a fairly static sea level. As the presentations today have illustrated, there is a rapidly increasing risk of sea level rise. But remember that this work was done with the most conservative estimates, using a 1.4m rise. Recent science suggests this may happen much faster and much higher than previously predicted. The economic impacts of catastrophic sea level rise are hard to imagine - consider the 'toxic assets' of coastal real estate, when suddenly ocean front property becomes a liability!


People everywhere, even kids, are trying to organize and figure out how to respond to this crisis. There is a 14 year old from Ventura, Alec Loorz, who started a group called 'Kids vs Global Warming.' He did a project called SLAPP, Sea Level Awareness Project, in which kids installed a series of poles along the water front. Each pole shows the water level around 17 feet above today, which is about where we'll be if Greenland melts. The poles also have symbols of things that will be impacted; the power plant, sewage treatment plant, highway, and more...

The studies presented today suggest that billions of dollars will be needed to protect or relocate infrastructure, maintain or construct seawalls, and other measures to deal with coastal erosion. The big question is who is going to pay for it?

Our city can't even afford to do the maintenance and restoration that our beaches need today. And it should not be the taxpayer's burden to protect private property in the future inundation zones.




The late author, Kurt Vonnegut, often spoke of when "the excrement hits the air-conditioner."

I am afraid that time is quickly approaching...

It is critical that the Coastal Commission consider sea level rise with every decision that is made.