Local Beaches to Be Widened with Sand Replenishment

North and South Carlsbad beaches will be widened this fall as part of a regional sand replenishment project.

In North Carlsbad, work will take place near Buena Vista Lagoon. Sand will be spread south from the lagoon mouth to approximately Carlsbad Village Drive.

In South Carlsbad work will take place south of Palomar Airport Road. Sand will be spread south and end before Coast Highway.

The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) 2012 Regional Beach Sand Project (RBSP) is bringing more than 1.4 million cubic yards of sand to shorelines from Oceanside to Imperial Beach.

“Putting sand onto the region’s beaches will provide environmental, economic and recreational benefits for residents and tourists,” SANDAG project manager Shelby Tucker said in a written statement.

The sand used in this project is dredged from deposits that sit a couple miles off the shoreline in about 50 feet of water. The makeup of that sand is compatible with what’s already on the beaches.

“Every effort to minimize impacts to our coastal environment will be made,” Tucker added.

To see the complete Environmental Impact Report (EIR), you can review the PDF file attached to this story.

The new sand is scheduled to arrive between August and October.

SANDAG estimates the project will cost $29 million from planning through construction. The project is funded in part by the the California Department of Boating and Waterways, and the participating cities. 

For updates on the RBSP timeline, visit sandag.org/beachsand. To subscribe to notifications, e-mail beachsand@sandag.org. For more information, call the project hotline at (619) 699-0640.