Beach Replenishment Begins at Topaz Jetty

Work began last week on a project that will add approximately 75,000 cubic yards of sand to the beach near the Topaz Street jetty in Redondo Beach.

Crews will use clean sand from a to widen the beach between Topaz and Ruby streets by 60 to 100 feet. The project will also slightly raise the height of the beach. The project is expected to last approximately 45 days, the city of Redondo Beach said in a release.

Workers were seen Wednesday setting up large black pipes that will continuously pump 200 dump trucks worth of sand per day from a barge anchored 1,000 yards offshore. Once the sand reaches the beach, a bulldozer will be used to evenly spread the sand across the beach.

Crews will also deposit approximately 85,000 cubic yards of sand into a storage pit located 500 yards offshore from the Topaz Street jetty. The deposits, which will be made twice per day, will be used for future beach replenishment projects, the city said.

Officials said work will occur 24 hours a day until the project is complete, and workers will strive to keep noise levels to a minimum while adhering to the city's noise ordinances. According to the city, crews will only use the bulldozer to spread sand during daytime hours.

For beachgoers, the city said the newly-deposited sand will at first appear darker in color and may have a slight odor to it. However, as the sun dries out the sand, officials said it will be "indistinguishable" from other sand on the beach.

All sand headed for Redondo has been tested for contaminants and approved by the EPA, Army Corps of Engineers, the California Coastal Commission and the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, the city said.

Beach replenishment efforts at the Topaz Street jetty are part of a larger, in November that aims to remove sediment that was hampering navigation at the entrance to Marina del Rey.

Those that still have questions or concerns about the project can contact city of Redondo Beach public relations specialist Trish Pietrzak at 310-995-9800 or trish@platinumprsolutions.com.