Goleta Beach 2.0: Managed Retreat to Mitigate Coastal Erosion
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Summary
Goleta Beach State Park is located just north of Santa Barbara, California. Goleta Beach is a dynamic coastal system, with alternating patterns of accretion and erosion throughout its history. However, since the 1970s, it appears that Goleta Beach has eroded substantially, prompting Santa Barbara County to examine potential strategies to mitigate beach loss. In 2009, the Goleta Beach 2.0 Concept Planning Process (“Goleta Beach 2.0”) was established to reexamine managed retreat options for the park in order to mitigate coastal erosion. Goleta Beach 2.0 managed retreat may prove to be the most resilient strategy for the beach as sea level rises.
Background
Goleta Beach is a dynamic coastal system, which has fluctuated over the years as a result of storm events and other determinants (e.g., Pacific Multi-decadal Oscillation). However, since the 1970s, Goleta Beach has shrunk by hundreds of feet, prompting Santa Barbara County to examine potential strategies to mitigate loss of beach area.
A Goleta Beach Working Group met for several years to evaluate different approaches to lessen beach loss. The working group ultimately narrowed the approaches down to two major strategies: a structural solution or managed retreat. An environmental review was conducted, and a structural solution (i.e., permeable pier addition) was chosen as the preferred option. However, the Environmental Defense Center and Surfrider Foundation organized opposition to the pier proposal and after a thorough review of the proposed addition, the California Coastal Commission voted in July 2009 to turn down the county’s plan. At the time, several Coastal Commissioners encouraged the county to reexamine potential managed retreat options for the park. The permeable pier project has since been withdrawn, and in October 2009, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors established Goleta Beach 2.0 to rethink strategies for mitigating beach loss and outline their potential recreational, environmental, and fiscal impacts.
Implementation
Santa Barbara County Parks is the project lead for Goleta Beach 2.0. Since the project's inception, the Parks department has completed an extensive field survey of existing conditions, used GIS to map the park, identified structures that are at risk to beach loss, and examined alternate park configurations. As part of the planning process, Santa Barbara County Parks must solicit public input and comment and present options to the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors.
Outcomes and Conclusions
In February 2010, a public information meeting was held which covered the erosion history of Goleta Beach as well as the Goleta Beach 2.0 planning process. The planning process identified several areas that are vulnerable to coastal erosion, including:
- Prime Erosion Zone, located at the park’s western end - it includes parking lots and underground utilities; and
- Major Utility Lines, located in the Prime Erosion Zone - these include utility lines for high-pressure gas, reclaimed water, and pressurized wastewater that transit the park.
Goleta Beach 2.0 also devised an alternate park configuration concept plan that included ten future actions to enhance Goleta Beach County Park. Proposed changes include:
- Relocate western parking lots and allow beach to reclaim these areas;
- Relocated key utility lines from the prime erosion zone;
- Relocate Coastal Trail bike path;
- Create the Goleta Slough landing for water taxis and kayaks;
- Create the Goleta Slough interpretative access trail;
- Build a new park auto access bridge;
- Convert existing bridge to bike and pedestrian access;
- Extend central area rock revetment;
- Create a utility backstop revetment zone; and
- Expand recreational programs.
While Goleta Beach 2.0 has not yet resulted in a specific engineering plan, it has outlined a conceptual plan that will lead to an engineering proposal and environmental review. A local engineering company has been hired to do the design and cost estimate for Goleta Beach 2.0. In addition, beach nourishment projects have deposited over 60,000 cubic yards of sand as part of a multi-faceted approach to protecting the beach.
Status
Information was collected from interviews and online resources. Updated 12/17/10Project File (s)
Citation
Kershner, J. (2010). Goleta Beach 2.0: Managed Retreat to Mitigate Coastal Erosion [Case study on a project of the Santa Barbara County Parks]. Product of EcoAdapt's State of Adaptation Program. Retrieved from CAKE: http://www.cakex.org/case-studies/goleta-beach-20-managed-retreat-mitiga... (Last updated December 2010)
