Sloat Restoration through Managed Retreat

Sloat Restoration through Managed Retreat
This is our original vision for Sloat Restoration - graphic courtesy of PSA and Associates and the Ocean Beach Task Force

Our Vision of Beach Restoration and Preservation

The shorelines of Ocean Beach south of Sloat Blvd and Sharp Park in Pacifica are threatened by rip-rap seawallls and long-term erosion. This blog chronicles our campaign efforts to restore these beaches. Check out the web view of this site to see our proposed solutions and how to help- in the right hand column below. For all the latest about our efforts, see our monthly posts.

We advocate a managed retreat strategy to restore both Ocean Beach south of Sloat and Sharp Park.

At Sloat, our vision involves:

A long-term plan to relocate threatened infrastructure
(including the south of Sloat Great Highway, the two oceanside parking lots and the sewer lines underneath them).

The cleanup of all the rock and rubble littering the beach.

The use of sand dunes as the primary tool to slow erosion.

For Sharp Park, we advocate the decommissioning of the golf course, the removal of the rip-rap berm, and a full restoration of the wetland.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Construction Update


Photo by Les Martin

Construction of the new rock revetment is virtually complete. Bob Battalio has been in contact with DPW reviewing their plans, providing consulting and oversight of the construction project. Dpw is working through the National Park Service to get a permit to plug some of the smaller erosion hotspots with old concrete rubble already on the beach. We are also still awaiting verification that 2000 tons of the old construction rubble has been removed from the beach. Again, we are happy to see that at least some of the old construction debris is removed. However, it must be noted that we do feel that this amount is rather small - 2000 tons compared to an estimated 12,000 tons of rock contained in the new revetment. A more fair and just mitigation should involve at least a 1:1 ratio - an equal amount of rock removed for that which is added. We have asked DPW to look into doing a 1:1 removal, but they have declined, citing concerns from other stakeholders. In response, the Chapter and Save the Waves have drafted a letter to the Coastal Commission asking the agency to require a 1:1 rate. We are awaiting news on this petition.

This is where we are right now. The Save Sloat community would like to ask everyone to keep spreading the word around about the issue. It's clear that the City has built this infrastructure way too close to the ocean. Right now, we are on a path of total and complete armoring, a disaster for this stretch of beach. Please keep writing letters to key government officials. Ask for 1:1 rock removal, and a long term solution that avoids more armoring. Thanks for your support!

Bill McLaughlin
San Francisco Chapter Erosion Committee