erosion at sloat. 1.23.10

SF SURFRIDER press release.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Darin Rosas

SF Surfrider Chair

darin@sfsurfrider.org

http://sloaterosionob.blogspot.com/

THE SAN FRANCISCO SURFRIDER FOUNDATION ADDRESSES COASTAL EROSION EMERGENCY AT OCEAN BEACH IN SAN FRANCISCO

San Francisco, CA (January 22, 2010) – The San Francisco Surfrider Chapter (SF Surfrider) is calling for a long-term solution to the coastal erosion problems at Ocean Beach, SF, south of Sloat Blvd. This comes in response to a declaration of a coastal erosion emergency, by the SF Department of Public Works (DPW), along the shoreline south of Sloat Boulevard

On January 7^th the southbound lane of the Great Highway, south of Sloat Boulevard was closed and, on January 21^st, both southbound lanes were closed. On January 15^th, the DPW announced a declaration of emergency along the Great Highway due to severely eroded bluffs on the west side of the road. Currently, most of the Great Highway from Lake Merced to Golden Gate Park is closed due to a storm. Only the bus turn-around at Sloat Boulevard is open.

In recent years, the DPW has used beach nourishment to control the coastal erosion issues at Sloat Boulevard. SF Surfrider understands the need for taking emergency action to protect the current infrastructure along the Great Highway, south of Sloat Boulevard. However, SF Surfrider feels that a long-term solution is overdue.

In 2001, the Ocean Beach Taskforce, created by Mayor Willie Brown, analyzed alternate solutions for coastal erosion issues at Ocean Beach. The Taskforce concluded that the best long-term solution was a combination of beach restoration, managed retreat, and infrastructure relocation. No official long-term policy was ever adopted or executed.

Surfrider Foundation advocates long-term solutions where coastal development is threatened and suggests the goal of maximizing beach access while minimizing impacts to the beach and its ecological integrity. Under no circumstances does SF Surfrider support the permanent installation of hard retention structures along the coastline. Such structures can temporarily protect existing coastline development but have no place in beach preservation or a healthy beach ecosystem.

A community meeting is being held on Monday, January 25th at 7pm at the Park Chalet (located behind the Beach Chalet at 1000 Great Highway in San Francisco) to discuss the proposed actions at Sloat Boulevard. The DPW Project Manager, Frank Filice will be there to discuss the emergency declaration, the short-term strategy, and a process for a long-term solution.

Everyone who has an interest in the preservation and the future of Ocean Beach is encouraged to attend. The emergency declaration will go before the San Francisco Board of Supervisors for ratification the following day, Tuesday, January 26th. For questions or more information, please email the meeting organizer and Chair of the San Francisco Ocean Beach Vision Council: Lara Truppelli at Lara@beachchalet.com.

______________________________

The Surfrider Foundation, San Francisco Chapter
is a non-profit grassroots environmental organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of our world’s oceans, waves and beaches. Now in its 26th year, the Surfrider Foundation has grown from a small group of dedicated surfers in Malibu, California to a global movement made up of over 50,000 members and 90 chapters worldwide. For more information visit us at www.sfsurfrider.org.

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COMMUNITY meeting to discuss SLOAT EROSION next monday, jan 25th

A community meeting is being held next Monday, January 25th at 7pm at the Park Chalet (located behind the Beach Chalet at 1000 Great Highway). The DPW Project Manager, Frank Filice will be there to discuss the emergency declaration, short term strategy, and the process for long-term solutions for the erosion at Sloat.

Everyone who has an interest in the preservation and future of Ocean Beach is encouraged to attend. The emergency declaration will go before the SF Board of Supervisors for ratification the following day, Tuesday the 26th.

For questions or more information, please email the organizer: Lara Truppelli at Lara@beachchalet.com (Lara was part of the OB Taskforce and is Chair of the Ocean Beach Vision Council - so she is well informed on the issues)

surfpulse pix of the erosion at SLOAT.

check out the rest of the photos at surfpulse.

OB webcam.

Here is this AM's photo from the OB webcam that is located on the Cliff House on the Northern side of OB. The camera is maintained by the USGS (United States Geological Survey) and updated every ten minutes. Check it out:

http://www.evsboca.com/usgs/default.htm

both southbound lanes closed on the great highway.

San Francisco DPW closed both southbound lanes of the Great Highway south of Sloat Blvd.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/01/20/BANC1BL3DQ.DTL

This article references a 1996 Army Corps of Engineer Report that suggested coastal armoring at Sloat -- this was PRE-Ocean Beach Taskforce, which eventually lead to an Army Corps of Engineer Project that helped renourish Ocean Beach at Sloat Blvd.

The Army Corps of Engineer Project places sand annually that is dredged from the main ship channel into San Francisco Bay in the coastal zone offshore at Sloat Blvd. The goal is to deposit sand in the near-shore location that will work its way onto the shoreline and build up the width of Ocean Beach at Sloat Blvd.

More info on the Army Corps of Enginner Project at Sloat:
http://www.spn.usace.army.mil/newsrelease/newsrelease_5_21_09_SF_Ocean_Beach.html

Erosion at OB Wed AM

Surfrider member Bill McLaughlin and Crescent Calimpong

went out Wednesday morning to take a look at what was happening.

Here Bill is staring down at the fresh erosion

below the road at the northern parking lot at Sloat.

You should have seen his face when he realized what he was standing on!

Just beyond the southern parking lot at Sloat

the guardrail along the highway has started to fall towards the beach.

Pictures taken by Crescent Calimpong