THE IMPACT OF SHORELINE ARMORING ON CALIFORNIA’S OCEAN ECONOMY

CALIFORNIA AND THE WORLD OCEANSEPTEMBER 2010

CHAD NELSENSURFRIDER FOUNDATION

CA TOURISM & RECREATION

(Kildow & Colgan 2005)

THE CA BEACH ECONOMY

USE 13.1 Million Californians visited beaches

(Leeworthy 2001)

150 million beach visits (Pendleton & Kildow 2006)

ECONOMICS $14 Billion in direct revenues (King, 1999)

~$8 Billion in non-market value (Pendleton & Kildow 2006)

Beach loss: $8.3 billion (King & Symes 2003)

CA COASTAL EROSION

(Griggs 2005)

SHORELINE ARMORING

Statewide Ventura, LA, Orange & San Diego County

(Griggs 2005)

CA COASTAL ACT Section 30225

Shoreline armoring shall be permitted when required to protect existing structures in danger from erosion

CA COASTAL ACT: MITIGATION

…and when designed to eliminate or mitigate adverse impacts on local shoreline sand supply.

CCC APPROACHES TO MIGITATION SAND (Engineering question)

CCC Procedural Guidance Document

LOST RECREATION (Economics question) 2004: Ocean Harbor House: Acreage Approach 2005: Las Brisas: Amenity Approach 2009: Neptune: Replacement Approach 2010: City of Solana Beach: Site Specific Study

BEACH ECOSYSTEMS (Ecosystem services question) Not included

CONCLUSIONS

Beaches: important to CA Ocean Economy

CCA continues to allow shoreline armoring

Mitigation for beach loss is incomplete

Mitigation program needs improvement

Alternatives to armoring are essential

RECOMMENDATIONS

Standardize Recreational Value Approach

Day use value

Climate change

Procedural Guidance Document

Develop ecosystem services model

Research on beach ecosystem service values

Seek alternative to armoring: Managed Retreat

QUESTIONS

What does mitigation of adverse impacts mean?

Where does the money go?

Will it be enough?

What does the future look like with a robust mitigation program?

Are there better alternatives? What are they?

CHAD NELSENemail: cnelsen@surfrider.orgtwitter: chadenelsenblog: surfeconomics.blogspot.com