Beach erosion will have major impact on living costs in coastal Southern California

The combination of rising sea levels due to climate change and urban development throughout Southern California will accelerate the negative impacts of coastal beach erosion in the region over the next few decades and likely beyond.

A new study from the University of Southern California (USC) indicates that coastal Southern California living costs may be five times higher than they are now by the year 2050 due to ongoing beach erosion.

The increase in beach erosion in this region will lead to more frequent beach nourishment projects, which are costly. Those added costs will certainly be felt by residents who live along this popular coastline.

Through careful analysis of data, the researchers determined that there will likely be a tripling of erosion rates along the Southern California coastline by the halfway point of this century. The annual sand requirement for the nourishment of beaches is also likely to increase threefold by 2050.

According to the USC report, Southern California beaches are currently receding an average of 0.75 to 1.24 meters (2.5 to 4 feet) per year.

“Our investigation suggests that coastal problems start inland due to the rapid growth of cities along the coast, which compromise inland sediment replenishment of sandy beaches,” said Essam Heggy who is the study's corresponding author and whose research focuses on understanding water evolution in Earth’s arid environments.