A hefty sand mining operation has been set in motion just off the coast of San Dieguito Lagoon inlet, where an offshore vessel is working diligently to harvest the sandy grains destined to pad the shores of Solana Beach and Encinitas.
In what's been a long time coming, the City of Solana Beach has paired up with the US Army Corps of Engineers to commence with the herculean task of dredging a whopping 700,000 cubic yards of sand from the sea bed, located roughly 3,500 feet away from the lagoon's mouth. Solana Beach honchos, declare this borrowed sand will soon blanket nearly 25 acres of beach extending 150 feet wide and 7,200 feet long, once it's faithfully pumped ashore and sculpted by some serious earthmoving firepower.
The ship at the helm of this underwater excavation is the "Bayport," pride of the Manson Construction Co. fleet based in Seattle. This isn't your average seafaring beast. No sir, the 303-foot leviathan is a master at turning sand into slush, equipped to "slurrify a load and pump out her hopper with extreme efficiency," as the company's website boasts.
Those monitoring the tick-tock at the shoreline have set their watches for a solid 105 days of offshore action—60 days for Solana Beach's segment and an additional 45 for Encinitas's. Interestingly, this sandy enterprise's "borrow site" sits about a half-mile from terra firma, strategically positioned beyond the littoral cell. In this zone, the ocean plays a seasonal game of give and take with the beach's sand. Without a push from our human comrades, sand from this site would never grace the beaches naturally, say coastal engineering brains.
Environmental watchdogs have been assured that a thorough shoreline surveillance schedule is in place during the operations, coupled with some after-action reviews. And, just in case this sand shuffle wrought havoc with lagoon inlet closures, there's backup funding stashed away for mitigation.
Those seeking the nitty-gritty on this coastal facelift need only reach out to Solana Beach City Hall at 858-720-2400 or take a gander at their online announcement for the full scoop
