Newport Beach is preparing to move sand to one of its most iconic surf spots. The reported plan would replenish The Wedge's shrinking shoreline ahead of the coming storm season.
The project comes as officials look to get ahead of the upcoming El Niño storm season, according to CBS News. The outlet reports on Newport Beach's planned sand transfer ahead of the storm season.
Sand Replenishment at The Wedge
The plan calls for replenishing sand at The Wedge, according to the CBS report.
The Wedge is a Newport Beach surf spot known for powerful waves.
What El Niño Records Show
According to the California Coastal Commission, past strong El Niño winters—including 1982-83, 1997-98, 2009-10, 2015-16 and 2023-24—produced severe coastal erosion in many California locations through the combination of elevated water levels, higher wave energy and shifts in wave direction. The commission, citing NOAA's August 2026 forecast, also reported a greater than 95% chance that El Niño conditions would continue through the 2026-27 Northern Hemisphere winter.
Those records establish a historical erosion risk but do not determine the exact rainfall, flooding or coastal-storm outcome for Newport Beach this season. The commission noted that California's local conditions remain uncertain, so the historical comparisons provide context for the timing of the sand transfer rather than a precise forecast for The Wedge.
Timing Tied To Storm Season
The reported rationale for moving the sand now is the arrival of El Niño-driven storm activity. Official coastal records say strong El Niño winters can bring elevated water levels, higher wave energy and shifts in wave direction, conditions that have contributed to severe erosion in many California locations.
Specific details on the volume of sand being moved, a project timeline, and funding have not been made public. The CBS report places the planned transfer ahead of the El Niño storm season.
