El Nino creates more erosion on Central Coast beaches

If you want a clear picture of erosion, just look at Del Monte Beach in Monterey.

“It’s weird to see how much it has changed because of the erosion and all that’s been going on with the weather,” said Reina Hammond of Hilmar, California.

Naval Postgraduate professor of oceanography Ed Thornton said king tides and storm waves are already eating away at the beach by carrying sand offshore, but this winter’s El Nino is making things worse.

“The dunes are being cut back this year in a permanent way that they’re not going to come back,” said Thornton.

Thornton says El Nino is creating warmer-than-average waters, causing the water to expand, elevating the sea level about a foot.

“And that foot is important because you add that to a high tide and then that allows the waves to get further back into the beach and create more erosion,” said Thornton.

El Nino’s conditions are also bringing waves from the west instead of the north that are much larger.

“When the periods become 17-20 second intervals, this is when you get more run-up and more eating away at the dunes and the beaches,” said Thornton.

Since the dunes created 18,000 years ago cannot be recovered, it’s predicted that 75 years from now, “sea level will wise about 3 feet more and Del Monte Avenue will be covered in water,” said Thornton.

Pacific Grove is also concerned about coastal erosion.

The Public Works Department said its experiencing erosion that’s close to damaging infrastructure.

It’s asking the city for money to develop a plan for future years.