This field work complements annual surveys over a larger area, from Santa Cruz to Moss Landing, that the USGS began in October 2014 to document the volume of sand moving along the coast. Conducting surveys over many years will ultimately provide a detailed picture of how our coastline reacts to changes in waves and sand input. The results can be incorporated into future scenarios of sea-level rise and climate change, contributing directly to Monterey Bay communities working on how to protect their coastlines.

Targeted surveys of vulnerable and dynamic coastal zones such as the mouth of the San Lorenzo River and the Capitola area after large winter storms will enable scientists to know what happens and how the beaches change, and will aid the understanding of how big storm events, such as those occurring during El Niño years, shape and erode the coast.

What: Media availability for interviews and photo opportunity: Scientific beach surveys by boat and personal watercraft.

Who: Project lead Patrick Barnard and other scientists from the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center.

When/Where: Friday, January 13, 9:30-10:30 a.m., at the mouth of the San Lorenzo River, on Santa Cruz Municipal Beach, California.

RSVP to Patrick Barnard, 415-328-2087

Sandy coastlines are a valuable resource that protect man-made structures from waves, serve as habitat for important species, and provide a variety of recreational opportunities. Big storms that wreak havoc in the area may also do some good by helping streams carry much-needed sand to local beaches

More information about this research is online.