Spring 2026 Newsletter

Welcome to the RE:BEACH Springtime Update! We kicked off 2026 with major progress on design, wrapped up studies on sand sources and distribution for the nearshore and onshore beach nourishment, and are now busy with environmental planning and permitting. In this edition, we concentrate on our design progress stemming from large-scale physical modeling at Oregon State University. We’ll also share updates on the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) compliance process and upcoming project milestones.  

Thank you for your continued engagement as we work toward a more resilient future for Oceanside’s beaches. Learn more at www.rebeach.org or subscribe for updates here. 

Sand Distribution Feasibility Study

The City of Oceanside’s RE:BEACH project requires substantial volumes of high-quality sand for both initial construction and long-term beach maintenance. Approximately 900,000 cubic yards (cy) of sand is needed for initial nourishment, with potentially up to 500,000 cy of sand required every 3 to 5 years to maintain restored beach widths. To meet these needs, the City completed a Sand Distribution Feasibility Study  to evaluate cost-effective and reliable sand sources and subsequent delivery strategies. The study incorporates current scientific understanding of sediment transport across the world, regional sand management practices, and available local and regional sand resources, while also considering lessons learned from prior efforts such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Experimental Sand Bypass System. Two primary sand delivery scenarios were evaluated: 

Scenario 1: Fixed Harbor Bypass System: 
This scenario considers construction of a fixed or semi-fixed pipeline system to transport sand from the Camp Pendleton fillet and Santa Margarita River area across Oceanside Harbor to City beaches. While technically feasible, this approach presents significant constraints, including limited access to sand sources under U.S. Marine Corps jurisdiction, complex regulatory and interagency coordination requirements, high upfront capital costs, and extended delivery timelines. The estimated cost to deliver 500,000 cy is approximately $88.3 million, with considerable uncertainty. This scenario carries substantial financial, operational, and jurisdictional risks. 
 
Scenario 2: Mobile Offshore Dredging: 
This scenario evaluates the use of mobile dredging operations to source sand from offshore borrow sites and place it directly on City beaches. This approach reflects established regional practices and offers several advantages, including readily available compatible sand sources, no requirement for permanent infrastructure, flexibility in implementation, and the ability to deliver large sand volumes in a single campaign. The estimated cost to deliver 500,000 cy is approximately $12.6 million, with a narrower range of uncertainty and greater cost reliability. 
 
The study demonstrates that while multiple sand sourcing strategies are technically feasible, they vary significantly in terms of cost, risk, permitting complexity, and implementation timelines. Identifying reliable and cost-effective sand sources will be critical to the long-term success of the RE:BEACH project and the City’s broader coastal resilience objectives. 

Project Design Updates

Physical Modeling of the RE:BEACH Pilot Project 

Oceanside advanced the RE:BEACH Pilot Project through state-of-the-art physical wave modeling at the O.H. Hinsdale Wave Research Laboratory. A 1:35 scale model of Oceanside’s coastline — from the Oceanside Pier to Wisconsin Avenue — was constructed in a large directional wave basin to test the proposed offshore reef and headland system under a range of tide and wave conditions. This effort builds on more than 900 numerical simulations and 45 reef configurations analyzed over the past year.  The physical modeling effort produced several important findings that support the viability of the RE:BEACH Project: 

• Multiple reef geometries were tested, allowing refinement of the design.  

• The combined system of offshore and shoreline features altered nearshore circulation patterns in a manner that encourages retention of nourished sand, forming a more stable beach system compared to existing conditions where sand rapidly disperses and currents drive sediment offshore and alongshore. 

• Under a range of water levels, the project continued to provide measurable benefits, although periodic re-nourishment will be necessary as part of a long-term adaptive management strategy. 

• Physical modeling informed adjustments to the configuration, elevation, and orientation of project elements to minimize localized scour, avoid wave focusing, and improve overall system performance. 

• While optimizing the artificial reef for both coastal resilience and consistent, high-quality surf amenity is inherently complex and condition-dependent, the artificial reef has the potential to enhance surfability in and adjacent to the reef by modifying wave breaking patterns and improving sand bar development. 

• Surf performance is inherently variable and dependent on oceanographic conditions; however, modeling results indicate that reef geometry can promote more favorable wave peeling and ride length under certain swell and tidal conditions, suggesting that recreational enhancement could be a strong co-benefit of the project.  

Results from this testing will further refine the design for final engineering and environmental review. The physical modeling analysis and results will be included in a forthcoming technical report. 

Morphological Modeling 

The project team is advancing a coastal morphological modeling study to better understand how the shoreline along Oceanside changes over time and how the proposed improvements could help protect and retain sand on local beaches. Using a model that represents the coastline from Oceanside Harbor to Tamarack jetties, the study evaluates how the project’s key features—such as beach nourishment, headlands, and an offshore reef—may interact with sediment movement along the coast.  

Preliminary results suggest that while adding sand alone provides only temporary benefits, combining nourishment with sand retention features could help keep beaches wider for a longer period of time. The modeling is also helping to illustrate how sand may move to nearby beaches, allowing the project to be planned responsibly and minimize unintended impacts. While no model can perfectly predict future conditions, this analysis provides a strong, science-based foundation to guide project design and highlights the importance of continued monitoring and adaptation over time. The modeling analysis and results will be included in a forthcoming technical report. 

Environmental Compliance and Permitting

The City of Oceanside’s pilot project is making headlines, showcasing its forward-thinking design to restore beaches and improve coastal resilience. Here are a few recent articles highlighting the project:  

• Surfline - Oceanside’s Artificial Reef is Focused on Sand, but Might Still Create Waves 

• San Diego Union Tribune - Butterfly-shaped reef proposed for Oceanside sand retention project 

• SF Gate - California coastal town desperate to save its city's beaches 

Stay Connected

For more information and updates throughout 2026, visit www.rebeach.org or subscribe to newsletter updates here.