Imperial Beach Asks for $56 Million to Replenish Sand

KPBS | By KPBS Public Broadcasting

Published May 23, 2007 at 10:10 AM PDT

This story was published more than 16 years ago.

Imperial Beach wants $56 million to replenish the beach with sand. Why does a beach need more sand and why does it cost so much? We speak with a coastal engineer at Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Alison St John (Guest Host): The city of Imperial Beach has spent almost $200,000 in the past six years to lobby for federal money to replenish the sand on its beaches. The investment looks like it will pay off as federal legislation has earmarked $56 million for the project.

But is this money down the drain? Will the sand just wash away in a year or two? This is a question that washes to the fore from time to time about beaches up and down the San Diego coastline.

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Guest:

Dr. Richard Seymour , a coastal engineer at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego.