This webpage was updated on April 6, 2026

California Beach Resiliency Plan 


Safeguarding California’s Beaches for Future Generations 

California’s beaches are facing serious challenges, from sea level rise and erosion to increased storm impacts and a shrinking sand supply due to development and hard infrastructure, such as seawalls and dams. The California Beach Resiliency Plan is a statewide effort to understand where our beaches are most vulnerable, what solutions may be possible, and how we can take action to protect them. The Plan is expected to be completed in 2027.

Led by the California Ocean Protection Council (OPC) and the UC Santa Barbara Ocean and Coastal Policy Center (OCPC), the Plan brings together a multidisciplinary team of scientists, planners, economists, and policy experts. The team includes the following partners:

  • Charles Lester, UCSB OCPC 
  • Lilia Mourier, UCSB OCPC  
  • Ella McDougall, OPC
  • Jenny Dugan, UC Santa Barbara  
  • Summer Gray, Jenny Dugan, UC Santa Barbara    
  • José Castro-Sotomayor, CSU Channel Islands
  • Dan Reineman, CSU Channel Islands  
  • Kiki Patsch, CSU Channel Islands
  • Kriss Neuman, Point Blue  
  • Sam Veloz, Point Blue  
  • Stephanie Coates, Point Blue  
  • Sean Vitousek, U.S. Geological Survey 
  • Teresa Romero, Strategic Earth  
  • Bri Goodwin, Strategic Earth  
  • Phil King, Ceto Consulting  
  • Sarah Jenkins, Ceto Consulting  

The Plan will be organized into four main components: 

  • County-by-County Snapshots – profiles of local beach conditions, vulnerabilities, and trends 
  • Decision Guidance – tools to help local planners and managers evaluate adaptation strategies 
  • Policy Recommendations – options for statewide coordination and funding 
  • Integrated Components – drawing on geophysical, ecological, and socioeconomic data 

Read the approved December 2023 OPC staff recommendation.

The Plan is being designed for a wide audience, from state policymakers and local planners to everyday beachgoers who care about the future of our coast. 

Why This Matters 

The Threat 

Beaches across California are at risk. Without intervention, 24–75% of beaches could disappear by 2100 (USGS, 2023). Rising seas, erosion, and more intense storms are already reshaping the shoreline, and development has reduced sediment supply, making it harder for beaches to naturally replenish.

What’s at Stake 

Losing our beaches would mean less public access and recreational space, degraded coastal ecosystems and habitats, and increased risks to coastal economies and community identity 

Learn more about California’s sea level rise science and policy: OPC Sea Level Rise Webpage and the State of California Sea Level Rise Guidance: 2024 Science and Policy Update

What the Plan Will Do 

Understand Beach Resiliency 

  • Assess the vulnerability of beaches statewide, including the San Francisco Bay. 
  • Analyze how sea level rise, erosion, and other climate threats affect beach systems ecologically, physically, and socially. 

Guide Local Decision-Making 

  • Provide tools and guidance for planners to evaluate and prioritize beach adaptation strategies. 
  • Support alignment with state policy and help target funding and investments. 

Deliver County-by-County Snapshots 

  • Offer localized beach profiles with trends, risks, and opportunities 
  • Help communities plan with regional data and beach-specific recommendations 

Inform Statewide Policy and Coordination 

  • Recommend policies, investments, and governance strategies to support long-term beach resilience 
  • Share insights to improve coordination across jurisdictions and ensure beaches are managed as shared public assets 

Stay Engaged 

The Plan is underway with an anticipated completion in mid-2027. OPC will be hosting two public webinars in the near future, providing a chance to learn more, ask questions, and help shape the final Plan. Stay tuned for updates! 

Staff Contacts

Ella McDougall
Senior Climate Change Program Manager (Specialist)
Ella.McDougall@resources.ca.gov 

Dana Point – Stacy Hayden

Project Framework:
The Beach Socio-
Ecological System
(Lester et al., In press)

This diagram presents a systems framework showing how climate change affects coastal beaches through linked physical, ecological, social, and governance processes. It uses rectangular boxes grouped by theme and arrows indicating direction of influence. Some arrows show feedback loops where components influence each other. Component Descriptions (Top to Bottom) 1. Climate Change Contents: “Sea Level Rise” and “Increased Storm Frequency and Intensity.” Role: The primary driver at the top of the diagram. Connections: Arrows flow downward to Geophysical Dynamics and Ecological Dynamics. 2. Geophysical Dynamics Contents: Ocean Processes, Water Quality, Littoral Cells Dynamics, Sand Shed. Role: Physical coastal processes affecting beach formation. Connections: Receives an arrow from Climate Change. Sends arrows to Beach Formation. Exchanges arrows with Ecological Dynamics (a two-way interaction). 3. Ecological Dynamics Contents: Coastal Flora and Fauna. Role: Biological systems influencing and influenced by coastal processes. Connections: Receives an arrow from Climate Change. Sends an arrow to Beach Formation. Exchanges arrows with Geophysical Dynamics. 4. Beach Formation Contents: Beach Extent, Shape, and Character. Role: The physical expression of beaches as shaped by geophysical and ecological factors. Connections: Receives arrows from both Geophysical Dynamics and Ecological Dynamics. Sends arrows to Adaptive Capacity and Beach Functions and Values. 5. Adaptive Capacity Contents: Accommodation Space, Flexibility, and Resilience. Role: Ability of the beach system to adjust to changing conditions. Connections: Receives an arrow from Beach Formation. Sends an arrow to Beach Functions and Values. Receives an arrow from Beach Governance and Outputs. 6. Beach Functions and Values Contents: Cultural and Civic Space, Tribal, Ecological, Environmental Justice, Economic, and Risk Mitigation. Role: The social, cultural, ecological, and economic benefits provided by beaches. Connections: Receives an arrow from Beach Formation. Sends an arrow to Beach Social Systems and Actors. Receives an arrow from Adaptive Capacity. 7. Beach Social Systems and Actors Contents: Public, Community, Tribal, Industries, NGOs; Political; Social; Cultural; Economic; Legal sectors. Role: Groups and institutions that influence and are affected by beach management. Connections: Receives an arrow from Beach Functions and Values. Sends an arrow to Beach Governance and Outputs. 8. Beach Governance and Outputs Contents: Planning, Development, and Adaptation Interventions; Infrastructure and Incentives. Role: Management and policy actions shaping beach outcomes. Connections: Receives an arrow from Beach Social Systems and Actors. Sends an arrow to Adaptive Capacity. Summary of System Behavior The diagram shows a cyclical, interconnected coastal system: Climate change affects physical and ecological processes, which shape beaches. Beaches provide functions that support communities and decision-makers. Governance actions and adaptive capacity influence how well the system responds to climate impacts, forming continuous feedback loops.

Click on image to expand.

Gualala – King Tides Project