Rancho Palos Verdes extends landslide state of emergency as dewatering continues

The Rancho Palos Verdes City Council extended the ongoing landslide state of emergency at its Dec. 16 meeting, City Manager Aram Ranjan said.

Ranjan told viewers the extension was intended to "ensure continued public safety, operational flexibility, and eligibility for outside funding assistance." He said council members received the latest report on land movement in Portuguese Bend, Abalone Cove and Klondike Canyon.

Ranjan said landslide movement "continued to slow down in October," but "heavy rains in November resulted in the subsequent slight increase in the movement rate." To reduce risk during the winter, the city is continuing groundwater pumping, surface-water diversion and winterization measures.

"Over the course of November, the city's nine deep dewatering wells removed approximately 30,000,000 gallons of groundwater," Ranjan said. He reported that as of December the city had spent $9,900,000, roughly 60% of the city's landslide budget for fiscal year 2025–26.

The city said the emergency declaration and its extension help secure access to outside funding and allow the city to keep using emergency-response measures and contracting flexibility under the declaration. No vote tally or mover/second was provided in the update.

The extension and ongoing mitigation work affect neighborhoods around Portuguese Bend, Abalone Cove and Klondike Canyon; city officials framed the measures as steps to protect residents, property and critical infrastructure while monitoring movement and pursuing external funding where eligible.

The council's action follows the original emergency declaration in 2023 and continues a multi-year mitigation program the city says includes well operations and site winterization.