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City presents ReBeach physical modeling showing reef can retain sand; experts, advocates urge permitting and monitoring
Summary
Oceanside officials and consultants described nine weeks of physical modeling at Oregon State University showing an artificial reef design can trap sand behind a reef and that specific rock sizes and reef geometry affect wave transmission and sand retention. The presentation drew strong public interest and questions about monitoring and adjacent surf impacts.
Oceanside officials and consultants told the City Council on April 22 that laboratory testing of the ReBeach Oceanside pilot project produced encouraging results showing the proposed artificial reef can retain sand in the lee of the structure and reshape nearshore currents.
“ReBeach is the city’s main effort to restore beaches and build resilience using a novel artificial reef system,” said Jamie Timberlake, the city’s coastal zone administrator, describing modeling work carried out at the Hinsdale Wave Research Basin at Oregon State University. Timberlake said the Coastal Commission supplied a substantial grant to support the modeling and monitoring.
Daniel Dedina, the lead coastal engineer with GHD, said the team ran more than 1,000 numerical simulations and then nine weeks of physical experiments to test wave transmission, stable rock sizes, sediment transport,…
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