Waves are Disappearing from Surf Spots
Famous surf breaks are vanishing from our coasts. The culprit? Rising sea levels and more…
Surf breaks are being claimed to have vanished by locals in coastal areas such as Florida and California. The loss of these surf breaks is beginning to illustrate how quickly coastal terrains can change or disappear entirely due to large storms and rising sea levels. These are not the only factors that can change beaches. Significant shifts of sand breaks, deepwater canyons, and human disruption such as jetties, engineering projects, and other manufactured "enhancements" disturb the natural influx of waves and tides.
The effect of rising sea levels
Dr. Reineman is an assistant professor of environmental science and resource management at the California State University Channel Islands. He accredits surfers to be an invaluable data source for researchers to record the effects of rising sea levels on surf spots.
In a recent study published by Dr. Reineman in 2017 titled, "Using local knowledge to project sea level rise impacts on wave resources in California," more than 1000 surfers helped estimate how rising sea levels will impact California's surf spots in the next one hundred years. The study showed that about one-third of spots could have their waves disappear entirely.
The future of surf spots
The data collected by Dr. Reineman found that most of the famous surf spots would disappear with a foot of sea-level rise. Dr. Reineman noted that his greatest concern was that coastal communities needed to react positively to these sea-level changes. The issue he noted was that human intervention worked to cut off sand supplies, dam rivers, and plug up watersheds, which hinders the coast's ability to adapt.
What is the solution? Dr. Reineman stated that, "Giving coasts the ability to naturally adapt, for sandbars to form and move, are the things we can do to help ensure that natural surf breaks can persist”. Any efforts to restore the coast line should be on improving its changing conditions.
West Coast 2023 storm leaves California coastal towns badly damaged
One of the hardest areas hit by the Bomb-Cyclone of California in the storm of 2023 was the Santa Cruz County Coast, renowned for its best surf spots. Giant waves destroyed piers and the famous seaside town of Capitola. The Santa Cruz Wharf was evacuated Thursday morning as 20-foot waves bashed the structure, and onlookers were advised to seek shelter. Parts of the cliffs fell away, swallowing roads and beaches. This storm caused flooding and deaths, ultimately changing the Santa Cruz coastline. Locals claimed that even during tsunamis, the waves and damage were not as grave as the result of this storm's effects.
California beaches snatched up by sea levels rising
In a state-commissioned report by the California Ocean Protection Council Science Advisory Team, it was concluded that if there are no changes to climate change and the effects of rising sea levels, California's coastal waters will increase 30 to 40 times faster than in the previous century.
A U.S. Geological Survey report estimates that 67 percent of Southern California's beaches will be lost to rising sea levels by the end of the century.
Beaches are natural resources, and coastal communities are home to over 128 million people. This is almost 40 percent of the United State's total population. Rising sea levels will destroy not only surf spots but also homes, natural resources, historical monuments, communities, critical infrastructure, and sanctuaries.
What must be changed? The carbon emissions produced globally must be curbed to prevent global warming. Human management must be prioritized to preserve our coastal communities and safeguard their future.
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Key Takeaways
Surf breaks are claimed to have vanished by locals in coastal areas such as Florida and California. The loss of these surf breaks is beginning to illustrate how quickly coastal terrains can change or disappear entirely due to large storms of rising sea levels.
In a recent study published by Dr. Reineman in 2017 titled, "Using local knowledge to project sea level rise impacts on wave resources in California," more than 1000 surfers helped estimate how rising sea levels will impact California's surf spots in the next one hundred years. The study showed that about one-third of spots could have their waves disappear entirely.
The data collected by Dr. Reineman found that most of the famous surf spots would disappear with a foot of sea-level rise. Dr. Reineman noted that his greatest concern was that coastal communities needed to react positively to these sea-level changes. The issue he noted was that human intervention worked to cut off sand supplies, dam rivers, and plug up watersheds. This hinders the coast's ability to adapt and the efforts need to be helping it improve its changing conditions.
The state-commissioned report conducted by the California Ocean Protection Council Science Advisory Team concluded that if there are no changes to climate change and the effects of rising sea levels, California's coastal waters will increase 30 to 40 times faster than in the previous century.
What must be changed? The carbon emissions produced globally must be curbed to prevent global warming. Human management efforts must be prioritized to preserve our coastal communities and safeguard their future.
