Feasibility Study- South Beach Living Shoreline
Feasibility Study- South Beach Living Shoreline
This feasibility study will identify strategies like a living shoreline to protect US-101 from storm damage, flooding, and erosion. South Beach is located south of Crescent City. The study area is US-101 and the adjacent beach between Enderts/Humboldt Road and Anchor Way.
Study Description:
This study looks at nature-based ways to protect a 1.5-mile stretch of US Highway 101 along South Beach near Crescent City, California, from ocean hazards like flooding, storm surges, high waves, and rising sea levels.
Recent storm events and flooding have damaged and closed the roadway. Road closures have negative impacts:
- Highway traffic reroutes onto local, residential streets
- Emergency response times increase
- Repeated repair of the highway is costly
Storms caused road closures in 2010, 2011, 2019, and 2023. These kinds of events are expected to occur more frequently in the future.
Nature-based solutions blend into the natural environment, support local wildlife, and may adapt better over time.
The study explores several ideas:
Building a living shoreline: Using natural materials like sand, native plants, or gentle dunes to absorb wave energy and stop erosion.
Combining a living shoreline with a road raise: Elevating the highway surface so high water stays off the pavement.
Adding a back wall: Installing a low, vertical barrier behind the natural shoreline to reduce repair costs
Constructing a rock revetment: Testing if traditional shoreline protection measures like a rock revetment could work.
Funding options are also being explored as a part of this study. For example, grants could pay to add a living shoreline along the road as it is today. Mitigation funds could pay for the living shoreline as part of a larger, future project.
Study Map:
Related Studies
The Del Norte Local Transportation Commission released the South Beach Climate Resilience Plan in 2025. This vulnerability assessment looks at different scenarios of sea level rise at South Beach.
https://www.dnltc.org/s/SouthBeachCRP-Final_508Compliant-060425.pdf
Elk Valley Rancheria received a Coastal Conservancy grant to study sea level rise scenarios in the area. They are working on a study in partnership with environmental and engineering consultant GHD. The results will be published in 2027.
Your Voice Matters!
Caltrans wants to hear from you! Your feedback will help us understand the needs of the people who use and live near this corridor.
Just click the blue "Continue" button at the bottom of this page or the "Participate" tab at the top of this page.
"What is a feasibility study?"
A feasibility study is not a project, but rather a planning document scoping out the feasibility of potential alternatives.
Timeline