Huge Sand piles on Ocean Beach (San Diego: condo, homes, estimated)

[3chidogs]

This may sound silly, but we just bought a condo near Ocean Beach. Now we are long time visitors to San Diego, but usually to the Mission/Pacific beach area. We went to the dog beach this weekend, however, at Ocean Beach and saw that they had made huge piles of Sand the length of Ocean Beach. Why is this? Do they get flooding there in the winter? Thanks.

[Encinitan]

They do that all along the coast to prevent tidal surges from damaging homes and properties. They're sand berms are are meant to stop sea water from flooding low lying areas. By summer time, the sand will have been washed back out to sea.

[cruitr]

You may be seeing sand piles from the Mission Bay dredging project. The project's been taking a lot longer than they originally estimated.

Mission Bay dredging project set - SignOnSanDiego.com

[NYSD1995]

They do it every year to prevent beach erosion from winter storms. Yes if the surge is big enough they get significant flooding, particularly over by the lifeguard tower.

[tstieber]

Last year, there was a LOT of flooding in the streets near the beach due to heavy rainstorms and surge. So yes, it is protective. That was an El Nino year. This year is a La Nina year, so there seems to be little rain so far, and very benign storms.

[BacktoBlue]

This is why:

[oBak]

It is where we hide the bodies.