California could lose two-thirds of its beaches by century’s end
Rising seas and hammering waves could radically transform California beaches by the end of the century, pushing the coastline straight through homes in Stinson Beach and right near a wastewater treatment plant in San Francisco. In Half Moon Bay, a beach beloved by surfers would lose all its sand. These are some of the worst-case scenarios in a new report projecting that a majority of California beaches could disappear by 2100 if more isn’t done to curb greenhouse emissions and take measures to protect the coast. The dire outlook, which foresees a range of 25% to 70% of the state’s beaches eroding completely, is based on models that incorporate historic rates of coastal erosion and projections for sea level rise and future wave heights. Though the study covers a long period, Californians got a preliminary glimpse this winter when storms pummeled local beaches.