Boulders and breakwaters: an art and a science

Not long ago, I went down to the coast along the California coast. In this area, adjacent to the beach, there were many breakwater rocks and large boulders. I’m sure you’ve seen this before, if not, you’ve seen pictures online. In any case, it was very interesting to see that where the breakwater rocks ended, the beach right next to it was eroded. Why? Well, due to slippery tides, slippery heads, currents, and the flow of sand and water.

Now with all of that duly noted and understanding that I probably won’t get any disagreement here from oceanographers, surfers, maritime professionals, or those studying geology, I’d like to discuss some other issues with you on this topic if I could. You see, too often legislators working in municipalities, county agencies, port districts, port districts, or for the state or federal government make poor decisions as to where to place the breakwater. In some cases, they are prudent and call in the Army Corps of Engineers to help them decide.

These experts take studies of the area and take all factors into consideration along with their special computer modeling. They determine exactly how to place the breakwater so as not to cause unintended consequences of future beach erosion. Unfortunately, as sophisticated as these programs are, they are not perfect. Also, if another component changes along the way, such as a build-up of underwater sand, or a slight change in where the water works to return to the ocean, the rip current, this can change the dynamics entirely.

That is why I say that laying rocks and breakwaters is an art and a science. It should look good and aesthetically pleasing to bathers and those who run the port districts; otherwise, it defeats the purpose and hurts tourism. But making the breakwater look nice and putting everything in the right place is just the beginning, as the dynamics will change as the future unfolds. Remember that water wants to be free and you will always find a way to flow to and from.

When I was inspecting one of the beaches in California, I noticed that where the breakwater ended, at that point the beach began an erosion pattern, meaning that unfortunately wherever the breakwater ended, the sand had eroded right after. The city then wanted to remove more rocks from breakwaters; more boulders, but that just meant the sand would erode further down the beach. You cannot put breakwaters or boulders all the way up the west coast to Mexico. In some places, the sand will accumulate outside the breakwater, and in other places it will wash off and erode the sand behind the breakwater. Click here www.channelislandschamber.org to view photos of the breakwater.

Consider this too, if humanity leaves for 50 years and comes back, what will that breakwater look like? It’s probably whatever the ocean decides should be seen, which might have nothing to do with what humanity had intended when they laid out the stones, rocks, and boulders. It takes more than proper planning and engineering to get it right, sometimes it takes a period of trial and error, and more costly repairs to modifications made offshore.

In fact, I hope you consider all of this from a philosophical point of view so that if you are in charge of such a project, you will not make the same mistakes that humans made so often in the past.