Rain erodes cliffs and beaches boats

BY ERIC LINDBERG
DAILY SOUND STAFF WRITER

A string of recent rainstorms have dropped close to six inches of rain in Santa Barbara, saturating erosion-prone cliffs and delivering gusty winds that grounded at least five boats on local beaches.
A section of Shoreline Park, including a portion of the bluff walkway, started to sink during the past few days, prompting city workers to rope off the area and issue a warning to residents.

“Great caution needs to be taken in areas with sandy soils and that are prone to erosion,” according to the advisory. “These include all coastal cliff areas. Cliff areas can erode without warning.”
Parks and Recreation Department workers posted warning signs at all beach access stairways and along the bluff trail in the Douglas Family Reserve. Officials also advised against swimming in the ocean due to dangerous surf and poor water quality.
Stormwater runoff is believed to have contributed to water quality issues at a number of local beaches — including East Beach at Sycamore Creek and Arroyo Burro, Goleta, Jalama, and Summerland beaches — where health officials issued warnings due to high bacteria levels.
In addition to high surf and dangerous rip currents, officials are also advising the public to avoid areas of the coastline where boats have washed ashore. Four boats grounded on East Beach and another washed up on county property south of the cemetery late last week.
“City residents and visitors are reminded to stay clear of beached boats, as they present safety hazards and are the property of their owners, many of whom are arranging to salvage their craft,” according to a release from the Waterfront Department. “When the storms abate, city staff will work with the boat owners and other public agencies to ensure complete cleanup of affected beach areas.”
Waterfront officials reported that all five boats broke loose from free winter moorings east of the city’s East Beach Mooring Area. Harbor Patrol officers spotted and intercepted five other boats that had broken loose, preventing them from washing ashore. They warned that more groundings could occur as the final storm system passes through the area.
Nearly two inches of rain fell in Santa Barbara from Saturday through Sunday morning. Officials issued a slew of warnings, including a wind advisory, severe thunderstorm watch, urban and small stream flood advisory, flash flood watch, and coastal flooding advisory yesterday.
Although rainfall is expected to linger somewhat over mountain areas into this morning, weather officials are forecasting an end to the wet and blustery conditions by this afternoon.