North Beach is a popular City-owned beach adjacent to the San Clemente Railroad Station. In addition to narrowing and lowering, sand has been selectively removed, leaving primarily a cobble/gravel berm which reduces its recreational value. A significant amount of infrastructure is at risk.  At Dije Court, no beach remains, and there is a three-foot vertical gap between the access stairs and the wet sand. The beach along Mariposa Point has been completely eroded. 

Approximately 20-50 feet of beach length has been completely lost at Mariposa and Dije Court. At the remaining North Beach, over 50 feet of beach width and five feet of vertical height has been eroded from this beach. Small replenishments have previously had little long-term impact on the width of this beach. 

SEDIMENT CHARACTERISTICS:  The sediment here ranges from about 50% cobble/gravel during the summer to almost 100% steep cobble/gravel berms following winter storms. Fortunately, the swash zone tends to be largely sand, so in general there aren't serious safety concerns for water entry. The cobble/gravel in this area probably originated as historic deposits from the Segunda Desecha Canada Creek. Selective erosion of the finer-grained sand deposits has left behind the larger, heavier cobble and gravel. As this creek is currently channelized as a storm drain, there is no significant on-going discharge of cobble/gravel from the storm drain. 

INFRASTRUCTURE: City-owned infrastructure at this beach includes a shuttered concession stand, playground (soon to be renewed), concrete picnic beaches, a beach shower, fire pits, and lifeguard towers. 

ARMORING: OCTA has installed significant rock revetments along Mariposa Point and Dije Court, and continues to add to that revetment and to enlarge the revetment northward into North Beach. The City has elected not to armor its infrastructure, but in 2017 initiated a program to push up sand/gravel/cobble in front of the infrastructure.

UNIQUE CHALLENGES: Selective removal of the sand has left behind a cobble/gravel layer. The good news is that these coarser sediments seem to be acting as an un-erodable "base" to the beach, to avoid further narrowing and lowering. The bad news is that the cobble/gravel forms steep berms, is difficult to walk on, and impossible to set up chairs/tables/canopies, and therefore reduces the recreational value of the beach. 

PUBLIC ACCESS: This is a popular public beach next to the train station, with abundant metered parking. This beach is connected to the San Clemente Coastal Trail. 

SURF RESOURCES: need to say something about 204s and Mariposa