The City of Long Beach in California has begun emergency repairs to the Peninsula's boardwalk and bulkhead. It has also brought forward an $11.4 million dredging and beach-replenishment project after Post-Tropical Storm Rachel caused further flooding and erosion this week.
Crews are working during morning low-tide windows along Seaside Walk between 64th and 66th Places, and evening work is expected to start next week. The city now estimates repair costs at $1.5 million–$3.6 million, to be funded from its Tidelands Emergency Reserve.
Inspectors have red-tagged eight buildings comprising 13 residences. A small number of homes remain subject to mandatory evacuation orders.
Rachel follows Hurricane Marie and Polo, making it the third major storm system to strike the Long Beach Peninsula in six weeks.
Staging for the Alamitos Bay Entrance Channel dredging project began at the 72nd Place beach parking lot on October 14. Dredging is expected to start around October 20, and Mayor Rex Richardson described the beach replenishment as a three-month operation.
Manson Construction will use the cutter-suction dredger H.R. Morris, supported by the derrick barge DB Freya, to remove an estimated 415,000 cubic yards (317,000 cubic metres) of sand.
The work will restore the channel to its authorised depth of 20 feet (6.1 metres) below mean lower low water. The sand will be pumped over the jetty and spread along the shoreline by bulldozers.
The city said the channel has not been dredged for more than 20 years. A construction contract valued at $9.27 million received City Council approval on August 11.
The city cautioned that the dredged sand will provide a buffer against wave action and flooding but will not prevent waves from carrying sand away.
