Navigating Sand, Storms, and Funding

Facing a season of significant unknowns due to El Niño.

At Nature Collective, our highest priority is safeguarding the diverse, fragile ecosystem of the San Elijo Lagoon. A critical part of this mission is keeping the lagoon’s inlet connected to the Pacific Ocean. When the inlet closes, water quality declines, and rising floodwaters could harm vegetation, threatening the habitats that endangered species rely on for survival. Nature Collective closely monitors these dynamics and uses real-time data to determine the optimal timing for opening the inlet, given available funding.

Thanks to our March sand removal project, which cleared over 22,000 cubic yards of sand west of the railroad bridge using the funding available at the time, the inlet has remained open throughout the summer. However, the funding available in March did not allow us to remove all the sand from the channel, and more sand has accumulated over the summer, extending beneath the railroad bridge toward the Nature Center.

Addressing this buildup is a significant financial challenge. The March sand removal project completely exhausted our partial endowment dedicated to 2026 maintenance. As a result, those funds cannot cover the removal of the sand currently built up in the channel. Future work is strictly dependent on securing external funding.

Above: San Elijo Lagoon inlet at low tide showing the exposed sand accumulation

To tackle the current blockage, we have developed a plan that uses land-based excavation equipment to provide first-ever access to clear sand east of the railroad bridge. SANDAG has approved funding for this effort as part of the adaptive management strategy for the San Elijo Lagoon Restoration Project. Once the funds are officially in hand, the comprehensive sand removal project will take approximately two months to complete.

Our strategy is based on the best information we currently have, but we are facing a season of significant unknowns due to El Niño. Our preferred window to complete the two-month excavation is April and May, safely after the stormy season. However, if the inlet closes entirely this month, we will shift the work to October and November. Should a closure happen this fall/mid-winter, we may need to execute a brief 1- to 2-day “emergency” clearing, if necessary and if funding allows.

El Niño remains the ultimate wild card. Heavy winter rains from the watershed could act as a natural pressure washer, generating strong water flows that keep the inlet open. On the other hand, El Niño could bring massive ocean swells that push even more sand into the inlet without delivering the inland rain needed to push it back out. Because of these unpredictable variables, we are closely monitoring the lagoon and remain ready to adapt our plans to protect this vital coastal wetland.