The Anomalous Coastline - New Brighton Beach to the Pajaro River

Geologic Consultant, Gerald Weber, explains the geologic events and settings that have protected the coastline from New Brighton Beach to the Pajaro River from erosion over the last 150 years. He will take us back 250-300 years when a release of extra sand near Ano Nuevo widened the beaches and continues to replenish the beaches, providing natural shoreline protection. His research suggests that this extra sand is transitory in geologic time and "soon" the coastline will return to equilibrium, exposing previously developed areas to significant erosion hazards. This fascinating perspective in geologic time lays out a compelling explanation of why our shoreline has not eroded while most of coastal California has.

Gerald Weber has been investigating geologic problems in California and Hawaii for the last 50 years. He received his PhD from UC Santa Cruz and for 20 years taught the summer field camp for Earth science students. He has served as an advisor for many local planning departments and is currently a geologic consultant, often giving expert testimony. In 1991, he and his wife Suzanne Holt created an endowment for the Earth Sciences Summer Field Course that has awarded hundreds of scholarships to cover course fees.

Presented by UC Santa Cruz Arboretum