The city of Carlsbad, a coastal community in Southern California’s San Diego County, has declared a local emergency amid possible strong El Niño conditions this winter.
After hurricane-induced swells battered California’s coastline, the city moved to expedite stabilization of an eroding coastal bluff supporting a section of south Carlsbad Boulevard, also known as Highway 101.
In Carlsbad, city employees discovered the erosion during a routine June inspection. The city placed cones and warning signs near the affected area, sealed pavement cracks to keep out moisture, and began monitoring the bluff for movement.
Independent geotechnical experts thereafter inspected the bluff and roadway. Their report, received this week as Southern California’s coast was hammered with swell, recommended emergency stabilization, including the revetment extension. The city declared the emergency Sept. 9, allowing it to bypass a formal bidding process that could otherwise take months.
The city is working with the California Coastal Commission to secure an emergency permit. Crews could begin placing boulders weighing several tons each as early as the week of Sept. 14. Drivers could encounter intermittent lane closures and delays on southbound Carlsbad Boulevard during construction.
About 6 of Carlsbad’s 7 miles of coastline, including Tamarack State Beach, are owned and managed by California State Parks. Carlsbad officials said they cannot lead repairs on state property but can act on city-owned land and within municipal rights-of-way.
Laguna Beach’s emergency proclamation cited a greater than 90 percent chance of a very strong El Niño during fall and winter 2026 and 27. The forecast increased concern that additional storms could worsen erosion and threaten homes, beaches, roads, and other coastal infrastructure.
