Advancing Resilience and Impact Across Santa Monica Bay
Through funding from the National Estuary Program (NEP) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the Santa Monica Bay National Estuary Program (SMBNEP) and The Bay Foundation (TBF) (SMBNEP’s host organization) have supported the following local partners and initiatives:
- Beach Erosion Authority for Clean Oceans and Nourishment: Coastal Access and Beach Visitor User Data Study
- To develop informed coastal access programs, it’s essential for local, regional, state, and federal managers to better understand public beach use, as well as the barriers that prevent full access. Working with several partners, including the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors, the Mountains Restoration and Conservation Authority, California State University Channel Islands, and the Beach Erosion Authority for Clean Oceans and Nourishment (BEACON), this study will collect and analyze contemporary data on beach use – focusing on cell phone location data – to fill an important research gap. This will help inform future coastal beach access initiatives.
- Beach Ecology Coalition: Beach Management Certification Project
- This project aims to provide web-based materials, training modules, and testimonials to help current and prospective beach managers and practitioners adopt an ecologically informed approach to coastal management. Supported by decades of partnership-building, research, and best practices developed by the Beach Ecology Coalition, the project equips managers with the knowledge to ensure public safety, ecological integrity, and coastal resilience.
- Black Surfers Collective: Diversity in the Line-up
- The Black Surfers Collective (BSC) supports swim lessons, water safety training, and surf instruction, and implements environmental awareness programs. By offering swim and surf lessons, BSC fosters a safe and fun environment for water exploration. This approach helps cultivate a newfound appreciation for water-based recreation and creates a generation of future environmental stewards connected to the coast.
- City of Santa Monica & UCLA Coastal Flood Lab: Santa Monica Breakwater Rocky Intertidal Preserve
- This effort aims to protect the Santa Monica Pier and surrounding coastal infrastructure from storm events and sea level rise. As a vital coastal asset, the pier serves millions of visitors annually, supporting tourism, education, and fishing. This project will enhance the natural resources around the pier, expanding recreational and educational opportunities while increasing fishing access. Anticipated outcomes include conducting outreach and building partnerships, performing environmental monitoring to inform design and planning, identifying a lead agency, and supporting the development of the Environmental Impact Report (EIR).
- Tied to this, in September 2025, UCLA’s Coastal Flood Lab and TBF conducted a study using a temporary and safe dye around the Santa Monica Pier. Researchers used it to understand water movements around the breakwater as well as to gain potential insights into water quality by the Santa Monica Pier. Learn more! Additional questions? Please check out this FAQ.
Discover more about this work via SMBNEP’s Plans and Reports.
Project Highlights
September 2025 - Why Was the Water Pink?
What is the Santa Monica Breakwater? If you look out from the beach, you can see rocks in front of the pier, especially at low tide. These rocks used to be part of a taller wall or a breakwater. Built in 1934, the breakwater formed the Santa Monica Yacht Harbor. The wall reduced the strength of waves, allowing boats to moor (or park) in the calmer water. Over the years, storms kept knocking down parts of the breakwater. After strong storms in the 1980s, it was reduced to its current height and was no longer able to act as a marina.
Even though the Santa Monica Breakwater isn’t very tall anymore, it still seems to impact the environment around it. For example, that’s why the beach is so wide here — the breakwater protects it from big waves. But we’re left with some questions — How does the breakwater change water circulation here? Could this give a clue about why the water quality by the pier is often very poor? Researchers from UCLA and The Bay Foundation, with the approval of the City of Santa Monica, are trying to find out. Stay tuned.
4 Surfing Events Produced in 2023
- Black Surfers Collective hosted a series of impactful surf “Pan African Beach Days” in July, August, and September 2023
- Approximately 65 individuals attended each event, plus 40 dedicated surf volunteers.
September 2025 - Why Was the Water Pink?
What is the Santa Monica Breakwater? If you look out from the beach, you can see rocks in front of the pier, especially at low tide. These rocks used to be part of a taller wall or a breakwater. Built in 1934, the breakwater formed the Santa Monica Yacht Harbor. The wall reduced the strength of waves, allowing boats to moor (or park) in the calmer water. Over the years, storms kept knocking down parts of the breakwater. After strong storms in the 1980s, it was reduced to its current height and was no longer able to act as a marina.
Even though the Santa Monica Breakwater isn’t very tall anymore, it still seems to impact the environment around it. For example, that’s why the beach is so wide here — the breakwater protects it from big waves. But we’re left with some questions — How does the breakwater change water circulation here? Could this give a clue about why the water quality by the pier is often very poor? Researchers from UCLA and The Bay Foundation, with the approval of the City of Santa Monica, are trying to find out. Stay tuned.
4 Surfing Events Produced in 2023
- Black Surfers Collective hosted a series of impactful surf “Pan African Beach Days” in July, August, and September 2023
- Approximately 65 individuals attended each event, plus 40 dedicated surf volunteers.
