NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. () — The Newport Beach City Council on Monday night declared a state of emergency ahead of expected king tides forecast between October 26 and 28.
City officials said the anticipated tides could bring significant flooding concerns to beaches, waterways and Newport Harbor.
“That could perhaps bring us significant concerns with flooding, coastal flooding in our beaches, but also in our waterways and our harbor that would impact our infrastructure, our streets, our homes. Everything in the city and that’s troublesome,” Councilmember Erik Weigand said.
The declaration comes after coastal flooding inundated streets along the Balboa Peninsula.
“So, the water was continuous all the way through. First time seeing that. But the city reacted well by closing down streets and only allowing emergency vehicles and people who live down here access to their homes,” resident Chuck Popick said.
In response, the City Council has activated its Emergency Operations Center to coordinate flood-prevention efforts.
As part of those efforts, the West Newport Beach Sand Replenishment Project is bringing about 100,000 cubic yards of sand from the Santa Ana River mouth to eroded beach areas between 36th and 62nd streets.
“I think they did a great job in front of our house. We had like 3 feet of water in the street and within 6 hours it was down. They brought the pumps out, they opened the tidal valves. They did everything they could do to help everybody out,” resident Terry Gallimore said.
City crews are also working to build and reinforce protective sand berms. Pumps and tide valves have been positioned in areas prone to flooding, and large sand berms have been constructed along the beach.
“I was thinking I’m in a different country. I was thinking I was in Berma Balboa. Which is not even on the map,” Popick joked.
“Never, never this big. By my house it’s like 6 foot, down here it’s like 10-12 foot and I think it’s great,” Gallimore said.
Newport Beach residents can obtain sandbags at Marina Park, the Corporation Yard and the temporary fire station near the Balboa Pier.
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