So I'm sure that no one ever even looks at this blog anymore, since it was just for a high school assignment, but since I have to write about something involving geology for my application for the Honors Program at CSU Stanislaus where I have transferred and will start attending classes in the fall of 2021, I figured I may as well adapt said writing into a new blog post.
Erosion along any coast is a natural process, and it is always taking place in some form. This is especially true along coasts that are classified as "erosional coasts," where erosion is the dominant process and there is less deposition of sediments. A vast majority of the western coast of the United States is an erosional coast, including the coast of California. This type of coast commonly contains narrow beaches and rocky cliffs or shorelines, in addition to erosional features such as sea caves or sea arches. Erosion is a real problem for coastal communities, affecting roads and other structures built too close to the ocean. A great example of this is Highway One in California, which frequently needs repairs due to much of it being in such close proximity to the sea cliffs. Recently, a section of this road collapsed in a landslide, pictured above. This was likely caused by a combination of the insane, record-breaking fire season that California experienced, followed by multiple large winter storms this past winter. the fires burnt vegetation and weakened the soil, making it prime real estate for erosion and landslides when the heavy winds and rains came. This is not a rare occurrence, as Highway One experiences landslides quite often and is in need of repair very frequently due to the high traffic and its close proximity the coast/cliff. Repairs will likely take a while, but I look forward to being able to drive on highway one again once repairs are finished.
Sources:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/feb/06/california-highway-1-landslide-climate-crisis
https://www.e-education.psu.edu/earth107/node/1270
(picture:) https://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-news/california-highway-1-mudslides
Erosion along any coast is a natural process, and it is always taking place in some form. This is especially true along coasts that are classified as "erosional coasts," where erosion is the dominant process and there is less deposition of sediments. A vast majority of the western coast of the United States is an erosional coast, including the coast of California. This type of coast commonly contains narrow beaches and rocky cliffs or shorelines, in addition to erosional features such as sea caves or sea arches. Erosion is a real problem for coastal communities, affecting roads and other structures built too close to the ocean. A great example of this is Highway One in California, which frequently needs repairs due to much of it being in such close proximity to the sea cliffs. Recently, a section of this road collapsed in a landslide, pictured above. This was likely caused by a combination of the insane, record-breaking fire season that California experienced, followed by multiple large winter storms this past winter. the fires burnt vegetation and weakened the soil, making it prime real estate for erosion and landslides when the heavy winds and rains came. This is not a rare occurrence, as Highway One experiences landslides quite often and is in need of repair very frequently due to the high traffic and its close proximity the coast/cliff. Repairs will likely take a while, but I look forward to being able to drive on highway one again once repairs are finished.
Sources:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/feb/06/california-highway-1-landslide-climate-crisis
https://www.e-education.psu.edu/earth107/node/1270
(picture:) https://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-news/california-highway-1-mudslides