DANA POINT, Calif. — Beaches have experienced severe erosion across south Orange County in recent years, and this summer, the first nourishment project in decades began at Capistrano Beach Park in Dana Point.

Scientist from UC Irvine’s Flood Lab will help the City of Dana Point figure out how effective the sand replenishment project is.

A team, including Research Specialist Jo Schubert, will do monthly sand surveys using a drone that takes hundreds of pictures across stretches of sand from Doheny State Beach to Poche Creek through April 2024.

The surveys began in Aug. 2023 following the sand placement in July 2023.