HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. — According to the latest "State of California's Sea Level Rise Guidance," about 75% of the state's sandy beaches could be seasonally or permanently lost due to sea level rise.  

Beach erosion, changing coastlines, and other factors affecting the state's beaches are all part of a complex puzzle.

Science may offer some help guiding the best way to manage the beaches, including a study out of UC Irvine that looks at how the beaches have been growing or shrinking and in which direction the sand is moving.

Graduate student and UCI Flood Lab researcher Daniel Kahl, lead author of the study, speaks about some of his findings.

Professor Brett Sanders, the study's co-author, discusses shrinking beaches and their potential effects and how the study could offer a cost-benefit analysis of some beach erosion mitigation methods.