Ocean Beach
Climate change threatens the survival of California’s iconic piers, including San Diego’s
Ocean Beach Pier is one of the state’s public piers that remained closed this year because of intensified storms and high surf damage.
By M.G. Perez •
Published 29 mins ago •
Updated 29 mins ago
NBC 7 San Diego
As the year comes to an end, we are reminded of the destruction caused to California’s piers battered by brutal storms since January.
The Ocean Beach Pier has remained closed since October 2023 with hope that it can be redesigned and rebuilt.
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A San Diego lifeguard maneuvered high, rough waves off the Ocean Beach pier on Sunday morning, following an emergency call. It’s another example of the growing intensity of climate changes along the San Diego coastline. Winter storms and high surf shut down the pier just off Newport Avenue. It is one of California’s eighteen public piers damaged, destroyed, or that remained closed in 2024.
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“We are sticking something out into the largest ocean in the world, expecting it to stand up against huge waves,” said geologist Patrick Abbott. He is an expert on the erosion of California’s coast caused by increasing atmospheric rivers, storms, earthquakes and flooding. Ocean Beach is especially sensitive to climate changes.
The iconic Christmas tree near the pier has continued to lean over and weaken as the sand holding its roots disintegrates.
“As the ocean comes up farther. (The) tree is pulling up ever saltier water into its system. We’re fighting, shall we say, a greater amount of energy in the ocean. That means we have to build stronger piers to stand up to them, and even those will last for a relatively short time,” Abbott said.
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The OB Pier first opened on July 2, 1966.
There is hope as the City of San Diego continues the process to reimagine the pier. It