Our meeting place

Aldersgate United Methodist Church

1201 Irvine Blvd. Tustin 92780

Program: Coastal Erosion in California – Why It Matters
Wednesday, February 5, 2025 @ 7:00 pm 
at Aldersgate UMC of Tustin, 1201 Irvine Blvd – Doors open @ 6:30 pm 

The southern California coastline is famed throughout the world and is home to some of the nation’s top beach destinations. From San Clemente to Malibu, a mix of wide sandy beaches and small cove beaches attract millions of people every year from near and far. Locals cherish great surfing, quiet walks, and fun beach activities. Visitors flock to beaches to splash in the water and create unforgettable memories, contributing nearly $10 billion per year to the economy. However, many beaches are now experiencing severe erosion and are increasingly threatened by changing climate conditions.

Speaker: Daniel T. Kahl is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of California, Irvine in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Despite growing up in an inland state, Daniel’s personal and professional interests have always revolved around the coast.  He spent several years working as a marine biologist, leading SCUBA and marine vessel projects along the West Coast before joining the UCI Flood Lab as a Ph.D. student. Nearing completion of his Ph.D., Daniel’s research has focused on beach dynamics, improving space-borne monitoring methods of coastal change, and evaluating the flood reduction benefits beaches provide.
Focusing on beaches in southern California, this presentation will explore how beaches form and how they are changing, what drives these changes, and how flood risk would increase if beaches were eroded.