TORREY PINES (KGTV) — For Adam Young, forecasting bluff erosion is a dream come true.
Young has been a researcher with UCSD Scripps Institution of Oceanography and a vital part of the team that surveys coastal bluffs in San Diego using lidar data from advanced laser-imaging technology.
"We're able to make very hi-resolution maps of the coastline we weren't able to do in past, and able to see small changes. If a rock falls, we can see so very detailed maps we weren't able to see before," Young explained.
It's a step in the right direction when it comes to forecasting but far, as Young described, from the end goal.
"If you have a 5-year time span between surveys then it's really hard to find the processes that are driving erosion."
The funding for Young's team only covers annual testing for the 25-mile coastal stretch between Carlsbad and Torrey Pines.
"There's been statewide lidar flights that typically happen every 5 to 10 years but I'd like to see it frequently, annually across the state so we can track erosion and see how our coastline is evolving," said Young.
He's currently working on a mapping program for lidar teams to collect data across the state each year. In the meantime, his team is also waiting for permits to use a new fiber optic strain sensor that would study the ground's motion inside the bluff to help detect a landslide before it happens.
This winter, historically large waves up to 35 feet were recorded along Torrey Pines' beaches. With about a dozen atmospheric rivers pummeling Southern California and sea levels rising, Young said the infrastructure along our coast will continue being threatened in the future.
Recently, one of Young's sensors tracked active movement in the coastal bluff in San Elijo. After monitoring it, the bluff eventually collapsed proving their tools are working in their favor.
