The summer season is typically a busy season for beaches in California as visitors come to surf, swim, bike, or enjoy a meal by the sea.
However, that won’t be the case for Refugio State Beach, as the area has been closed indefinitely since April 10.
“Refugio State Beach is closed until further notice. Due to the complete failure of an extensive culvert system, resulting in numerous sinkholes across multiple agency jurisdictions, the park will remain fully closed for repairs. All reservations through June 30th will be canceled, and affected parties will be contacted accordingly. There is no anticipated date of re-opening at this time.,” a message on the website said.
The culvert, installed in the 1950s, and its pipe corroded over time, according to the SF Gate.
The family-friendly beach in Santa Barbara County was also slammed by winter storms earlier this year. The storms took out 16 iconic palm trees along the shoreline.
About 10 fell after waves crashed against the eroded sandy shoreline. Officials also found that more would have to be removed since they are tilting at a hazardous degree, Noozhawk, a Santa Barabara County-based publication, reported.
Aside from being visually appealing, the palm trees were placed across the shoreline to provide erosion control for the beach.
While the situation at Refugio State Beach remains uncertain, nearby Gaviota State Park and El Capitán State Beach are open to the public.