The project is establishing a long-term, statewide dataset through consistent and systematic data collection along the California coast. With repeated surveying, the project will enable the detection of long-term change associated with climate change, sea-level rise, and other climatic cycles such as El Niño.

Previous statewide and regional studies have typically relied on surveys conducted every 5–10 years, providing valuable information about long-term change but limiting our ability to examine how individual winters, storms, or seasons affect beach morphology. These more frequent surveys will allow us to capture shorter-term changes and better understand how beaches respond to individual events and seasonal cycles. The resulting time series will also be used to develop consistently updated elevation models that reflect changing beach conditions, improving the accuracy of flood forecasting and coastal hazard assessments. High temporal frequency surveys will also allow us to characterize seasonal beach variability by identifying when and where beaches reach their minimum and maximum extents throughout the year.