Wave Runup Analyses for Imperial Beach, California

This paper summarizes the approach, method and results of a wave runup analyses conducted for the City of Imperial Beach, California. The objective of the study was to evaluate the performance of existing shoreline protection devices along Imperial Beach in preventing wave overtopping. Typical coastal structure design in Southern California cities was based on limited wave analyses right at the project site. This study relies on extensive numerical wave modeling to provide local regional wave conditions along the entire City of Imperial Beach shoreline. The wave modeling results were then used for wave runup/overtopping analyses along different reaches of the shoreline according to structural types and conditions for each reach. This wave runup/overtopping analysis was part of a comprehensive study to assist the City of Imperial Beach in developing a shoreline protection device ordinance.