Pacifica State Beach is the southernmost of Pacifica,

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

's large beaches. It is a crescent-shaped beach located at the mouth of the San Pedro Valley in downtown Pacifica off State Route 1, in

San Mateo County San Mateo County ( ), officially the County of San Mateo, is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 764,442. Redwood City is the county seat, and the third most populated city following Daly ...

. Pacifica State Beach is one of the most popular beginner surfing spots in the San Francisco area. Among surfers it is commonly known as Linda Mar Beach because it fronts Pacifica's Linda Mar subdivision. It is a State Beach managed by the City of Pacifica through an operating agreement with California State Parks. The

Taco Bell Taco Bell is an American-based chain of fast food restaurants founded in 1962 by Glen Bell (1923–2010) in Downey, California. Taco Bell is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. The restaurants serve a variety of Mexican-inspired foods, includin ...

restaurant on the beach side of the highway is reputed to be the world's most scenic Taco Bell location. Pacifica State Beach provides habitat for the

western snowy plover The western snowy plover (''Charadrius nivosus nivosus'') is a small wader in the plover bird family. It breeds in the southern and western United States and the Caribbean. On March 5, 1993, the western snowy plover was listed as a threatened s ...

, a shorebird which is designated as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Between 1989 and 2005, Pacifica State Beach was the focus of an extensive beach

habitat restoration Restoration ecology is the scientific study supporting the practice of ecological restoration, which is the practice of renewing and restoring degraded, damaged, or destroyed ecosystems and habitats in the environment by active human interrupt ...

program, in association with the

San Pedro Creek San Pedro Creek (Spanish for ''St. Peter'') is a perennial stream in the City of Pacifica, San Mateo County, California in the San Francisco Bay Area whose tributaries originate on Sweeney Ridge in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Mont ...

flood control Flood control methods are used to reduce or prevent the detrimental effects of flood waters."Flood Control", MSN Encarta, 2008 (see below: Further reading). Flood relief methods are used to reduce the effects of flood waters or high water level ...

and habitat restoration. In 2002, as part of a partnership with the Pacifica Land Trust and the

California Coastal Conservancy The California State Coastal Conservancy (CSCC, SCC) is a non-regulatory state agency in California established in 1976 to enhance coastal resources and public access to the coast. The CSCC is a department of the California Natural Resources Agen ...

, this involved the $2.2 million purchase and removal of two oceanside homes and surrounding acreage for the purpose of beach and estuary restoration. This project was identified as a Top Restored Beach by the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association in 2005, cited as "...an example of a well-planned, well-executed coastal project that is the product of cooperative efforts of the local community, state and federal agencies, scientists, engineers and citizens. The complex beach and habitat restoration project involved over 10 regulatory and permitting agencies, funding from eight granting agencies and the active participation of eight environmental groups. It is one of the first beaches to utilize

managed retreat Managed retreat involves the purposeful, coordinated movement of people and buildings away from risks. This may involve the movement of a person, infrastructure (e.g., building or road), or community. It can occur in response to a variety of hazar ...

as a method of shoreline protection. In addition to

beach nourishment Beach nourishment (also referred to as beach renourishment, beach replenishment, or sand replenishment) describes a process by which sediment, usually sand, lost through longshore drift or erosion is replaced from other sources. A wider beach ...

, it has restored habitat for four threatened and endangered species and enhanced community access with expanded parking lots, trails and new restrooms. Over 1 million people visit this beach annually".

Gallery

File:World Dog Surfing Championship - Pacifica - 8-4-2018 (146).jpg, World Dog Surfing Championship File:The Most Beautiful Taco Bell in the World.jpg, Taco Bell File:Skimboarder Pacifica.jpg, A skimboarder File:Snowy Plover in Pacifica, California.jpg, Snowy Plover File:Pacifica State Beach trail 1.JPG, A trail behind and around Pacifica State Beach

References

External links

California State Parks webpage1990 General PlanCalifornia Coastal Records ProjectPacifica State Beach Surf ReportsSan Pedro Creek Watershed CoalitionPacifica Shorebird AllianceCity of Pacifica - Linda Mar Beach (Pacifica State Beach)
{{Protected areas of California, SP California State Beaches Pacifica, California Parks in San Mateo County, California San Francisco Bay Area beaches Beaches of San Mateo County, California Beaches of Northern California