The Log Staff / April 9, 2026
The Port of San Diego is continuing to advance its efforts to balance coastal protection with environmental restoration, announcing two new habitat-focused shoreline projects following the success of an earlier pilot program in San Diego Bay. The Board of Port Commissioners approved a $2.9 million construction contract on March 10, 2026, awarding the work to Power Engineering Construction Co. for improvements at Harbor Island Park and along the Chula Vista side of the Sweetwater Channel.
Much of San Diego Bay’s shoreline has long been reinforced with traditional infrastructure such as seawalls and riprap, which account for roughly three-quarters of the waterfront. While these methods are effective at preventing erosion, they offer little benefit to marine ecosystems. In response, the Port has been working to introduce nature-based alternatives that enhance habitat while maintaining the structural integrity needed to protect the coastline.
Central to this approach is a continued partnership with ECOncrete, whose engineered shoreline systems are designed to encourage marine growth. The company previously installed its COASTALOCK units along a 160-foot section of Harbor Island in 2021 as part of a pilot initiative supported by the Port’s Blue Economy Incubator. After several years of monitoring, Port officials reported that the system not only held up structurally but also supported a diverse ecosystem, with more than 60 marine species now inhabiting the area. The structures have also contributed to improved water quality by attracting organisms that naturally filter the bay.
Building on those results, the upcoming projects will replace portions of existing rock shoreline with similar habitat-enhancing materials at both Harbor Island Park and the Sweetwater Channel. The Sweetwater site, located near Paradise Marsh, will extend these ecological benefits into another sensitive area of the bay while maintaining shoreline stability.
Port leaders emphasized that the projects are designed to serve both environmental and public access goals. Board Chair Ann Moore noted the importance of protecting the bay’s health while ensuring it remains accessible to residents and visitors. She also acknowledged federal support for the Harbor Island portion of the project, with funding assistance from Scott Peters helping move the effort forward.
Peters pointed to San Diego’s role as a hub for innovation, noting that the shoreline improvements demonstrate how infrastructure and environmental priorities can work together. By incorporating habitat-friendly designs, the projects aim to strengthen coastal resilience while supporting biodiversity and the region’s growing Blue Economy.
Funding for the Harbor Island improvements includes a $1 million contribution from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The Sweetwater Channel project is supported through a $2.6 million supplemental environmental agreement with the City of San Diego, reflecting a broader collaborative effort to enhance shoreline conditions throughout the bay.
Fabrication of the specialized shoreline units is expected to begin in April 2026, with construction to follow. Once complete, the projects will mark another step forward in reshaping how working waterfronts can integrate environmental restoration with long-term coastal protection.
It would be helpful to know just what the engineered shoreline looks like, how it works and how it provides habitat. Econcrete may be a bit of a misnomer, because concrete takes gobs of heat to produce, which usually puts lots of carbon into the atmosphere. Jus’ sayin’ …