Which part of Doheny State Beach will the desalination project actually take over? Until last week the answer was mostly the campground. On Wednesday, Oct. 7, the California Coastal Commission approved changes that move the project's slant wells to the north day-use area. That is the lot, picnic area and stretch of sand used by anyone driving in for an afternoon, as the Orange County Register reported.

The same Register report described a delay. The project's next steps slipped from this fall into next year, and the campground would not need to close before fall 2027. Once work starts, the day-use side of Doheny will look different for close to two years.

What the Oct. 7 approval changed, and why

The slant wells pull seawater from intake wells buried under the ocean floor. According to the Register, new geologic studies found the campground site could not reliably supply enough seawater, which led to the change in well location. The plant itself would be built on land the South Coast Water District already owns at Pacific Coast Highway and Stonehill Drive, next to San Juan Creek. The district estimates it could produce up to 5 million gallons of drinking water per day.

The bigger change for beachgoers is the footprint during construction. The Register reported that about 225 day-use parking spaces would close, along with a picnic area and the campground, during nearly two years of work. Coastal Commissioner Caryl Hart asked for mitigation for the lost parking, especially in summer. Commission staff said two ideas are being discussed: shuttles, and year-round camping at San Onofre State Beach, which now closes in the off-season.

District officials told the Register the north day-use area would not lose parking permanently. They also said the public restroom there would be replaced and upgraded and the picnic area restored. The planned campground renovation is still on, even though the wells no longer go there.

Why the fences aren't going up this winter

The district is waiting on a possible $63 million federal grant from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, with a decision expected in early 2027. General Manager Rick Shintaku told the Register that partner agencies want that answer before they commit. The project already has $40 million in state and federal grants. Its guaranteed maximum price is now about $296 million, up from $140 million when the Coastal Commission first approved it in 2022.

The weather concern is the expected El Niño winter. A key part of the work site sits on the beach. Shintaku said that if construction started and storms then stopped work, a contractor could collect about $35,000 a day in interest while idle.

The remaining approvals as reported:

The South Coast Water District's project page still shows north day-use construction starting in October 2026. The Register's Oct. 8 report says the next steps have moved into next year.

So the months ahead are the last stretch with the lot, the picnic area and the campground all open. The calendar through December makes good use of that.

Oct. 17 puts the whole beach to work at once

Saturday, Oct. 17 has three events at Doheny, all overlapping in the morning:

1. Beach cleanup, 8 to 11 a.m. California State Parks is organizing it. Supplies will be on hand, but the Doheny State Beach Foundation listing asks people to bring reusable bags, buckets and gloves if they can to keep the event close to zero waste.
2. Surf Queenie of Doheny. This is the second year of the women's and girls' surf contest run by Girl in the Curl, a surf shop and surf school at 34116 Pacific Coast Highway. Divisions range from 10-and-under, both assisted and unassisted, up to 60-and-over. Spectators are free, and there's a vendor village plus a charity raffle for the Doheny State Beach Foundation, according to the City of Dana Point's event page. The city lists hours of 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the foundation's calendar lists 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Plan on early heats either way.
3. 28th Annual Doheny Woodie Car Show, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Southern California Woodie Club hosts it, with raffles and awards. Classic and modified wood-bodied wagons are on display, and beach cruisers are invited too.

Day-use parking still applies on event days. California State Parks lists regular day-use parking at $15 per vehicle and $14 for seniors, rising to $20 on summer weekends and holidays. It also notes that fees can change on major event days. All three events start before 9 a.m. on a beach where about 225 day-use spaces are slated to close once construction begins.

The quieter dates through December

After Oct. 17, the foundation's calendar for the rest of the year is just two more cleanups. Both run 8 to 11 a.m., on Saturday, Nov. 21 and Saturday, Dec. 19. No other events are listed for those two months.

The visitor center is the easiest off-season stop. It has a tide pool display, five ocean-environment tanks and the Doho Cafe nearby, according to State Parks. The hours depend on which source you check. State Parks lists weekends, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the Doheny State Beach Foundation lists daily, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call before a weekday visit. None of the current project reporting lists the visitor center, the tide pools or the cafe as part of the construction area.

There's also work going on down the coast. OC Parks is placing up to 9,000 cubic yards of sand at Capistrano Beach Park, 35005 Beach Road. The work is scheduled for Oct. 12 through 30, weekdays from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the schedule can shift with tides and ocean conditions. The sand comes from native soil at La Peyre Quarry in San Juan Capistrano. Flaggers will send walkers and cyclists around the work zone, and some parts of the beach may be closed temporarily.

What the campground looks like on the other side

The project has a payoff. In May, the Register described the campground upgrades that would come with construction: larger campsites, new utility hookups, better pedestrian and bicycle access, an updated interpretive area, new landscaping and restrooms, plus regrading and improved drainage.

The site count also changes. The May plan reduces the campground from 122 sites to 100. Of those, 26 would be lower-cost tent-only sites, and the remaining RV sites would get full electrical hookups. That May report put the closure between 2027 and 2029. The October update says the campground would not close before fall 2027, and design and permitting with State Parks are still underway. Commissioner Hart asked that the mitigation and campground plans come back to the commission as one package, so the details could still change before any work starts.

The water bill question has no answer yet. The district hasn't released projected monthly costs for an average household. Rates would go through a public Prop 218 process in which every customer gets notice and a chance to comment, and officials said the federal grant, if awarded, would lower those estimates. First-year operating costs are estimated at $11 million.

The next public step is the State Lands Commission review on Oct. 21, four days after the woodies, the surf contest and the cleanup fill the beach.

If you own near Doheny or are weighing a home within walking distance of the north lot, a two-year construction period changes how that location works day to day. Liana Norman follows these timelines closely and can walk you through what they mean for a purchase or sale on your schedule. Schedule a consult to discuss your buying or selling goals.