Severe West Coast Erosion During El Niño. Researchers say dam construction, drought diminished ability of Southern California beaches to stave off erosion Feb 14, 2017 Large storm waves crashing on the rocks near Santa Cruz, Calif. Photo: Christine Hegermiller/U.S. Geological Survey In a study released today, scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego, and other research ce...