EXISTING CONDITIONS

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7_BEACON Tech Report (FINAL)

SECTION 2.0 - EXISTING CONDITIONS

2.1 REGIONAL OVERVIEW

The BEACON project area, which encompasses the nearshore region between Coal Oil

Point and Point Mugu, lies at the southeastern end of the Santa Barbara Channel. The

Santa Barbara Channel is bordered on its seaward margin by the northern Channel

Islands: Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, and San Miguel. These islands shelter the

mainland coast from the direct force of incoming south swell. Point Conception at the

western end of the Santa Barbara Channel and the east-west orientation of the coast

provide additional protection from northwest swells. The southeastern Santa Barbara

coast, thus, comprises a relatively protected and benign environment for marine life.

Between Ventura and Point Mugu, the coast turns to a north-south direction and is

exposed to winter storms from the Gulf of Alaska. The Ventura County portion of the

BEACON project area is thus less protected from ocean swell than the Santa Barbara

County portion.

The Santa Barbara Channel lies along important migration routes for marine mammals,

fishes and seabirds and also contains a diverse assemblage of resident marine life.

Marine habitats within the coastal region at the eastern end of the Santa Barbara

Channel include offshore sand bottoms and rocky reefs, kelp forests, and sandy, rocky

and cobble beaches. Several mud bottom estuaries and salt marshes are also found

along this section of coast.

Section 2.2 of this existing conditions section discusses sensitive marine species found

in the BEACON project area. Section 2.3 describes the biological resources at each of

the six beach placement sites.

2.2 SENSITIVE SPECIES

Table 2-1 lists sensitive coastal species that occur in the BEACON project area. Each

species is discussed briefly below. The occurrence of sensitive species at each of the

six placement sites is discussed in more detail in Section 2.3.

2.2.1 Listed Species

Salt Marsh Bird's Beak (Cordylanthus maritimus ssp. maritimus) - Federal

Endangered, State Endangered. This annual plant is found in the upper or high salt

marsh where it is a hemiparasite, attaching its roots to neighboring marsh perennials.

The salt marsh bird's beak has become endangered primarily through the loss of its salt

marsh habitat. Carpinteria salt marsh is the northwestern limit of occurrence for salt

marsh bird's beak. It is also found just east of the BEACON project area in Mugu

Lagoon. It would not be expected on the beaches targeted for sand placement.

3208 Bio Report

06/12/02