BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES AT EACH SITE

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7_BEACON Tech Report (FINAL)

2.3 BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES AT EACH SITE

2.3.1 Methodology

Assessment of the biological resources at each of the six beach placement sites was

done by site visits, underwater surveys, contacts with agency personnel and other

individuals familiar with biological resources at the sites, and review of the literature

including the Department of Fish and Game Natural Diversity Data Base (CDFG 2000).

All of the beach placement sites were visited on August 24, 2000, by Dr. Noel Davis of

Chambers Group, and Ms. Lori Dalessio and Mr. Chris Webb of Moffatt & Nichol.

During these site visits, the presence of sensitive resources such as significant rocky

intertidal habitat and kelp beds was noted.

On September 19 and 20, 2000, the Goleta Beach, Ash Avenue, Oil Piers and Surfer's

Point sites were surveyed for kelp and subtidal rocky habitat by SCUBA diving. The

Oxnard Shores and Hueneme Beach sites were not dived because they occur along a

long stretch of sandy shore with no hard bottom habitat. The biologist divers were

Dr. Davis and Mr. Todd Chapman of Chambers Group. The survey vessel was the

24-foot Skipjack, Osprey, captained by Mr. Paul Aines. The vessel was equipped with a

profiling fathometer and a Geographical Positioning System (GPS). Weather conditions

during the survey consisted of calm seas with light winds and about 2-foot surf and

swell. At each of the four sites, the boat traversed the nearshore area. The locations of

all kelp surface canopy that was observed and all kelp plants or subtidal relief that

appeared on the fathometer were recorded. At each site, Dr. Davis and Mr. Chapman

swam underwater parallel to shore for the entire length of the beach placement area.

The water depth of the underwater survey varied from site to site depending on the

swell conditions, but was between 5- and 15-foot depth Mean Lower Low Water

(MLLW). During the underwater surveys, the nature of the bottom and the presence of

kelp, eelgrass or surfgrass was noted.

Because literature review and personal contacts indicated that significant rocky intertidal

occurs near the Ash Avenue and Oil Piers sites, on December 12, 2000, Dr. Davis

visited these sites during a spring low tide (-1.4 feet [ft.] MLLW) to observe the intertidal

habitat.

Table 2-2 summarizes significant biological resources in the vicinity of each of the

proposed beach placement sites.

2.3.2 Goleta Beach

2.3.2.1 Intertidal

Figure 2-1 shows biological resources in the vicinity of the Goleta Beach site. Intertidal

habitat at the Goleta Beach site is sandy. Rocky intertidal habitat occurs approximately

1,500 ft. upcoast. This rocky intertidal habitat is characterized by large rock benches

3208 Bio Report

06/12/02