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0125im.jpg){kind=tracking} SECTION 3.0 - IMPACT ASSESSMENT
3.1 APPROACH
The BEACON South Central Coast Beach Enhancement Program has been designed
to avoid impacts to sensitive biological resources. For example, the sand placement
area at the Ash Avenue site was moved to avoid impacts to Carpinteria Reef. Similarly,
at all beaches except Oil Piers and Surfer's Point, sand would be placed on the beach
in fall or winter to avoid impacts to sensitive species during the breeding season.
To further insure that significant impacts to biological resources will not occur, turbidity
plumes and sensitive habitats will be monitored.
If monitoring indicates that
unacceptable impacts may occur, future beach fill activities will be modified to avoid
those impacts.
An impact to biological resources was considered significant if project actions resulted
in one or more of the following:
Negative effects to individuals or the habitat of a listed species, a species that is a
candidate for listing, or a species of concern.
Substantial loss in the population or habitat of any native fish, wildlife or plants.
Substantial impediment to the migration or movement of native fish or wildlife.
Substantial degradation of any significant biological habitat including kelp beds,
rocky intertidal, high relief subtidal, marine grass beds, pinniped haul out areas, or
tidal wetlands. Substantial degradation implies that impacts would last for more than
one year and would affect a significant portion of the habitat.
Section 3.2 describes in detail the types of impacts to biological resources that could
result from the proposed project. Section 3.3 discusses specific biological impacts at
each of the six proposed receiver sites.
3.2
IMPACTS OF BEACON SOUTH CENTRAL COAST BEACH ENHANCEMENT
PROGRAM
3.2.1 Burial
Placement of sand on the beach may bury invertebrates that live in the sand. It is
anticipated that many of the intertidal invertebrates that live in the area where the sand
will be placed will be killed. Intertidal sandy beach organisms are adapted to seasonal
movements of sand and readily recolonize disturbed areas. Typically, sand is moved
off southern California beaches in winter. When sand begins to accumulate on beaches
again in late spring, the characteristic sandy intertidal invertebrate community
recolonizes the area. Therefore, it is expected that sandy beach communities affected
by the proposed project would re-establish within a few months. A study on the effects
of beach replenishment on the nearshore sand fauna at Imperial Beach found that
effects were short-term (Parr et al. 1978). Therefore, the impacts to sandy beach
31
3208 Bio Report
06/12/02
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