Executive Summary
Post-Construction Monitoring
The RBSP monitoring program will continue at as many of the existing Navy sites as practicable, while
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verifying no long-term impacts at the locations where this project predicts possible sand deposition. While
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the exact monitoring locations will be finalized in concert with the resource and regulatory agencies,
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tentative locations include Point Loma (control) and Cardiff (test) for rocky intertidal habitat; Cardiff, North
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Carlsbad and Leucadia (test) and one new site north of Table Tops or Swami's (control) for subtidal
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habitat; and a new location off North Carlsbad, Solana Beach/Cardiff, Batiquitos, Moonlight
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Beach/Boneyards (test) and Point Loma, possibly Swami's (control) for kelp habitat. A new transect
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perpendicular to the coast would be implemented at North Carlsbad under subtidal to verify no impacts
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to surfgrass. Current baseline data is available for existing Navy monitoring sites, but where new test and
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control sites would be selected, baseline monitoring would be completed prior to project initiation. Possible
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new sites that would require baseline monitoring include the perpendicular transect at North Carlsbad, the
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selected control site for subtidal habitat, and Batiquitos, Moonlight Beach/Boneyards and North Carlsbad
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test sites for kelp habitat.
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The monitoring program for rocky intertidal habitat would involve periodic checks of fixed plots and fixed
transects to observe identified target species of vegetation, barnacles, and sea stars. Species abundance
would be estimated based on counts and measurements within those fixed sample loc ations. Timed
searches and reconnaissance surveys would also be conducted, including video-recording. Surveys would
occur twice a year (spring and fall) for four years. Sample reports would be provided after each survey
and a yearly report would be required after each full year of monitoring. A final report would be prepared
at the completion of the four-year monitoring effort.
The subtidal monitoring would involve establishment of fixed transects inside a fixed quadrant within which
the substrate would be characterized in terms of percentage of sand, rock, rock type, vertical relief and
depth of sand cover. Within that quadrant, the biologist would census abundance of key indicator species.
Habitat type and species abundance along each transect would be mapped and digitized into a GIS
database. Persistence or change in habitat over time would be documented. Sediment markers would be
permanently established and monitored as well. It will be important in the monitoring plan to design a
standard method for accurately recording changes in sand depth. Surveys would occur twice annually in
spring and fall. Annual reports would be provided, as well as a final report at the end of four years.
Kelp monitoring would be performed using divers at the study reefs to sample the kelp and reef biota within
established areas. Transects would be established and substrate mapped to characterize the percentage
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