2.0 Alternatives Considered
The Navy plan involves various test and control sites for the three habitat types. For rocky intertidal
monitoring there is one test site (Cardiff) and two control sites (Scripps/La Jolla and off Point Loma). For
subtidal reefs there are two monitoring sites (North Carlsbad and Encinitas) and one control site (Cardiff).
For kelp monitoring there are four test sites (Imperial Beach, North Carlsbad, Leucadia, and Solana
Beach/Cardiff) and two control sites (Swami's Reef and Point Loma kelp beds). The intent of the
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monitoring program is two-fold: (1) to verify that after project implementation there would be no long-term,
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significant impacts to sensitive biological resources from sediment transport, and (2) to gain a better
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understanding of the regional on-shore and off-shore seasonal movement of sand over time and under
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various weather conditions. The RBSP monitoring program will continue as many of the existing Navy sites
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as practicable while meeting the two purposes.
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While the exact monitoring locations will be finalized in concert with the resource and regulatory agencies,
tentative locations include Point Loma (control) and Cardiff (test) for rocky intertidalhabitat; 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 perpendicular
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transect would be added at the North Carlsbad site to monitor surfgrass to verify no project-specific
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impacts. Current baseline data is available for existing Navy monitoring sites, but where new test and
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controlsites would be selected, baseline monitoring would be completed prior to project initiation. Possible
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new sites include the perpendicular transect at North Carlsbad for subtidal habitat, the selected control site
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for subtidal habitat (surfgrass), and Batiquitos, Moonlight Beach/Boneyards and North Carlsbad sites for
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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 tho se fixed sample locations. 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.
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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
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