3.4 Biological Resources
to 24 inches in the mid intertidal, 12 to 25 inches in the lower intertidal, and averaged 14 inches overall.
No marine life was observed on the cobble. Sand crabs and polychaetes occupied the sand habitat.
California grunion eggs were not observed in the shovel samples collected during the May 1999 survey.
Very shallow sand depths and extensive cobble cover in the upper intertidal may have been limiting to
grunion egg laying.
Nearby Sensitive Resources
Primary California least tern and western snowy plover nesting sites are located at Batiquitos Lagoon,
R
which is about one-quarter mile inland from the receiver site. The W-2 plover nesting colony at Batiquitos
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Lagoon is approximately 500 feet from this receiver site, on the other side of the 101 Coast highway and
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jetty structure.
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Nearshore waters are characterized by mostly sandy bottom, with an area of low-relief, scattered reef and
a smaller patch of high-relief reef at the southern end of the site. The low-relief, scattered reef begins
approximately 625 feet offshore in -8 feet MLLW, which is about 150 feet seaward of the site boundary.
A small high-relief reef starts approximately 750 feet offshore in -10 feet MLLW. The low relief reef was
covered with scattered surfgrass and feather boa kelp in 1997.
No kelp canopy was mapped in 1999. In 1997, kelp canopy was mapped offshore. The inshore edge
was 1,875 feet offshore in -35 feet MLLW, which is about 1,500 feet from the seaward boundary of the
site (Table 3.4-2). The approximate size of this bed was 0.2 square miles. Historical maps indicate a
relatively high persistence of kelp in the vicinity of the site. During the January 2000 survey, giant kelp was
observed on reefs at depths greater than -30 feet MLLW.
Leucadia
Within Receiver Site Boundaries
The proposed receiver site is predominantly sand habitat. The site was first surveyed in July 1999. Sand
depths ranged from 6 to 41 inches, and averaged 19 inches in the upper and mid intertidal zones and 27
inches in the low intertidal zone. Sand crabs, bean clams, and polychaete worms were found in the sand
habitat.
Page 3.4-22
Regional Beach Sand Project EIR/EA
99-69\SANDAG EIREA 3.4.wpd 7/17/00
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