3.4 Biological Resources
The subtidal area immediately adjacent to the site is sandy bottom. Reef occurs about 450 feet north of
the site at depths ranging from -5 to -20 feet MLLW. No surfgrass was observed at this location in 1995;
however, sea palms, coralline algae, and sea fans were common to abundant.
Low relief reef also occurs in the nearshore about 2,000 feet south of the site. The reef starts out as patch
reef and at about 2,500 feet south the reef is more extensively developed. Dense surfgrass was observed
in 1995 on more developed areas of the reef between -8 and -18 feet MLLW.
Giant kelp was noted during the January 2000 survey in deeper water (greater than 25 feet above MLLW)
on reefs and the San Elijo outfall pipe. A small canopy of kelp was mapped offshore and north of the
receiver site in 1999 (Table 3.4-2). Kelp beds were found to the north off Cardiff and to the south off the
southern portion of San Elijo Lagoon historically and in 1997. In 1997, the bed to the north began 1,200
feet offshore in -20 feet MLLW and extended into deeper waters. This bed was more than 0.25 square
mile in size. The bed to the south began 1,550 feet offshore in -25 to -35 feet MLLW. Some kelp was
also found along the San Elijo outfall pipe. Historically, there has been a high persistence of kelp just north
of the lagoon and a much more transitory persistence in the vicinity of the pipeline.
Solana Beach
Within Receiver Site Boundaries
The beach habitat is predominantly sand with some cobble. Sand depths ranged between two and 40
inches with an overall average of 14 in during the May 1999 survey. Depths measured at several of the
same locations in July 1999 indicated a build up of the beach over the two months following the survey.
The average sand depth in July 1999 was 21 inches in the upper, 25 inches in the mid, and 37 inches in the
lowintertidalzones. Sand crabs, polychaete worms, and amphipod crustaceans occupied the sand habitat.
Cobble varied from being more dense in the northern half of the site to fairly sparse in the southern half.
Cobble cover exceeded 60 percent at Fletcher Cover during the May and July 1999 surveys and occurred
in dense bands along the cliff and extending out to 40 feet seaward further north. No marine life was
associated with the cobble.
Two reef areas were observed south of Fletcher Cove within the site boundaries during the minus tide
surveys and one was observed just south of the boundary. The beach site was surveyed in May and July
Page 3.4-26
Regional Beach Sand Project EIR/EA
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