3.4 Biological Resources
beach at the northern end of Tide Park and extended along the beach further north. It is suspected that
sand and/or cobble scour associated with the sand build-up had stripped the reef area of the algae.
Even further north is the extensively developed reef known as Table Tops. That reef had extensive
development of biological resources including a variety of algae and invertebrates, and substantial surfgrass
beds. Juvenile to adult sized California mussels, relatively large sea anemones, large colonies of sand castle
worm (Phragmatopoma californica), and a diverse range of resources at the site indicate that this is a
persistent reef area. Substantial sand build up also occurred at this site between June and July 1999 and
included partial burial of some surfgrass. Navy monitoring at this site records about three feet of sand build
up between the spring and fall of 1999. This location is one of the sites currently being monitored by the
Navy as part of the permit conditions associated with the previous Homeporting project (refer also to
Section 2.5). Monitoring will continue here until 2001.
The closest reef to the south was located approximately 600 feet south of the southern site boundary. It
consisted of a 459-foot-long area with patchy reef. With the exception of four rocks (each about 6 feet
wide) that were 27 inches in height, exposed sandstone benches were either flush with the sand or only a
few inches in height. Common in occurrence were feather boa kelp (average size 71 inches), a variety of
turf algae, aggregated sea anemones, and hermit crabs. Although this site was only visited in July 1999,
the occurrence of feather boa kelp on the surface of the sand in several places indicates that sand build up
had also occurred at this site since May 1999.
The next closest reef area to the south was located over 1,600 feet south of the southern site boundary.
Both low and high relief benches and rocks were present in the upper intertidal through minus tide zones.
Feather boa kelp (juvenile to adult sizes, average size 28 inches), a variety of red turf algae, Ulva green
algae, small leafy brown algae, sea anemones, California mussel, Acanthina snails, limpets, hermit crabs,
and striped shore crabs were present. There was fairly high public use of the rocky intertidal area during
the July 1999 survey.
A side-scan sonar survey was conducted offshore between Tide Park and Pill Box reef in January 2000,
however, surface kelp canopy interfered with acquisition of side-scan sonar maps for part of the site.
Storm conditions with large swell and surf have limited dives at this site later in January and February 2000.
The side-scan sonar maps indicate predominantly low relief reef, although high relief associated with the
Pill Box reef to the south and high relief to the north was mapped within the extent of survey boundary.
Limited diver surveys have verified some reef heights under the kelp canopy, and assessed resources on
Regional Beach Sand Project EIR/EA
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