3.4 Biological Resources
some reefs mapped outside the kelp canopy. In some locations, the kelp that was present in January 2000
had been eliminated by storms in February 2000.
No kelp canopy was mapped within one mile of the site in 1999. In 1997, kelp beds were mapped
offshore the site. The shallowest portions of these large beds were in -15 to -30 feet MLLW, about 1,075
to 2,000 feet offshore (Table 3.4-2). The large bed in the northern portion of the site was approximately
0.2 square mile, and the large bed in the southern portion was 0.1 square mile in size. Historically, there
has been a relatively high persistence of kelp in the vicinity of the site.
Del Mar
Within Site Boundaries
The proposed site is predominantly sand habitat. Sand depths ranged between seven and 25 inches with
an overall average of 14 inches in May. Sand crabs and polychaete worms occupied the sand habitat.
Boulders occurred in localized areas along the back beach and a small sandstone bench was exposed in
the upper intertidal at the south end of the site. A more extensive sandstone bench occurred in the upper
intertidal immediately south of the site. Cobble was very localized to sparse on the beach. No marine life
was observed on any of these hard substrate areas.
California grunion eggs were not observed in shovel samples collected during the May survey. While sand
depths may have been sufficient to support grunion, and cobble cover was not extensive enough to have
limited grunion egg laying, beach width may have been a limiting factor. The upper intertidal had damp sand
to the back of the beach, which had a narrow, steep slope, bluff, or revetment along its length.
Nearby Sensitive Resources
The closest California least tern and western snowy plover nesting sites are located at San Dieguito
Lagoon, which is located less than one mile from the receiver site (Figure 3.4-1).
Inshore intertidal surfgrass occurs in extensive patches south of the receiver site from near 15th Street to
4th Street.
Page 3.4-30
Regional Beach Sand Project EIR/EA
99-69\SANDAG EIREA 3.4.wpd 7/17/00
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