3.6 Land and Water Use
Another important diving resource in Wreck Alley is the Naval Ocean Surveillance Center (NOSC)
Tower. Not intended to be part of the artificial reef program, the tower sunk in a storm in January 1988,
and it rises approximately 30 feet off of the approximately 60 feet bottom. This feature has several popular
names. Erected by NOSC in 1959 for oceanographic research and other studies, it functioned as a Naval
Experimental Lab (NEL), and in late 1987 jurisdiction was transferred to the Chief of Naval Research, and
Scripps Institute of Oceanography (SIO) operated it. Today it is variously referred to as the NOSC, NEL,
or SIO tower, and is a popular dive spot.
Another vessel, the HMCS Yukon, is slated to be sunk by the San Diego Oceans Foundation in the vicinity
ofWreck Alley within the proposed San Diego Underwater Recreation Area. The Yukon is 366-foot long
decommissioned Canadian navy Mackenzie class destroyer, launched in 1961. At 2,890 tons, 70 feet tall,
and with 6 decks, it will be by far the largest artificial reef vessel in the area. It is scheduled to be sunk in
May 2000 in approximately 120 feet of water.
SS-1
The City of San Diego outfall is located approximately 2,000 feet south of the proposed dredge area. The
City of San Diego has two ocean monitoring stations to monitor ocean water and sediment quality near the
end of the City's outfall. The nearest would be approximately 1.1 miles from SS-1.
Page 3.6-24
Regional Beach Sand Project EIR/EA
99-69\SANDAG EIREA 3.5 to 3.12.wpd 7/17/00
Previous Page
