appendix b final 2008 biological surveys of los angeles and long ...

1.0 Introduction
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The Ports of Los Angeles and Long
Beach (Ports) comprise a harbor
complex that occupies almost 11,000
acres (43 square kilometers [km²]) of
land and water in western San Pedro
Bay located in southern Los Angeles
County (Figure 1.1-1). The Port of Los
Angeles (POLA) is a department of the
City of Los Angeles and is often
referred to as the Los Angeles Harbor
Department. Similarly, the Port of Long
Beach (POLB) is governed by the City
of Long Beach, with the City Charter
creating the Long Beach Harbor
Department to promote and develop the
port. As part of their long-term
stewardship of marine biological
communities in San Pedro Bay and their scientific needs related to evaluation of potential
effects from in-bay projects, the Ports have conducted periodic biological baseline studies to
characterize marine communities over a range of representative habitats throughout the harbor
complex. The most recent baseline biological study was conducted by MEC Analytical
Systems, Inc (MEC) in 2000 (MEC 2002). The present Biological Study, conducted by Science
Applications International Corporation (SAIC) is a continuation of this baseline series.
1.1 BACKGROUND
Habitat conditions and marine biological communities in the harbor complex have been
documented since the early 1950s. The first comprehensive surveys of biological and
physical/chemical conditions in the harbors were conducted by the Harbors Environmental
Project of the University of Southern California between 1971 and 1978 (HEP 1980) to
document existing conditions and evaluate impacts associated with dredging and planned
expansion of the Ports. Several separate studies that were conducted during the 1980s and
1990s had limited focus on one port or the other in support of separate development projects
(e.g., MBC Applied Environmental Sciences [MBC] 1984 and 1999, MEC 1988).
Since 2000, few major projects have occurred in the Ports that would have caused significant
effects to marine habitats. However, as part of the Channel Deepening project conducted by
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) (USACE and LAHD 2000), some changes in
benthic habitat condition may have occurred in the Port of Los Angeles as a result of fills along
Berths 103-106 (China Shipping) and Pier 300, deepening of the main channel to -53 feet Mean
Lower Low Water (MLLW), creation of eelgrass habitat near Seaplane Lagoon, creation of the
Pier 400 Submerged Material Storage Site, and extension of the Cabrillo Shallow Water Habitat.
The specific goal of the present Biological Study was to provide an update of quantitative
information on biological and associated physical/chemical conditions within representative
marine habitats of the Ports. Results and conclusions from the study will provide the Ports, as
well as resource and regulatory agencies, with quantitative information to assist in
characterizing the overall health of marine habitats within the Ports. This information can and
has been used to define the boundaries of Inner Harbor and Outer Harbor habitats,
2008 Biological Surveys of Los Angeles and Long Beach Harbors 1–1
April 2010