2008 Annual Monitoring Report (pdf 10.9MB) - Bolsa Chica ...
2008 Annual Monitoring Report (pdf 10.9MB) - Bolsa Chica ...
2008 Annual Monitoring Report (pdf 10.9MB) - Bolsa Chica ...
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<strong>Bolsa</strong> <strong>Chica</strong> Lowlands Restoration <strong>Monitoring</strong><br />
<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong><br />
TABLE OF CONTENTS<br />
Executive Summary................................................................................................................................ 1<br />
Introduction........................................................................................................................................... 11<br />
I. Ecological <strong>Monitoring</strong> Program ..................................................................................................... 17<br />
1.1. Vegetation/Habitat <strong>Monitoring</strong> .................................................................................................................................. 17<br />
1.2. Soils/Sediment <strong>Monitoring</strong>......................................................................................................................................... 33<br />
1.3. Fish Community <strong>Monitoring</strong>...................................................................................................................................... 37<br />
1.4. Benthic <strong>Monitoring</strong> .................................................................................................................................................... 55<br />
1.5. Water Quality <strong>Monitoring</strong> .......................................................................................................................................... 66<br />
1.6. Avian <strong>Monitoring</strong>....................................................................................................................................................... 72<br />
General Avian <strong>Monitoring</strong> ............................................................................................................................................. 72<br />
Light-footed Clapper Rail <strong>Monitoring</strong> ........................................................................................................................... 87<br />
Belding’s Savannah Sparrow <strong>Monitoring</strong> ...................................................................................................................... 87<br />
California Least Tern and Western Snowy Plover <strong>Monitoring</strong> ...................................................................................... 91<br />
1.7. Non-native Invasive Species ....................................................................................................................................... 96<br />
II. Physical <strong>Monitoring</strong> Program ....................................................................................................... 99<br />
2.1. Inlet Flood Shoal ......................................................................................................................................................... 99<br />
2.2. Tidal <strong>Monitoring</strong> ....................................................................................................................................................... 107<br />
2.3. Beach <strong>Monitoring</strong>...................................................................................................................................................... 114<br />
III. Maintenance Dredging Program ................................................................................................ 135<br />
3.1 Dredging Triggers ...................................................................................................................................................... 136<br />
3.2 Trigger Analysis......................................................................................................................................................... 137<br />
3.3 Dredge Triggers - Conclusions and Recommendations ............................................................................................. 140<br />
3.4 Maintenance Dredging Plan ....................................................................................................................................... 141<br />
References............................................................................................................................................ 143<br />
LIST OF FIGURES<br />
Figure 0-1. Site locator and vicinity map .............................................................................................. 15<br />
Figure 0-2. Schedule of <strong>Bolsa</strong> <strong>Chica</strong> monitoring activities................................................................... 16<br />
Figure 1-1. <strong>Monitoring</strong> stations ............................................................................................................. 18<br />
Figure 1-2. Vegetation and soil monitoring locations ........................................................................... 20<br />
Figure 1-3. Habitat map (May <strong>2008</strong>)..................................................................................................... 22<br />
Figure 1-4. Full Tidal Basin cordgrass distribution............................................................................... 24<br />
Figure 1-5. Full Tidal Basin eelgrass distribution ................................................................................. 26<br />
Figure 1-6. Mean percent cover of native and non-native vegetation by survey area (<strong>2008</strong>) ............... 29<br />
Figure 1-7. Fisheries sampling locations............................................................................................... 39<br />
Figure 1-8. Mean fish density by quarter for large beach seine, otter trawl, and purse seine at Stations<br />
1 and 2 in the Full Tidal Basin......................................................................................................... 45<br />
Figure 1-9. Mean fish biomass by quarter for large beach seine, otter trawl, and purse seine at Stations<br />
1 and 2 in the Full Tidal Basin......................................................................................................... 47<br />
Figure 1-10. Size class distribution of topsmelt, slough anchovy, kelp bass, and California killifish in<br />
the Full Tidal Basin in <strong>2008</strong>............................................................................................................. 53<br />
Figure 1-11. Benthic sampling stations ................................................................................................. 56<br />
Figure 1-12. Mean infauna density and biomass in January and July <strong>2008</strong> by station and tidal elevation<br />
.......................................................................................................................................................... 61<br />
Figure 1-13. Full Tidal Basin water quality data - January <strong>2008</strong> .......................................................... 68<br />
Figure 1-14. Full Tidal Basin water quality data - April <strong>2008</strong> .............................................................. 69<br />
Figure 1-15. Full Tidal Basin water quality data - July <strong>2008</strong>................................................................ 70<br />
Merkel & Associates, Inc.<br />
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