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Home My WebLink AboutSupplemental Information - Coastal Environment Report8/14/2017 • Presentation Outline: • Beach Division procedures • Dr. Karen Martin — Beach Ecology Consideration • San Gabriel Watershed (trash TMDL ) John Hunter and Associates s /14/2017 • 1.5 miles from 151 Street to Surfside. • Nearly 1 mile from San Gabriel to Naval Weapons Base. 2 "1 longest wooden pier in California, originally built in the 1900's. J • Presentation Outline • City Cleaning Operations • Beach ecology • San Gabriel Watershed trash TMDL John Hunter & Associates a /ia /zov 3 7 Year History Annual Beach Maintenance Cast saW.mo sm� vra� s�wwo s�xo� smom seoaw .M.wim. sn® sn® Wa uN u/4 Wu INU Wn n/u $860 over 7 Years • Presentation Outline • City Cleaning Operations • Beach ecology • San Gabriel Watershed trash TMDL John Hunter & Associates a /ia /zov 3 8/14/2017 • San Gabriel River — Flows from Angeles National Forrest and ends in Seal Beach — Watershed of 713 square miles • Two 200 hp tractors • One Surf Rake beach cleaner • One BeachTech beach sanitizer • One 44 Backhoe • Two 4x4 flat bed trucks • One Pier scrubber machine I • One small Boar(walk sweeper g /ta /z0v • Start times 3am- 6:30am (Sam typical) — Depending on tides, tasks, crowds, weather • Entire Beach raked /groomed daily and inspected for hazards. • Beach waterline debris handpicked. • All trash cans emptied. • Parking lots handpicked and maintained. • Bathrooms opened, and inspected. — Checking for Graffiti etc. 8/14/2017 • Start times — Available window of opportunity before crowd • Noise concerns — East beach being closer to the Ocean restricting the times operations can clean — V St Beach Shop (backup alarms /equipment warm -up) 8/14/2017 • Trash TMOLs • These "Total Maximum Daily Loads" have been assigned to individual cities along the Los Angeles River • Cities from 2008 through 2016 to achieve zero' discharge • Statewide Trash Amendment • This is similar to the Trash TMDL, but more focused on high trash areas." • Recently adopted o Implementation expected to start with the next M54 Permit anticipated to be issued in 2018 • Zero defined as a cumulative reduction of 5,651,545 lbs. of trash "(3) High density residential, (2) commercial, (31 mired urban use, (4) industrial and (5) public transportation stations 8/14/2017 L, 8/14/2017 Los Angeles River Trash TMDL • Requires 100% reduction from the baseline. • Tens of thousands of full capture trash baskets have been installed inside catch basins. • Deadline for completion was September 30, 2016. • For example: o Signal Hill installed 151 capture devices of 166 catch basins (but this was only for the Los Angeles River Watershed, see next steps) o Also installed Regional Trash Nets at Hamilton Bowl o Conducted Daily Trash Generation studies to demonstrate achieving the "zero" discharge. Basin Plan Amendment • San Gabriel River cities already starting to install inserts: ai Signal Hill Oi Bellflower Oe Lakewood 4 And many others draining to the San Gabriel River and Alamitos Bay • Orange County cities are choosing: :• Track 1(Full installation of trash capture baskets) or :• Track 2 (Combination of trash capture baskets and studies • demonstrating equivalence) ❖ A ten -year implementation period is expected to begin in 2018. • Seal Beach intends to follow Track 1 8/14/2017 Beaches As Marine Ecosystems a1M•. Karen Martin, PhD Professor of Biology, Pepperdine University Prepared for the City of Seal Beach, August 14, 2017 AIL .: "Beaches are typically viewed in physical and cultural terms, as natural places of sun, sea, surf and sand that support various hedonistic socio- cultural activities. But beaches are also recognizable ecosystems that provide various services an +n have many ecological values.'— FL J. James, 2000 s /ia /2oi7 Beach Ecosystem Functions & Services Water filtration Storm protection Nutrient cycling Photos: D. Hubbard, J. Dugan Beaches show vertical zonation like other coastal ecosystems, according to the tides. Artwork: Brie English IxdanupMre wraai I2wsul simnel [Mum �� SUR2ane >.I•M� DOasul DUncl !z INTERrML WNEJ aq _ Vertical zones on beaches differ from rocky intertidal zones GL • Beach zones are not fixed in one place • Animals may migrate up and down the beach with tides • Burrows are not permanent Donaz clams, Photo: D. Hubbard 8/14 /2017 3 s/14/20v High Biodiversity & Rich Prey Resources for Birds & Fishes = n California beaches: rich in species, ek. high productivity. : y - 7�. More than 70 species, 3 ot - upto40 +species/beach ' Abundance Y; up to >125,000 individuals /meter' • M' , � � #" . t Photos: Dave Hubbard and Jenny Dugan 4 Natural vegetation, microtopography California Beaches are heavily used by shorebirds for feeding, resting, and nesting. s /14 /zov Many migratory species appear along the Pacific Flyway. Photo: K. Martin 8/14/2017 California Grunion runs are preyed upon from land and sea. Photos: N. Martin, Carlos Carreon 8/14/2017 Hunting for Grunion at Seal Beach Beach Recreational Fisheries put pressure on limited resources Pismo Clams are much Grunion Greeters: reduced in "observe and conserve" numbers Beach Driving can impact ecology Photos: D. Reed, K. Martin sf Western - r Snowy ,.. _.. Plovers resting In lifeguard tire tracks r b ` (over 2 dozen) Photo: K. Martin s /ia /zov Beach grooming removes plants and seeds, and alters the upper layers of the beach Concern over the effects of grooming on gmnion eggs led to controversy in San Diego, and subsequent changes in policy to protect the nesting sites. Some urban beaches use mechanized beach maintenance, raking up kelp, debris, and some sand for removal. Mechanized beach raking disrupts the upper layers of the beach. Photos: K. Martin B /1a /N17 10 s /1a /zoly Grunion Season • Protocol is to avoid using vehicles in the intertidal zone • Beaches that are groomed can continue raking the upper beach but avoid the intertidal zone • This provides protection for grunion nests buried under beach sand • The wrack line provides habitat for some kelp invertebrates and birds as well 11 Grunion Grooming Protocol: ungroomed intertidal, groomed upper beach. Mission Beach, San Diego r .- s /ia /zov 12 8/14/2017 Beaches worldwide are endangered by "Coastal Squeeze" Coastal development, beach erosion, and sea level rise Over 1/3 of the coastline is armored in Southern California Photo: Kenneth & Gabrielle Adelson, CaliforniaCoastline.org, used by permission 13 In summary... -Sandy beaches are unique ecosystems connecting terrestrial and marine zones. -Beaches generally have not been managed or restored ecologically. -This needs to change! OEM BENCH ECOLOGY COALITION To enhar ecosystem rme _ry and beach meneeement b balance natural resource erolecb and rsvuutional use www 9eachftobyCoal t on.orz 8/14/2017 14