HomeMy WebLinkAbout19-12-05 Eelgrass Update - Water Quality Coastal Tidelands1
Eelgrass in Newport Harbor –An Ecosystem-Based Approach
Year 4 Update
Water Quality Coastal Tidelands Committee
December 5, 2019
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•CHALLENGE
–Meeting maintenance dredging needs vs. ecological importance (regulatory requirements)
•“Newport Specific Plan”
–Temporary eelgrass impacts while maintenance dredging via the City’s “RGP-54” dredging permit
Eelgrass in Newport Harbor
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RGP 54 Dredging Permit
Annual maximumvolume 75,000 cubic yards (cy)
Individual project volume limit 8,000 cy
Maximum dredge depth Maximum of -10 ft MLLW plus 2 ft. over-depth
Sediment testing Periodic harbor-wide characterization (5 years)
Eelgrass Temporary impacts permitted under the City’s Eelgrass Plan
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Eelgrass (Zostera marina)
Shoot
•Unique flowering plant adapted to living underwater
•Dense meadows in shallow bays and estuaries
•Shallow and deep water varieties
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•Considered a sensitive resource
•National Marine Fisheries Service (federal lead agency when impacts are proposed)
•California Eelgrass Mitigation Plan (CEMP)
–Default plan for California
–Impacts = 1.38:1 mitigation
•“Newport Specific Plan”
–Temporary impacts allowed based on overall eelgrass population and distribution
Eelgrass Regulatory Requirements
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Biennial, Diver-Based Eelgrass Surveys
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Biennial Surveys
Survey Years Area Sampled and Observed
2003 – 2004 24.51 acres
2006 – 2007 18.87 acres
2009 – 2010 16.2 acres
2012 – 2014 22.76 acres
2016 27.47 acres
2018 30.22 acres
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Biennial Surveys
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Year One (2016)
•43 applications
–60,185 cubic yards dredged
–18 properties temporarily impacted eelgrass (0.51 acre, 22,216 s/f)
Year Two (2017)
•32 applications
–54,564 cubic yards dredged
–25 properties temporarily impacted eelgrass (0.97 acre, 42,253 s/f)
RGP 54 Program Summary
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Year Three (2018)
•10 applications
–24,729 cubic yards dredged
–4 properties temporarily impacted eelgrass (0.60 acre, 26,316 s/f)
Year Four (2019 January to November)
•22 applications
–44,266 cubic yards dredged
–11 properties temporarily impacted eelgrass (0.52 acre, 25,575 s/f)
RGP 54 Program to Date
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RGP-54 – Permit Amended (July 2019)
•Omit requirement for Caulerpa surveys
•Aligned dredging operations plan requirements between permits.
•Addressed inconsistencies in reporting requirements and other permit details between CCC, Corps and Water Board
RGP-54 – Permit Re-Authorized (underway)
•Current 5-year permit expires December 2020
•Allowance for nearshore disposal (ocean beaches)
•“Carve out” for unrestricted beach maintenance.
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Questions/Discussion