Tijuana River Valley Existing Conditions Report
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Climate Understanding & Resilience in the River Valley Tijuana River Valley Existing Conditions Report Prepared by the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve for the CURRV project’s Stakeholder Working Group Updated April 14, 2014 This project is funded by a grant from the Coastal and Ocean Climate Applications Program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Program Office. Also, supported in part by a grant from the National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) Science Collaborative. 1 Table of Contents Acronyms ................................................................................................................................................... 3 Figures ....................................................................................................................................................... 4 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 5 Resources and Geography ........................................................................................................................... 6 Climate ................................................................................................................................................... 6 Topography & Floodplain ....................................................................................................................... 6 Hydrology ............................................................................................................................................... 6 Natural Habitats ......................................................................................................................................... 7 Endangered and Threatened Species ....................................................................................................... 9 Cultural & Historical Resources ............................................................................................................... 11 Parks, Recreation, & Public Access......................................................................................................... 11 Agricultural & Equestrian Resources ....................................................................................................... 13 Security & Defense .................................................................................................................................. 13 Critical Facilities & Utilities ....................................................................................................................... 13 Social Landscape .................................................................................................................................... 14 Management ............................................................................................................................................... 16 Key Planning Documents ........................................................................................................................ 19 Regional Climate Adaptation Planning .................................................................................................... 24 Conservation Focal Areas ........................................................................................................................... 25 Extreme Events & Flood Control ............................................................................................................. 25 Sediment & Trash .................................................................................................................................... 30 Water Quality ........................................................................................................................................... 31 Invasive Species ...................................................................................................................................... 31 Works Cited ................................................................................................................................................. 32 2 Acronyms AMSD Area Specific Management Directives CAP Climate Action Plan cfs cubic feet per second CMP Comprehensive Management Plan CSP California State Parks CURRV Climate Understanding & Resilience in the River Valley CZMA Coastal Zone Management Act GHG Greenhouse Gases IBWC International Boundary & Water Commission ITRFCP International Tijuana River Flood Control Project lps liters per second mgd million gallons per day MHPA Multi-Habitat Planning Area MSCP Multiple Species Conservation Program NERR National Estuarine Research Reserve NERRS National Estuarine Research Reserve System NGO Non-Governmental Organization NOAA National Oceanic & Atmospheric Association NOLF Naval Outlying Landing Field NWR National Wildlife Refuge NWRS National Wildlife Refuge System SBIWTP South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant SLR Sea Level Rise TRNERR Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve TRV Tijuana River Valley TRVRP Tijuana River Valley Regional Park TRVRT Tijuana River Valley Recovery Team TRW Tijuana River Watershed USFWS U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service USN U.S. Navy WTP Wastewater Treatment Plant 3 Figures Figure 1: CURRV Planning Process.............................................................................................................. 5 Figure 2: Tijuana River Watershed ................................................................................................................ 6 Figure 3: Major Dams in the TRW ................................................................................................................. 7 Figure 4: Habitat Map .................................................................................................................................... 8 Figure 5: Trails Map (draft) .......................................................................................................................... 12 Figure 6: Infrastructure Map ........................................................................................................................ 15 Figure 7: Landownership Map ..................................................................................................................... 18 Figure 8: Proposed Recovery Concept ....................................................................................................... 23 Figure 9: Estimated 25-year and 100-year floodplain .................................................................................. 25 Figure 10: Existing Flooding Conditions (Western TRV) ............................................................................. 27 Figure 11: Existing Flooding Conditions (Central TRV) ............................................................................... 28 Figure 12: Existing Flooding Conditions (Eastern TRV) .............................................................................. 29 Figure 13: Three Major Tributaries ............................................................................................................. 30 Table 1: Endangered and Threatened Vegetation ....................................................................................... 9 Table 2: Endangered and Threatened Wildlife .............................................................................................. 9 Table 3: Peak Flows of Historical Extreme Flooding Events ....................................................................... 26 4 Introduction Through the Climate Understanding & Resilience in the River Valley (CURRV) project, the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve (TRNERR) is leading a collaborative process to assess the vulnerability of the Tijuana River Valley to climate change, specifically sea level rise (SLR) and riverine flooding. The CURRV project will result in the development of adaptation strategies to help local communities adapt to climate change, and increase resiliency by providing jointly-developed recommendations to coastal decision-makers on how to consider climate change in managing our natural resources and built infrastructure. (Figure 1) Figure 1: CURRV Planning Process Reviewing existing conditions is part of the second phase, “assess”. [30, 29] Role of Existing Conditions Report This report compiles information about the Tijuana River Valley to ensure that all stakeholders involved in the planning process have a baseline understanding of what resources are present within the valley, how the area is managed, and what threatens the long-term sustainability of the natural habitats and built infrastructure. Information in this document has been compiled with input from the CURRV Stakeholder Working Group, providing the foundation for the vulnerability assessment and the development of climate adaptation strategies. Keep in mind that the report serves only as an overview of the existing conditions in the river valley, and may not present a comprehensive review of all that will need to be considered throughout the planning process. 5 Resources and Geography The Tijuana River Watershed (TRW) straddles the U.S.-Mexico border, with nearly three quarters of the 1750-square-mile drainage area located in Mexico [1]. This unique binational area encompasses many diverse ecosystems, ranging from 6000-foot pine forest-covered mountains to the tidal saltwater estuary at the mouth of the river in the United States [1]. A