BIG LAGOON WETLAND and CREEK RESTORATION PROJECT, MUIR BEACH, CALIFORNIA PART I. SITE ANALYSIS REPORT Prepared for the Nationa
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BIG LAGOON WETLAND AND CREEK RESTORATION PROJECT, MUIR BEACH, CALIFORNIA PART I. SITE ANALYSIS REPORT Prepared for The National Park Service Prepared by Philip Williams & Associates, Ltd. with Stillwater Sciences, John Northmore Roberts & Associates, and The Point Reyes Bird Observatory September 26, 2003 PWA Ref. # 1664.02 Services provided pursuant to this Agreement are intended solely for the use and benefit of the National Park Service. No other person or entity shall be entitled to rely on the services, opinions, recommendations, plans or specifications provided pursuant to this agreement without the express written consent of Philip Williams & Associates, Ltd., 720 California Street, 6th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94108. P:\Projects\1664-00-Big Lagoon\Task2_Site_Analysis\FinalReport-Sept26_2003\1664.02_FinalReport-aeb.doc 09/29/03 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page No. 1. INTRODUCTION 1 2. HISTORICAL (PRE-EUROAMERICAN) CONDITIONS 3 2.1 Physical Landscape & Processes 3 2.2 Pre-Euroamerican Ecology 5 2.2.1 Riparian 6 2.2.2 Seasonally Brackish Lagoon 6 2.2.3 Tidal Lagoon 7 2.2.4 Upland: Beach Dunes and Hillsides 7 2.2.5 Fish Communities 7 2.2.6 Other Wildlife 8 2.2.6.1 Invertebrates 8 2.2.6.2 Reptiles and Amphibians 9 2.2.6.3 Birds 9 2.2.6.4 Mammals 10 3. CHANGES FROM PRE-EUROAMERICAN PERIOD TO PRESENT 12 3.1 Land Use Changes 12 3.1.1 Pre-Euroamerican Period 12 3.1.2 1817-1920: Resource Extraction 12 3.1.3 1920-1980: Agriculture and Residential Development 13 3.1.4 1980-Present: Residential and Recreational Use 15 3.2 Physical Process Changes 15 3.2.1 1817-1900: Lagoon Filling 15 3.2.2 1900-1980: Diking and Channelization 16 3.2.3 1980-Present: Rapid Channel Aggradation and Flooding 16 3.3 Ecological Changes 18 3.3.1 Changes in Vegetation 18 3.3.1.1 Uplands 18 3.3.1.2 Wetlands 19 3.3.1.3 Riparian 20 3.3.1.4 Dunes 20 3.3.2 Changes in Wildlife 20 3.3.3 Changes in Fish Communities 21 3.4 Visual Character - Pre-Euroamerican through Present 23 4. EXISTING SITE CONDITIONS 25 4.1 Existing Conditions Conceptual Model 25 P:\Projects\1664-00-Big Lagoon\Task2_Site_Analysis\FinalReport-Sept26_2003\1664.02_FinalReport-aeb.doc i 4.2 Physical Resources 26 4.2.1 Geology and Soils 26 4.2.2 Hydrology 26 4.2.2.1 Surface Water 26 4.2.2.2 Groundwater 29 4.2.2.3 Water Rights 30 4.2.2.4 Water Quality 32 4.2.3 Channel and Floodplain Morphology 35 4.2.3.1 Channel Capacity and Flooding 35 4.2.3.2 Sediment Supply, Deposition and Transport 35 4.2.4 Coastal Resources 37 4.2.4.1 Oceanography 37 4.2.4.2 Beach Morphology 38 4.2.4.3 Dunes 39 4.2.4.4 Lagoon 39 4.3 Biological Resources 40 4.3.1 Vegetation/Habitat Types 41 4.3.1.1 Riparian Forest and Scrub 42 4.3.1.2 Seasonal Wetlands in the Green Gulch Pasture 43 4.3.1.3 Permanently Flooded and Intermittently Exposed Habitat 44 4.3.1.4 Brackish Marsh 44 4.3.1.5 Disturbed Habitats 45 4.3.1.6 Dunes 45 4.3.1.7 Upland Hillsides 47 4.3.1.8 Discussion 47 4.3.2 Fish and Wildlife 48 4.3.2.1 Amphibians 48 4.3.2.2 Reptiles 52 4.3.2.3 Birds 53 4.3.2.4 Mammals 56 4.3.2.5 Fish 57 4.3.2.6 Invertebrates 59 4.3.3 Special Status Species 61 4.3.3.1 Plants 61 4.3.3.2 Invertebrates 61 4.3.3.3 Amphibians and Reptiles 61 4.3.3.4 Birds 62 4.3.3.5 Mammals 62 4.3.3.6 Fish 62 4.3.4 Jurisdictional Wetlands 63 4.4 Resident and Visitor Use 63 4.4.1 Vehicle Access 65 4.4.1.1 Traffic Congestion and Circulation 65 P:\Projects\1664-00-Big Lagoon\Task2_Site_Analysis\FinalReport-Sept26_2003\1664.02_FinalReport-aeb.doc ii 4.4.1.2 Parking 65 4.4.2 Trails 66 4.4.2.1 Trail Linkages 67 4.4.2.2 Golden Gate Dairy 68 4.4.3 Visitor Experience 68 4.4.3.1 Visual/Scenic Resources 69 4.4.3.2 Interpretive Facilities 71 4.4.4 Other Important Site Features 71 4.4.4.1 Green Gulch Farm 71 4.4.4.2 Muir Beach Community 72 4.4.4.3 Golden Gate National Recreation Area 72 4.5 Cultural Resources 73 4.5.1 Subsurface Stratigraphy 73 4.5.2 Archaeological/Heritage Sites 73 5. CONCEPTUAL MODEL FOR FUTURE CONDITIONS 74 6. LIST OF PREPARERS 75 7. REFERENCES 76 LIST OF TABLES Table 2-1. Rates of Sea Level Rise in San Francisco Bay Area 5 Table 3-1. Recorded Fire History of Mt. Tamalpais 14 Table 4-1. Monthly Precipitation and Evaporation 27 Table 4-2. Historical Flow Measurements 27 Table 4-3. Flow Frequency at Highway 1 Bridge 28 Table 4-4. Ownership of Redwood Creek Watershed Water Rights 31 Table 4-5. Amphibian Observations in the Big Lagoon Project Area and Vicinity 50 Table 4-6. Reptile Observations in the Big Lagoon Project Area and Vicininity 52 Table 4-7. Fish Species Documented in Big Lagoon Estuary and Redwood Creek, 1992–2002 57 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 Redwood Creek Watershed and Project Site Location Map Figure 2 Existing Conditions Site Map Figure 3 2003 Aerial Photo of Project Site Figure 4 Pre-Euroamerican Conceptual Model Figure 5 Sediment Discharge History into Big Lagoon P:\Projects\1664-00-Big Lagoon\Task2_Site_Analysis\FinalReport-Sept26_2003\1664.02_FinalReport-aeb.doc iii Figure 6 Existing Conditions vs. 1850 Profile Figure 7 Redwood Creek Thalweg: 1992 vs. 2002 Figure 8 Redwood Creek Thalweg: 3-2002 vs.10-2002 Figure 9 Redwood Creek Thalweg: 3-02, 10-02, & 4-03 Figure 10 Existing Conditions Conceptual Model Figure 11 Flow Frequency Curve at Hwy 1 Bridge Figure 12 Redwood Creek Average Daily Flows: 1992 – 2003 Figure 13 Piezometer and Soil Core Locations Figure 14 Monthly Groundwater Elevations: 1992/3 vs. 2002 Figure 15 1992 vs. 2003 Groundwater Elevations Figure 16 Water Rights Claims in Redwood Creek Watershed Figure 17 Channel Bed Shear Stress Distribution Figure 18 Frequencies of Wave Height and Direction: 1997-2002 Figure 19 Average Monthly Significant Wave Heights: 1997-2002 Figure 20 Summer vs. Winter Beach Profile Figure 21 Cowardin Wetland Classification Figure 21a – Site Map Figure 21b – Northern Area Figure 21c – Central Area Figure 21d – Southern Area Figure 22 Potential USACE Jurisdictional Wetlands Figure 22a – Site Map Figure 22b – Northern Area Figure 22c – Central Area Figure 22d – Southern Area Figure 23 Existing Trails Map Figure 24 Future Conditions Conceptual Model P:\Projects\1664-00-Big Lagoon\Task2_Site_Analysis\FinalReport-Sept26_2003\1664.02_FinalReport-aeb.doc iv List of Appendices Appendix A Groundwater Monitoring Data Table A-1. 1992-93 Groundwater Monitoring Data (PWA Et Al., 1994) Table A-2. 2003 Groundwater Monitoring Data Appendix B Water Quality Table B.1. Applicable Surface Water Quality Objectives And Criteria Table B.2. Monthly Stream Temperatures (Oc) For All Sites For Entire Period Of Record Table B.3. Conductivity (Us/Cm) Values For All Sites For Entire Period Of Record (Updated 8/19/03) Table B.4. Monthly DO Values (Mg/L) For All Sites For Entire Period Of Record Table B.5a. Summary Of Existing Water Quality Data in Big Lagoon Study Area (Pre 1997) Table B.5b. Summary Of Existing Water Quality Data in Big Lagoon Study Area (Post 1997) Table B.6a. Summary Of Existing Water Quality Data (Bacteria) in Big Lagoon Study Area (Pre 1997) Table B.6b. Summary Of Existing Water Quality Data (Bacteria) In The Big Lagoon Study Area (Post 1997) Figure B.1. Water Quality Sampling Sites, Redwood Creek And Tributaries Figure B.2. Longitudinal Variation In Ammonia Concentrations, Redwood Creek Figure B.3. Temporal Variation In Ammonia Concentrations, Redwood Creek Figure B.4. Longitudinal Variation In Nitrite+Nitrate Concentrations, Redwood Creek Figure B.5. Temporal Variation In Nitrite+Nitrate Concentrations, Redwood Creek Figure B.6. Temporal Variation In Fecal Coliform Concentrations, Redwood Creek Figure B.7. Temporal Variation In Fecal Coliform Concentrations, Golden Gate Tributary - Redwood Creek Appendix C Big Lagoon Compilation of Vegetation Appendix D Biological Sampling Methods for PWA et al. (1994) Surveys Table D-1. Bird Survey Dates, Times, And Station Coverage – May 1992 to August 1993 Figure D-1. Location Of Nine Vegetation Transects Figure D-2. Locations Of Aquatic Insect (Boxed) And Benthic Invertebrate Survey Stations Figure D-3. Survey Route And Locations Of Critical Amphibian And Reptile Habitats Figure D-4. Locations Of Bird Survey Stations At Big Lagoon Appendix E Plant Species List by Wetland Polygon Number P:\Projects\1664-00-Big Lagoon\Task2_Site_Analysis\FinalReport-Sept26_2003\1664.02_FinalReport-aeb.doc v Appendix F Aquatic Invertebrates Table F-1a. Insects Observed from Big Lagoon Surveys, 1992–2002 Table F-1b. Spiders Observed from Big Lagoon Surveys, 1992–2002 Table F-1c. Branchiopods Observed from Big Lagoon Surveys, 1992–2002 Table F-1d. Copepods Observed from Big Lagoon Surveys, 1992–2002 Table F-1e. Malacostracans Observed from Big Lagoon Surveys, 1992–2002 Table F-1f. Gastropods Observed from Big Lagoon Surveys, 1992–2002 Table F-1g. Leeches Observed from Big Lagoon Surveys, 1992–2002 Table F-1h. Oligochaetes Observed from Big Lagoon Surveys, 1992–2002 Table F-1i. Hydrozoans Observed from Big Lagoon Surveys, 1992–2002 Table F-1j.