The San Francisco Littoral Cell CRMSP

Public Outreach MeetingJuly 12, 2012 (San Francisco)

July 19, 2012 (Pacifica)

Doug George and Bob Battalio, ESA PWAAthena Honore, ABAG

Essentials for Tonight

• This Project: develop a coastal regional sediment management plan– Identify ways to mitigate coastal erosion hazards by

increasing sediment supply– Describe actions that may become part of plan but not

specific projects

• This Project: for state and federal agencies• This Public Meeting: to gather input at

intermediate phase of project

Tonight’s Agenda

• What is the San Francisco Littoral Cell CRSMP?• Physical Setting• Finding the Critical Coastal Erosion Areas• What Can Be Done?• The Path Forward

WHAT IS THE SAN FRANCISCO LITTORAL CELL CRSMP?

What we are facing regionally…

Daly City

Pacifica

Economics of our local beach zoneRegion Attendance Est.

SpendingEst. State and Local Tax Revenue

Beach Amenities and Use

Ease of Access

San Francisco

645,000 $36,000,000 $1,200,000 Restrooms, showers, vendors, surfing, aerial sports

7/10

Daly City 25,000 $1,500,000 $45,000 4/10

Pacifica 253,000 $15,300,000 $455,000 Restrooms, showers, pier, vendors, surfing,

6/10

Phil King, SFSU

Consideration of accelerated sea level rise is required

1.5 m 1986-2100 USACE1.4 m 2100 (0.4 m 2050) State

0.5 m 1986-2100 USACE

The role of sediment (sand and mud)

• Buffer from ocean processes• Habitat (beaches, tidal flats)• Creates recreational zone

Littoral cell – geographic area offshore that contains a complete cycle of sedimentation including sources, transport paths, and sinks.

dunes

Typical Littoral Cell

river input

Existing Sediment (Sand) Management

Urbanization of Watershed

Sediment excavated and placed nearby.

Sand held in place by urbanization.

Beach Erosion due to Less

Sand

Harbor

Sand and Gravel Mining

Sand and gravel sold for construction.

Sediment Trapped Behind Dams and

Debris Basins

Less Sand to Coast

Ocean

Coastal Armoring Reduces Sediment Supply to Beaches

Sand Trapped by Harbor Structures

Beach replenished with sand dredged from offshore.

Dredged sand placed on

nearby beaches.

Degraded Wetlands

Existing Sediment Management

Urbanization of Watershed

Sand held in place by future urbanization is compensated through

projects or fees.Less Beach

Erosion

Harbor

Sand loss compensated

through projects or fees.

Sediment Trapped Behind Dams and

Debris Basins

Regional Sediment (Sand) Management

Mining moved out of river. More sand transported to coast.

Sediment excavated and bypassed downstream.

Sand from harbors placed on beaches in

need.

Beach replenished with sand dredged from offshore or transported from inland projects.Sand Trapped by

Harbor Structures

Ocean

More Sand Reaching

Coast

Restored Wetlands

Sand and Gravel Mining

Reduced Coastal Armoring Increases Sediment Supply to Beaches

Regional Sediment Management

California Coastal Sediment Master PlanA “Super-Regional” Approach

Pacifica, 1994

Port of Oakland

Ocean Beach

South Bay Salt Ponds

Coastal Regional Sediment Management Plans (CRSMPs)

• Goals of a CRSMP• Restore and Maintain Coastal

Beaches and Other Critical Areas of Sediment Deficit

• Reduce the Proliferation of Protective Shoreline Structures

• Sustain Recreation and Tourism• Enhance Public Safety and Access • Restore Coastal Sandy Habitats

Legend

In-Progress

Completed

Present Ideas for Local Projects

CRSMP Components

Physical Processes

Ecology Economics & Infrastructure

Policy & Governance

Geology & Geo-morphology

Sediment Budgets,Erosion

Transport, Hazards, SLR

Special Species, Habitats

Roads, SewersBeach Use,Funding Options

Local Coastal Programs,General Plans

Comprehensive regional plan with options to address erosion areas

Project Basics

San Francisco Littoral Cell

Habel and Armstrong, 1978

California’s Littoral Cells

• Primary jurisdictions:– San Francisco– Daly City– Pacifica– National Park

Service (GGNRA)

– State Parks

• 16 Reaches

Project Schedule

•Study kick off (summer 2011)•Data compilation (spring 2012)•Plan formulation happening now •Administrative Draft CRSMP (fall 2012)•Draft CRSMP (fall 2012)•Final CRSMP (winter 2012-2013)•Outreach and Stakeholder Advisory Group

(ongoing)

Daly City

Project PlayersFederal

InterestsState Interests

CRSMP Lead Outreach & Governance

SAG Public

Stakeholders Advisory Group

Federal; 7

State; 8

County; 3

City; 8

Other; 9

USGS, NOAA, NPS, FWS, FEMA, Sanctuary, USACE

SLC, CCC, CGS, SCC/OPC, BCDC, DFG, Caltrans, State Parks, Water Board

San Francisco Parks and Rec, San Mateo County Parks, San Mateo Harbor District

SFSU, SIO, PRBO, Audubon, Surfrider, Pacifica Land Trust, Parks Conservancy, Sierra Club, Pedro Point Surf Club

San Francisco• PUC• SPURDaly City•

Water/Wastewater

• Planning Dept.• Public WorksPacifica• Public Works• Sewer• Parks and Rec

About ESA PWA

• Founded in 1976 as PWA in San Francisco

• In response to engineering projects that fought the land and by an emerging environmental advocacy movement

• Staff of civil engineers, geomorphologists, scientists, hydrologists, and landscape architects

• Merged with ESA in 2010

About ABAG

• In 1961, Bay Area leaders recognized the need to address common issues from a regional perspective

• Elected officials formed the Association of Bay Area Governments– California’s first Council of Governments

• Enhance the quality of life in the San Francisco Bay Area by leading the region in advocacy, collaboration, and excellence in planning, research, and member services.

• All 9 counties,101 Bay Area cities

PHYSICAL SETTING

Source of Photograph: US Army Corps of Engineers, South Pacific Division

The San Francisco Littoral Cell

Source of Aerial photo: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Scientific Visualization Studio.

Golden Gate Sub-cell

Battalio and Trivedi, 1996

Pacifica Sub-cell

Less studied

Questions remain: Sediment transport near Pt San Pedro ?

Quantified wave climate ?

Sediment grain size and underlying geology ?

Beach thickness ?

Future Management ?

Photographs © Bob Battalio, 2012

Old dune sand (from the bluff tops) contrasted with the beach sands in the Manor area.

Photographs © Bob Battalio, 2012

Coarse dark sand apparently akin to Mori Point and onshore + north transport by large height, long-period west swells winter 2010.

Manor, January 2010, during a strong bluff erosion episode that threatened multiple apartment complexes.

Sharp Park, January, 2010. Massive sand accretion overtopped seawall and blocked storm drain outfalls, and nearly overtopped levee at Laguna Salada.

Photographs © Bob Battalio, 2012

Rock reef, vicinity of Beach Boulevard

Shoreface Morphology

Derived from Bascom, W., Waves and Beaches, The Dynamics of the Ocean Surface, Anchor Books Edition, 1980.

FINDING THE CRITICAL EROSION AREAS

Photographs © Bob Battalio, 2012

Formula for an erosion area

Shoreline erosion rate

Sea level rise

Landslide risk

Coastal hazard zone

Coastal hazard zone

Critical infrastructure (roads, pipes, armor, etc)

Sensitive habitats

CRITICAL EROSION

AREA

Study Reaches San Francisco – 7

Pacifica – 7

Daly City – 2

GGNRA and State Parks in most reaches

Erosion & SLR

USACE (2011)

Year “Low”(Historic Trend)

“Intermediate”(NRC Curve I)

“High” (NRC Curve III)

2000 0 0 0

2025 0.05 0.08 0.17

2050 0.10 0.19 0.47

2100 0.20 0.52 1.51

Sea Level Rise Estimates (m)

1 – No vertical land motion is included in estimates2 – Using a historic SLR trend of 2.01 mm/year (as measured at the San Francisco NOAA tide gauge)

1 – most shoreline reaches eroding

2 – large variation

Coastal hazard zones

Infrastructure at risk

• Pumping Stations• Stormwater

Conveyances• Roads• Coastal Trails• Utilities• Landfill (Daly City)• Shoreline Protection• Property

The 10 Critical Erosion AreasSF – 3 (7,100’) + DC – 3 (7,700’) + Pacifica – 4 (12,900’) = 5.25 miles

How the Critical Erosion Areas Look

Sharp Park

Daly City

Linda Mar Daly City Landfill

Ocean Beach

WHAT CAN BE DONE?

Photographs © Bob Battalio, 2012

Initial Options for Critical Coastal Erosion Areas

• No Action• Beach Nourishment• Multi-purpose Reefs• Managed Retreat

– Armor– Allow Natural Processes

Beach Nourishment

• Placement of sediment-water slurry directly on beach or beach face

• Key questions: – Sediment characteristics and sources– Longevity

Carlsbad, CA

Opportunities Constraints

Use sediment trapped on land or from dredging projects

Use offshore sediment

Rebuild dune habitat

Transportation of sediment to receiver sites

Immediate, short-term biological impacts

Habitat conversion long-termFinkl, Benedet and Campbell, 2006

Multi-purpose Reefs

Opportunities Constraints

Create new habitat

Enhance surf opportunities

Increase sediment retention

High energy coastline

Limited experience

High cost (economic and environmental)

Artificial Reef – Plan and Section

A

New Reef Structure

Wave Crests (Typ.)

Beach (Pre-reef)

Beach (Post-reef)

Dune/Bluff Toe

Section A

Managed Retreat

Opportunities Constraints

Restoration of natural shoreline cycles and habitats

Utilize geology (go-n-slow)

Removal/reduction of development in risk zones

Prior investments in armoring

Expense

Political will

Property rights

Existing armoring

Pacifica State Beach Managed Retreat and Estuary Restoration

Photographs © Bob Battalio, 2012

Some activities at Ocean Beach

• SF and NPS– Sand trucking from NOB to SOB– 100,000 cubic yards in August 2012

• ACE– Single placement of 300,000 cubic yards

• Dredged sediment pumped onshore at Sloat and to 4000’ south

– Designation of OBDS as permanent site

• OBMP– 2 million cubic yards of sand placed every

10 years

Examples of Options for a Local Plan

Beach nourishment

Artificial reefs

Images from OBMP, AECOM/ESA PWA

Baker, China, Pt. Lobos: No ActionNOB: Sand Back-passing to SOBMOB: 1.5 million yd3 Beach Nourishment

SOB: Opt 1 – 0.5 million yd3 Beach Nourishment + Managed Retreat

Opt 2 – 0.5 million yd3 Beach Nourishment + Reefs

Ft. Funston: No Action (other plans underway)

SF Reaches Options

Daly City: Multi-purpose reefs, beach nourishment as bluff protection

Mussel Rock: Special Case - recontour landfill, offshore reefs

DC Reaches Options

Manor District, Beach Blvd: Opt 1 – 2.2 million yd3 Beach NourishmentOpt 2 – Beach Nourishment + ReefsOpt 3 – Managed RetreatSharp Park: Opt 1 – Managed Retreat: Allowed Erosion of LeveeOpt 2 – 0.6 million yd3 Beach NourishmentOpt 3 – Multi-purpose ReefHidden Cove: No ActionRockaway Cove:Opt 1 – 0.25 million yd3 Beach NourishmentOpt 2 – Managed RetreatLinda Mar: Opt 1 – 0.7 million yd3 Beach NourishmentOpt 2 – Managed RetreatOpt 3 – Managed Retreat + cobble on beachShelter Cove: No Action

Pacifica Reaches Options

THE PATH FORWARD?

Photographs © Bob Battalio, 2012

Recap: ProblemProcessSolutionHazards Critical Erosion Areas Proposed Ideas

South Ocean Beach

Beach Blvd

• Beach Nourishment• Managed Retreat

• Beach Nourishment• Nourishment and reefs• Managed Retreat

Constraints

• Sediment sources for beach nourishment actions

• Policy and governance structure

• Sensitive species

Seal Rock, Pt. Lobos, ~1940

Using past ecology for future opportunities

The analysis doesn’t include every habitat type and every species

• Vegetation– Sensitive Communities– Wetlands– Rare Plants– Kelp Beds

• Fish (Salmonids), Amphibians, & Reptiles• Birds• Marine Mammals

Ecological Analysis

Other planning in the study areaGFNMS GGNRA Coastal Cities

Revision of exclusion area

General Management Plan Update

Daly City: GP/LCP Update (2012)

Pacifica: GP/LCP Update (2013)

Project Schedule (redux)

•Study kick off (summer 2011)•Data compilation (spring 2012)•Plan formulation happening now •Administrative Draft CRSMP (fall 2012)•Draft CRSMP (fall 2012)•Final CRSMP (winter 2012-2013)•Outreach and Stakeholder Advisory Group

(ongoing)

Summary

• This Project: develop a coastal regional sediment management plan– Identify ways to mitigate coastal erosion hazards by

increasing sediment supply– Describe actions that may become part of plan but not

specific projects

• This Project: for state and federal agencies• This Public Meeting: to gather input at

intermediate phase of project

What do YOU think??• Deadline of August 20 for public feedback• Contact information for:

– ABAG Outreach Manager, Athena Honore• Email ahonore@waterboards.ca.gov • 1515 Clay St, Suite 1400, Oakland, CA 94612

– ESA PWA Project Manager, Doug George• Email dgeorge@esassoc.com• 550 Kearny St, Suite 900, San Francisco, CA 94108

For more information visit the CSMW website: http://dbw.ca.gov/csmw/default.aspx

What we think about the rest of the time….

Thanks!