HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-09-26; Batiquitos Lagoon Ecological Reserve Maintenance Dredging; | Lancaster, Kyle| Barberio, Gary|To the members of the:
CllY COUNCIL
Date q laJel ACA .Y__ CC \/
CM ~ COO .Ji_ DCM (3) ..JL_
Sept. 26, 2019
Council Memorandum
To: Honorable Mayor Hall and Members of the City Council
From: Kyle Lancaster, Parks & Recreation Director
Gary T. Barberio, Deputy City Manager£( munity Services
Via: Elaine Lu key, Chief Operations Officer L
Re: Batiquitos Lagoon Ecological Reserve aintenance Dredging
{cityof
Carlsbad
Memo ID# 2019110
This memorandum provides the status of the maintenance dredging project of the Batiquitos
Lagoon Ecological Reserve (Batiquitos Lagoon).
Background
The Batiquitos Lagoon, which is adjacent to the border of Carlsbad and Encinitas, was the
beneficiary of a three-year restoration project completed by the Port of Los Angeles in 1997.
The project was conducted to restore functionality within the west basin of the Batiquitos
Lagoon, and to improve the physical and biological habitat conditions for species utilizing the
lagoon. The work was undertaken by the California Department of Fish & Wildlife (CDFW) as
the managers of the Ecological Reserve and construction was administered by the California
State Lands Commission as an owner of portions of the reserve lands, with the CDFW being the
other owner.
Both agencies were signatory parties to the 1987 Memorandum of Agreement for the
restoration of the lagoon, as a mitigation site for Port of Los Angeles harbor fills. Other parties
to the agreement include the Port of Los Angeles (Port), City of Carlsbad (City), U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (USFWS), and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). Since the completion
of the restoration work, the lagoon has been maintained by the CDFW, using a maintenance
fund account provided by the Port. The Batiquitos Lagoon is periodically dredged to maintain a
tidal flow and prevent excessive sand deposits within the west and central lagoon basins.
Discussion
Historically, most of the expenditure of funds have been for maintenance dredging to remove
littoral sand shoals that deposit within the west and central lagoon basins. The CDFW has
conducted six dredging cycles since 1997, with the last one occurring in 2011. Recently, the
CDFW secured all necessary permits for the project. The CDFW then conducted public bidding
for the next maintenance dredging and selected the lowest responsive bidder.
Community Services Branch
Parks & Recreation Department 799 Pine Avenue, Suite 200 I Carlsbad, CA 92008 I 760-434-2826 t
Honorable Mayor Hall and Members of the City Council
Sept. 26, 2019
Page 2
A maximum of 118, 000 cubic yards of sand will be dredged from the central basin of the
Batiquitos Lagoon as permitted. Sand wiU be deposited in a retention basin created at South
Ponto Beach to allow for dewatering. Then, dry sand will be used to contour the beach shore.
For safety purposes, the work area along the beach will be fenced from the public, but will
include a maintenance access for California Department of Parks & Recreation personnel.
Next Steps
CDFW staff provided city staff a recent update, stating that the proposed contract with the
bidder is awaiting final approval from the California Department of General Services. The
commencement of maintenance dredging activities is tentatively scheduled for October 2019
and is expected to run through late February 2020.
cc: Celia Brewer, City Attorney
Scott Chadwick, City Manager
Kristina Ray, Communications Manager
Kasia Trojanowska, Parks Planning Manager
Tim Selke, Parks Superintendent
Morgan Rockdale, Parks/Trees Supervisor
Michael Tully, Parks Planner
Debbie Fountain, Community & Economic Development Director
Don Neu, City Planner
David de Cordova, Principal Planner
Scott Donnell, Senior Planner
Pam Drew, Associate Planner