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Southern California Eelgrass Mitigation Policy

The Southern California Eelgrass Mitigation Policy aims to ensure no net loss of eelgrass habitats, providing effective compensation for impacts and a streamlined environmental review process. By leveraging successful models and establishing consistent statewide strategies, this policy addresses biological, physical, and economic resource values while mitigating the risks posed by human development. It incorporates detailed guidelines for impact avoidance, monitoring, and regional adaptations to foster eelgrass recovery, and it invites public input to refine its framework.

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Southern California Eelgrass Mitigation Policy

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  1. Southern California Eelgrass Mitigation Policy • NMFS, USFWS, and CDFG (1991) • Effective compensation for impacts (90% success) • Basis for consistent recommendations • Streamlined environmental review • Allows for flexibility and modifications • Improved monitoring and understanding

  2. III. Purpose and Need – Why statewide policy? • Resource value: biological, physical and economic • Vulnerable to human development • Consistent statewide strategy and standards • Internal and external coordination • Streamlining • Regulatory certainty

  3. IV. Draft Policy – General Description • No net loss of habitat • Consistency with case-by-case considerations • Following successful model of Southern CA policy • Recognizes regional differences • Internal guidance and appendices

  4. V. Draft Policy – Specific Elements • Avoiding and minimizing impacts • Surveying • Assessing impacts • Mitigating for impacts • Modifying provisions of the policy

  5. A. Impact Avoidance and Minimization • Case-by-case basis • Shading • Stepwise key • Turbidity • Flowchart • Light monitoring • Circulation Patterns

  6. B. Eelgrass Surveys • Survey Metrics • Spatial distribution • Area extent • Percent bottom cover • Shoot density • Frequency of occurrence

  7. Eelgrass Bed Definition Contiguous boundary around plants and outward a distance of 10 m, excluding gaps within the bed >20 m between plants Example Eelgrass Bed eelgrass 10 m boundary

  8. B. Eelgrass Surveys (cont.) • Techniques • Diver transects • Boundary mapping • Acoustic surveys • Aerial surveys • Methods • Pre- and post-construction • During active growing season • Valid for 60 days or beginning of next growing season

  9. C. Assessing Impacts • Type of effect: direct vs indirect • Pre- and post- surveys of project and reference sites

  10. D. Mitigating for Impacts • Site Selection • Mitigation ratio • Techniques • Monitoring • Delay • Success

  11. Mitigation Ratios • “The Five-Step Wetland Mitigation Calculator” (King and Price 2004) • Objective, standardized ratios • Standard metrics • Likelihood of success based on history of transplanting within regions • Compensation ratio 1.2:1 for all regions • Initial target mitigation ratio • Southern California 1.38:1 • Central California 1.2:1 • San Francisco 3.01:1 • Northern California 4.82:1

  12. Mitigation Monitoring • Mitigation site and reference site • 0 months: document transplants, establish baseline at reference site • 6 months: confirm survival and/or recruitment • 12, 24, 36, 48, 60 months: evaluate mitigation site and compare to reference site

  13. Success Criteria • Area and density criteria • 6 month: 50% survival or 1 seedling/4m2 • 12 month: 40% area and 20% density • 24 months: 85% area and 70% density • 36, 48, 60 months: 100% area and 85% density • Supplemental Mitigation Area

  14. Mitigation Delay • To offset loss of eelgrass habitat value that accumulates over time • Mitigation calculator used to determine increases in mitigation planting

  15. E. Modifying Provisions • Comprehensive management strategies • Localized, temporary impacts • Less than 10 m2 • Eelgrass fully restored within 1 year • Region-specific modifications • Mitigation banking

  16. VI. Next Steps • Public comment • swr.cemp@noaa.gov • Closes 7/7 • Public meetings • Eureka (6/15) • Oakland (6/27) • Long Beach (6/26) • Revise and finalize

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