County of Santa Barbara Permit Option Analysis Goleta Beach JULY 13, 2017
Introduction 2 Goleta Beach Park welcomes 1.5 million visitors annually Amenities include: Picnic Areas and Group Areas w/bbqs Public Restrooms Restaurant Kayak and Paddleboard Rentals Pier w/boat Launching Facility and Tackle Shop Fishing Bird Watching Platform Horseshoes Free Coastal Access Parking (520 spaces)
Recent Park Investments 3 $2 million in emergency protective measures since 2015 $5 million in recent park improvements New access bridge (under construction) New bus stop Re-routed bike path Renovated restrooms Re-built group BBQ/picnic areas Accommodates up to 200 visitors each Lift station rehabilitation
Historic Goleta Slough 4 Goleta Slough 1938 Goleta Slough 1928 Source: goletahistory.com
Source: Goleta Beach EIR 2.0 Historic Goleta Beach Park 5 1945 1950 1976 1985
Historic Goleta Beach Park 6 2016 1976 Source: Goleta Beach EIR 2.0 and Google Earth
Historic Goleta Beach Park 7 2011 - Looking West From Pier 2011 - Looking East Toward Pier
Historic Sand Accretion & Erosion 8 Beach width and sand volumes oscillations occur at Goleta Beach seasonally during winter and summer, and over several decades based on climate cycles like Pacific Decadal Oscillation (20+ year frequency) and El Niño Southern Oscillation (2 to 7 year frequency). El Niños can include minor or major storm events Beach widths are highly dependent on major events Major El Niño storm events occurred in 1982-1983 and 2015-2016 70-year analysis of beach width changes along Goleta shoreline reveals oscillating pattern as opposed to long-term narrowing of the beaches (Revell 2007). County has almost 14 years of beach shoreline profile measurements Source: Google Earth
Historic Sand Accretion & Erosion 9 1994 2003 2014 2012 Source: Google Earth
Historic Sand Accretion & Erosion 10 In 2012, Goleta Beach benefitted from past Flood Control sediment input and beach sand nourishment activities. In 2016, due to major El Niño storms and 5 year drought, average beach width decreased and Goleta Beach was no longer wide and sandy. 2012 2016 Source: Google Earth
Historic Sand Accretion & Erosion 11 Average 200 feet beach Average 50 feet beach Average 150 feet beach Narrow intertidal beach 2012 2016 Source: Google Earth
Goleta Beach Permit History (to 2016) 12 2002 & 2005 Emergency Permits (Installed a total of 1,200 lineal feet of rock riprap at west end) 2008 Goleta Beach Permeable Pier (Denied by Coastal Commission) 2015 CDP No. 4-14-0687 (Retained the 1,200 lineal feet of 2002 & 2005 emergency rock riprap w/special conditions, e.g., Monitoring and Adaptive Management Plan (AMP)) 2016 CDP No. 4-14-0687-A1 (approved, but pending) (Retain 415 feet of geotextile cobble/sand cells)
Current Low Sand Supply 13 As recently as spring of 2013, Goleta Beach remained a wide sandy beach with existing revetments fully buried under sand. However; recent major storm events have occurred between 2014 to 2017 removing more than 100,000 cubic yards of sand from Goleta Beach, eroding approximately 1.2 acres of Parkland and damaging park facilities. Spring 2013 Spring 2014
Current Low Sand Supply 14 March 2014 A 25-Year storm event eroded approximately 6 feet of sand from the central portion of Goleta Beach Park. March 2016 A very strong El Niño eroded approximately 30,000 cubic yards of sand and 30,000 square feet of Parkland; required emergency permit
Current Low Sand Supply 15 Factors Drought Storms Occurring across Central and Southern California Revetted and unrevetted beaches Anticipated County Flood Control sediment deposition Fall 2017
Drought (Rainfall) 16
Current Low Sand Supply 17 Occurring across Central and Southern California One of the Most Powerful Climate Events of the Past 145 Years New research conducted by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists and their colleagues at UC Santa Barbara and six other institutions found that during the 2015-16 El Niño winter beach erosion on the Pacific coast was 76 percent above normal, and that most beaches in California eroded beyond historical extremes (UCSB The Current 2017). http://www.news.ucsb.edu/2017/017603/beach-bashing
Current Low Sand Supply 18 Occurring across Central and Southern California Goleta Beach (high tide, summer 2017) Ledbetter Beach (high tide, summer 2017) Butterfly Beach (high tide, summer 2017)
Flood Control Sand Deposition 19 Sand Deposition Via Discharge Pipe at Goleta Beach From Dredging (Winter 2005) Sand Deposition Via Truck at Goleta Beach (Fall 2009) Santa Barbara County Flood Control District deposited over 1 million cubic yards of sediment from the Goleta Slough detention basins on Goleta Beach from 1994-2010 Due to the drought, no deposition occurred from 2011 into 2017 Flood Control plans to deposit 90,000 cubic yards of sediment from airport area detention basins on Goleta Beach in Fall 2017.
Recent Activity (2017) 20 January 2017 Major Storms and Strong Swells Cause Park Damage January- February 2017 15 to 20 Feet of Landward Erosion in Unprotected Areas February 2017 20 to 25 Feet of Landward Erosion in Unprotected Areas January 2017 CDP 4-14-0687 (Harbor Sand Project for West-End Revetment) January 2017 Goleta Sanitary District sewer vault protection (Rock revetment) AND Emergency CDP G-4-17-0004 February 2017 Emergency CDP G-4-17-0013 (Rock Revetment in Front of Central Park Area February 2017 Emergency CDP G-4-17-0015 (Rock Revetment for Geotextile Replacement and Pier Repairs) (Sand Berm)
Goleta Sanitary District (GSD) Emergency Permit 21 GSD Vault Wave erosion exposed Goleta Sanitary sewer outfall vault January 2017 Rock protection for Goleta Sanitary sewer outfall vault installed by GSD January 2017
Emergency CDP G-4-17-0004 January 27, 2017 Protective Sand Berm 22
Emergency CDP G-4-17-0004 January 27, 2017 Protective Sand Berm 23 2017 Sand Berm eroded in 2 days
Emergency CDP G-4-17-0013 February 14, 2017 Rock Revetment Central Park Area 24 Installation of Emergency Revetment 15-20 feet of shoreline erosion
Emergency CDP G-4-17-0013 February 14, 2017 Rock Revetment Central Park Area 25 Revetment fronting restroom Revetment protecting Parking Lot 3
Emergency CDP G-4-17-0015 February 22, 2017 Rock Revetment Geotextile Replacement 26 Revetment replacing geotextile cells Revetment protecting restroom
Emergency CDP G-4-17-0015 February 22, 2017 Pier Revetment Reinforcement and Repairs 27
Goleta Beach Park 3 Emergency Permits 2017 28 1. Emergency Permit (Jan 27) Sand Berm *Cost $75,000 2. Emergency Permit (Feb 14) Rock Revetment in front of Restroom and Parking Lot 3 *Cost $451,000 3. Emergency Permit (Feb 22) Rock Revetment for Geotextile and Pier Base Area Included Goleta Sanitary District major sewer vault and outfall additional rock protection *Cost $424,000 *Total Cost $950,000 inclusive of construction and monitoring
2017 Emergency Rock Revetment 29 948 foot emergency revetment installed, inclusive of pier base revetment reinforcement
2017 Emergency Rock Revetment Central Park Area 30 873 foot of emergency revetment installed at central park location
2017 Emergency Rock Revetment Central Park Area 31 873 foot of emergency revetment July 12, 2017
2017 Emergency Rock Revetment Central Park Area 32 Portion of the 873 foot of emergency revetment area fronting Parking Lot 3 June 26, 2017
Proactive Environmental Measures 33 Pre-construction biological surveys Delay work if sensitive species present Full-time construction and environmental monitoring Coastal engineer on-site to monitor revetment placement Use of geotextile filter fabric below emergency rock to prevent backland erosion Relocation of beach wrack Removal of trash and debris Operate on beach during low tides only
Coastal Protection Options 34 County has explored and/or implemented multiple soft protective measures that were found to be ineffective or infeasible Permeable Pier Intended to retain sand Denied by Coastal Commission in 2008 Sand Berms Expensive, erode rapidly and are dependent upon local sand supply Cobble Filled Base Geotextile Cells Destroyed within one year of installation
Coastal Protection Options 35 Cobble Filled Base Geotextile Cells Installation of Geotextile Cells (2016)
Coastal Protection Options 36 Cobble Filled Base Geotextile Cells Destruction of Geotextile Cells (2017)
Geotextile Cleanup 37
Permit Authorities 38 Coastal Commission has permit authority over revetment County must obtain a Coastal Development Permit to retain new revetment Coastal Commission directed additional planning for managed retreat must be undertaken County will prepare an amended AMP through 2050 County will consider long term management post 2050 County must also consider ongoing costs of various options County must work with additional State and Federal regulatory agencies Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) California State Lands Commission California Department of Fish & Wildlife (CDFW)
Revetment Related Concerns 39 Active Erosion: Accelerates erosion due to the presence of revetments, leading to redistribution of sand supply to a beach and/or any modification of shorezone processes Passive Erosion: Revetted shoreline can fix landward boundary of the beach preventing landward migration, causing beach to disappear Coast can retreat on both sides beyond revetment interrupting movement of sand downcoast, impacting other beaches Does not appear to be happening at Goleta Beach
Seas Level Rise & Managed Retreat 40 Sea Level Rise (SLR) minimal to date in California SLR is projected to be up to 2 feet by 2050 and up to 5.5 feet by 2100, although projections vary and are evolving upward Managed retreat allows the shoreline to erode landward, while removing or relocating revetments, buildings and infrastructure landward to allow for wider beaches and habitat areas, particularly given projected SLR Supported and increasingly required by Coastal Commission Options and space are limited at Goleta Beach due to Hwy 217 and Goleta Slough
Permit Options (through 2050)* 41 Option 1: Retain Existing 948-Foot Long Emergency Revetment and Pier Base Repairs To include an updated phased adaptive management plan Option 2: Remove Existing 873-Foot Long Emergency Revetment and Retain 75-Foot Long Pier Revetment Reinforcement and Pier Base Repairs Alternatives Considered but Found to be Ineffective *working in conjunction with Goleta Sanitary District
Permit Option 1 (Retain) 42 AMP Phase 1: Establish and monitor beach/revetment triggers for approximately 10 years. Potential managed retreat measures may include far west end retreat (removal of parking lot 7) Allow room for potential wider beach at Park s west end (beach may not remain wide in low sand years) Loss of 57 coastal access parking spaces Relocate revetment landward to protect existing Hwy 217, bike path, utilities, UCSB sewage lift station and west end of Park Substantial cost to County budget Substantial cost to utility companies, rate payers and UCSB
Permit Option 1 (Retain) continued 43 AMP Phase 2: Establish and monitor beach/revetment triggers for approximately 10 years after AMP phase 1 retreat construction completion Potential managed retreat measures could include additional retreat at Park s west end (removal of parking lot 6) Added room for wider beach at Park s west end (beach may not remain wide in low sand years) Loss of additional 55 coastal access parking spaces Relocate revetment and existing utilities landward to protect Hwy 217 and west end of Park Substantial cost to County budget Substantial cost to utility companies, rate payers and UCSB
Permit Option 2 (Remove) 44 Remove Existing 873-Foot Long Emergency Revetment and Retain 75-Foot Long Pier Revetment Reinforcement and Pier Base Repairs Relocate rock offsite (location TBD) or sell rock Park susceptible to erosion and severe damage or destruction of facilities during major storms Continual emergency protections and post storm repair of Park facilities required Major ongoing county budget expense
Permit Option 2 (Remove) - continued 45 Potential future shoreline retreat actions Remove Restroom #2 and eight (8) picnic areas/benches Relocated Goleta Sanitary District outfall vault behind historic back beach line Potential to install revetment at historic back beach line Substantial cost to County budget Substantial cost to utility companies and rate payers
Alternatives Considered 46 Alternatives were found to be ineffective due to inability to protect the Park from major storm events Remove Existing 873-Foot Long Emergency Revetment and Replace with Cobble Berm Reduction in Height of 873-Foot Long Emergency Revetment
Potential Long Term Plans (post 2050) 47 Post 2050: Landward Retreat of Revetments and Park Facilities west of Pier Retreat Park and revetment to historic back beach line Loss of substantial area of parkland and picnic areas Relocation of Goleta Sanitary District outfall vault Utility relocation Removal of restroom(s) / potential relocation Substantial cost to County s budget Substantial cost to utility companies and rate payers Post 2100: Relocation of park
Next Steps 48 August 22 Board of Supervisors Hearing / Direction September 30 Submittal of permit application to Coastal Commission staff Spring 2018 Anticipated Coastal Commission Hearing