[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 46 (Wednesday, March 9, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12481-12482]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-05171]
[[Page 12481]]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the San
Diego County Shoreline Feasibility Study, Oceanside, San Diego County,
CA
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.
ACTION: Notice of Intent.
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SUMMARY: The Los Angeles District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(USACE) will prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) to
support the San Diego County Shoreline Feasibility Study, Oceanside,
San Diego County California. The Study Area extends approximately 15
miles along the coast, from about 9 miles north of the Oceanside Harbor
north breakwater to the Agua Hedionda Lagoon north jetty, within the
cities of Oceanside and Carlsbad in northwest San Diego County. The
project environment includes predominantly beach, coastal strand, and/
or marine inter-tidal/littoral/pelagic zones.
The predominant problem that threatens the shoreline is continual
beach erosion averaging over 6 feet per year in some areas, despite the
considerable amount of beach fill deposited on an annual basis. Causes
for this erosion has been attributed to sediment impoundment due to
harbor construction, dam construction, storm damage, and river sand
mining.
The loss of beach width and increased exposure of property has
resulted in increased coastal damage, safety issues, and loss of
recreation opportunities. This feasibility study will focus on
addressing the problems and needs caused by beach erosion. The DEIS
will analyze the potential impacts (beneficial and adverse) on the
environment for the range of alternatives, including the recommended
plan.
The Los Angeles District and the City of Oceanside will cooperate
in conducting this Feasibility Study.
The Los Angeles District intends to prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) to support a feasibility study with the city of
Oceanside, California, for shoreline protection. The purpose of the
feasibility study is to mitigate for impacts from construction of the
Camp Pendleton Harbor and reduce coastal storm damages in the city of
Oceanside. The EIS will analyze potential impacts of the recommended
plan and a range of alternatives. Alternatives will include both
structural and non-structural measures.
ADDRESSES: You may submit your concerns in writing to the Los Angeles
District at the address below. Comments, suggestions, and requests to
be placed on the mailing list for announcements should be sent to
Lawrence Smith, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District, 915
Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 930, Los Angeles, CA 90017-3401, or email to
[email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information contact Mr.
Larry Smith, Project Environmental Coordinator, (213) 452-3846.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Authorization: This Feasibility Study was
authorized by the House Public Works and Transportation Committee
Resolution adopted April 30,1992 which states: ``Resolved by the
Committee on Public Works and Transportation of the United States House
of Representatives, that in accordance with Section 110 of the River
and Harbor Act of 1962, the Secretary of the Army, acting through the
Chief of Engineers, is requested to investigate the feasibility of
providing shore protection improvements along the shores of the City of
Oceanside, San Diego County, California, in the interest of shoreline
protection and storm damage reduction and other related purposes.''
Specific language was included in the Water Resources Development
Act of 2000 (WRDA 2000) directing the Corps of Engineers to undertake a
study of how to mitigate erosion and other impacts caused by the
construction of Camp Pendleton Harbor, and restore beaches to pre-
construction conditions at full Federal expense. The authority states,
``Not later than 32 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the
Secretary shall conduct a study, at Federal expense, of plans (1) to
mitigate for the erosion and other impacts resulting from the
construction of Camp Pendleton Harbor, Oceanside, California, as a
wartime measure; and (2) to restore beach conditions along the affected
public and private shores to the conditions that existed before the
construction of Camp Pendleton Harbor.'' This authority was amended in
WRDA 2007 to extend the study to 44 months.
Study Area: The study area extends approximately 15 miles along the
coast, from about 9 miles north of the Oceanside Harbor North
Breakwater to the Agua Hedionda Lagoon North Jetty, within the cities
of Oceanside and Carlsbad in northwest San Diego County.
Problems and Needs: During the 1880's Oceanside Beach was
approximately 90 meters wide. This shoreline width was further advanced
in the floods of 1889, 1891, and 1916 bringing large volumes of
sediment from the San Luis Rey and Santa Margarita Rivers. The City
used the widened beach as a resource, and in 1927 a recreational pier,
beachfront, strand, parking lots and houses were constructed in front
of the seacliff. During this period a dam was also constructed on the
San Luis Rey River to control flooding. At the start of the U.S.
involvement in World War II, the U.S. Marine Corps designed and
contracted construction of a small boat basin in a narrow lagoon
between the Santa Margarita and San Luis Rey Rivers to support an
amphibious training base. This included four jetties, which were later
extended. Another dam was constructed on the Santa Margarita River to
control flooding in 1949.
The presence of the coastal structures, such as jetties and
breakwaters, has resulted in the disruption of sediment transport,
creating a variety of localized shoreline effects. Sediment tends to
accumulate at the beach north of the harbor, within the harbor
entrance, and south of the harbor south jetty. However, erosion tends
to occur south of the harbor. Damages reported by residents consist
mainly of inundation damages and damages to revetment. These damages
occur when storm wave conditions coincide with high tidal elevations,
storm surges, or increased ENSO (El Ni[ntilde]o Southern Oscillation)
water levels which cause elevated sea surfaces and higher wave run-up
elevations. The majority of damages in Oceanside occurred during storms
in 1977-1978, 1982-83, 1988, 1993-1994, and 1997-1998. In addition to
high waves and water surface elevations, damage is enabled by shoreline
erosion and beach retreat exposing structures to wave attack. Oceanside
has historically experienced a narrow beach, but has recently undergone
accelerated erosion. A large volume of material has been placed back on
the beach during construction and maintenance dredging, but a deficit
in sand for the beach still exists. The average rate of recession near
Oceanside Beach from 1940-1999 is approximately 3.5 ft./yr. Studies
have shown that problems are caused by a combination of measures in the
nearby rivers (including flood control measures and sand mining), which
reduces sediment nourishment, along with the construction of the
harbor, which limits longshore sediment transport. In 1974, the USACE
issued a position paper on
[[Page 12482]]
beach erosion that tentatively indicated that the harbor was the
primary cause of erosion. A Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS was
originally published in the Federal Register on May 31, 2002. The Los
Angeles District has elected to republish and to hold a new public
Scoping Meeting to allow members of the public to provide input into
the scoping of the proposed EIS and the alternatives formulation
process.
Proposed Action and Alternatives: The Feasibility Study will focus
on the problems and needs caused by beach erosion. In general,
alternative plans will focus on reducing the beach erosion and
improving sand accumulation through either construction or management
project features such as groins, reefs, and/or beach nourishment.
The primary undesirable impacts of concern from any of the
alternatives will likely be related to temporary turbidity and
displacement of sand dwelling organisms and their predators. These will
be addressed in the study as part of the plan formulation of the
Feasibility Study, and potential impacts will be analyzed in the DEIS.
Previous Actions: Annual maintenance dredging of the entrance into
Oceanside Harbor with placement on area beaches south of the San Luis
Rey River.
Scoping: Participation of all interested Federal, State, and County
agencies; groups with environmental interests; and any interested
individuals is encouraged. Public involvement will be most beneficial
and worthwhile in identifying the scope of pertinent, significant
environmental issues to be addressed; identifying and eliminating from
detailed study issues that are not significant; offering useful
information such as published or unpublished data; providing direct
personal experience or knowledge which informs decision making; and
recommending suitable mitigation measures to offset potential impacts
from the proposed action or alternatives.
Two public scoping meetings will be held in the City of Oceanside
on March 17, 2016 at 3:00 and 5:30 p.m. The public scoping meeting will
be held at Council Chambers at City Hall; 300 North Coast Highway;
Oceanside, CA 92054. The purpose of the scoping meeting will be to
gather information from the general public or interested organizations
about issues and concerns that they would like to see addressed in the
DEIS. Comments may be delivered in writing or verbally at the meeting
or sent in writing to the Los Angeles District at the address given
above. All comments enter into the public record. Comments should be
submitted no later than May 1, 2016.
Availability of the Draft EIS: The Draft EIS is scheduled to be
published and circulated in late 2016, and a public hearing to receive
comments on the Draft EIS will be held after it is published.
Dated: February 24, 2016.
Kirk E. Gibbs,
Colonel, U.S. Army, Commander and District Engineer.
[FR Doc. 2016-05171 Filed 3-8-16; 8:45 am]
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