PWA - Project Detail - Coastal Regional Sediment Management Plan For Southern Monterey Bay

Title

Coastal Regional Sediment Management Plan for Southern Monterey Bay

Southern Monterey Bay - Beach Erosion example in PWA's Coastal Management Project: Coastal Regional Sediment Management Plan for Southern Monterey Bay

Project Summary

This project provides the regional coastal management agencies with a set of policy, management and project recommendations to reduce beach erosion. PWA identified sediment sources and physical and ecological constraints to minimize impacts and promote recreation and tourism.

Location

Monterey County, California

Client

Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments

Project Detail

Along the California coast, changes to natural processes and sediment supply reductions from human alterations are leading to coastal erosion problems. Regional sediment management (RSM) plans are efforts to take a system wide approach to identifying sources of sediment and implementation of strategies to ensure that sediment delivery to the beaches continues. The Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments (AMBAG) retained a team led by PWA to develop a coastal RSM Plan for the southern Monterey Bay. The focus was the shoreline from the Monterey Peninsula to Moss Landing. The goals were to provide guidance and policy recommendations to reduce beach erosion.

The PWA team reviewed existing scientific literature, collected existing data sets, and evaluated the implications of ongoing data collection initiatives. The purpose was to:

assess coastal areas of critical erosion and identify optimum beach sites for sand nourishment projects;
locate potential sources of sediment for opportunistic use to counteract erosion, including harbors, wetlands, dams, offshore and coastal locations, and landside commercial sources;
evaluate the physical (e.g. sediment particle size) and chemical (sediment quality) compatibility of the potential sediment sources at the critically eroding receiver sites;
assess the presence of sensitive species and habitats within the study site , and evaluate mitigation measures to minimize impacts.

The PWA team also conducted a relative cost/benefit analysis for using the potential sediment sources for beach nourishment purposes. Additionally, PWA outlined the necessary permitting requirements to proceed through environmental review and regulatory compliance, and assessed the cost and potential funding sources for beach nourishment material.

Community ownership of the project was encouraged by the recommendation of the establishment of a governance structure. This structure provides an input process for federal, state, regional, and local entities resulting in the official recognition of the Plan. This governance structure also provides guidance on the mechanisms and priorities needed to implement the Plan.

<< Return to project summaries
Title		Coastal Regional Sediment Management Plan for Southern Monterey Bay
Project Summary		This project provides the regional coastal management agencies with a set of policy, management and project recommendations to reduce beach erosion. PWA identified sediment sources and physical and ecological constraints to minimize impacts and promote recreation and tourism.

Location		Monterey County, California
Client		Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments

Project Detail		Along the California coast, changes to natural processes and sediment supply reductions from human alterations are leading to coastal erosion problems. Regional sediment management (RSM) plans are efforts to take a system wide approach to identifying sources of sediment and implementation of strategies to ensure that sediment delivery to the beaches continues. The Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments (AMBAG) retained a team led by PWA to develop a coastal RSM Plan for the southern Monterey Bay. The focus was the shoreline from the Monterey Peninsula to Moss Landing. The goals were to provide guidance and policy recommendations to reduce beach erosion. The PWA team reviewed existing scientific literature, collected existing data sets, and evaluated the implications of ongoing data collection initiatives. The purpose was to: assess coastal areas of critical erosion and identify optimum beach sites for sand nourishment projects; locate potential sources of sediment for opportunistic use to counteract erosion, including harbors, wetlands, dams, offshore and coastal locations, and landside commercial sources; evaluate the physical (e.g. sediment particle size) and chemical (sediment quality) compatibility of the potential sediment sources at the critically eroding receiver sites; assess the presence of sensitive species and habitats within the study site , and evaluate mitigation measures to minimize impacts. The PWA team also conducted a relative cost/benefit analysis for using the potential sediment sources for beach nourishment purposes. Additionally, PWA outlined the necessary permitting requirements to proceed through environmental review and regulatory compliance, and assessed the cost and potential funding sources for beach nourishment material. Community ownership of the project was encouraged by the recommendation of the establishment of a governance structure. This structure provides an input process for federal, state, regional, and local entities resulting in the official recognition of the Plan. This governance structure also provides guidance on the mechanisms and priorities needed to implement the Plan.