Andree Clark Refuge

GENERAL

Source

Site Andree Clark Bird Refuge

Map Santa Barbara, USGS 7.5' quadrangle

Location The refuge is located on the eastern edge of the City of Santa Barbara at the intersection of Highway 101 and East Cabrillo Boulevard.

Contacts City of Santa Barbara Parks Department: 805-564-5437

Santa Barbara Audubon Society, Inc.: 805-964-1468

Approximate Wetland Habitat Acreage 29 acres (open water) plus shoreline riparian habitat; and beach lagoon at the spillway of the lake - acreage not specified.
1

Approximate Historic Acreage Not specified
1

Ownership Owner Acres Source

City of Santa Barbara 42 1

LAND USE

Source

Land Use Designation The City of Santa Barbara's Land Use Plan identifies the area as Open Space, Park and Recreation, and Natural Resource.
2

Onsite Use Bird refuge, educational and interpretative programs, park and picnic area.
2

Historic Use Until the 1880's, the area now occupied by the lake was a salt marsh. Construction of the railroad resulted in the rerouting of Sycamore Creek isolating the area from its major freshwater source. At times during the summer the marsh dried out and was used as a horse racetrack. In 1920 the area was dammed to create a permanent reservoir.
2

Adjacent Use On the north side of Highway 101 is a golf course/country club, to the south, across E. Cabrillo Blvd., is the Santa Barbara Cemetery and beach, and to the east is the Child's Estate Zoo.
1

Adjacent Historic Use Ranching and agriculture.
1

HYDROLOGY

Source

Tidal Influence Historically the bird refuge was a coastal saltmarsh/lagoon and seasonally connected to the tidal action by Sycamore Creek.The lake is formed by a dam at Cabrillo Boulevard that also prevents the intrusion of sea water. A beach lagoon that is formed at the spillway of the lake, on the beach side of Cabrillo Blvd., is periodically tidally influenced.
2, 8

Watershed Area 844 acres
1

Tributaries and Flow Tributary Flow Source

There are no natural tributaries to the lake. Water entering the lake is stormwater and urban run-off delivered by culvert. Calculated flow into the lake is 800 ac/ft per year. Maximum flow for a 100 year storm is 1350 cfs. 1

Dams None
1

Other Sources Wastewater flows from the zoo and surface flows from the adjacent lawn and streets.
1

WATER QUALITY

Source

General Beneficial Uses are identified as rec1, rec2, wild, warm, biol, rare and comm. The lake is not included on the 303(d) list. The lake is described as eutrophic with high levels of phosphorus, nitrogen and ammonia.
1, 5, 6

Dissolved Oxygen (DO) 1984/85 - morning samples of surface water in October ranged from 5.3 to 9.6 ppm at a temperature of 21.5 degrees C, bottom DO for the morning not specified. Bottom samples in the afternoon ranged from 2.25 to 20 ppm at an unspecified temperature. February morning samples ranged from 8.6 to 0.8 at the bottom, at a temperature of 16 degrees C.
1

Water Salinity 1984 - salinity at six stations in October was 7.5 ppt (depth not specified), and in February 1985 the salinity at both the surface and bottom stations was 3.5 ppt.
1

Sedimentation Sediment loading not specified.

SOIL

Source

Soil Bottom sediment is composed of highly organic clays and silts with intercalated stringers of fine sand.
1

Habitat Acres Vegetation

Beach lagoon Not specified Not specified 8

Open water 29 1985 - blue-green algae, diatoms, and green algae 1

Riparian Unspecified acreage (2.1 miles of shoreline length of varying width) 1986 - primarily cattails, bulrushes, and willows 2

Transitional/ Uplands 13 1985 - panic grass*, ornamentals, native and non-native shrubs and trees 1

ANIMAL USE

Source

Birds 1984/85 - quarterly surveys identified a total of 221 species; of these 82 were water associated including five special status species.
1

Fish 1984/85 - mosquitofish* collected from the lake with baited fish traps and dip netting. Fall 1993 and 1995 - tidewater goby+ collected from the beach lagoon by seining and trapping.
1, 9

Benthic Invertebrates 1993 - four species of molluscs and crustaceans from the beach lagoon.
42

Insect 1984/85 - cursory visual sampling in April 1985 identified dragonfly nymphs and two families of beetles. Visual observation in October 1984 identified damselflies, mosquitos and craneflies. 1995 - salt marsh water boatman from the beach lagoon.
1, 9

Other Wildlife 1984 - visual observations in October and November identified two species of frogs and the western pond turtle
6

Special Status Species 1984/85 - California brown pelican, double-crested cormorant, osprey, California gull and California least tern
6

OUTLOOK

Source

Enhancement Status In 1990 an enhancement program was completed which included a new weir outlet to control water elevation, new inflow culverts, treatment of the water with aluminum sulfate, removal of non-native plants and revegetation with native plants along the north shore, removal of domestic birds, and construction of pathways, overlooks and interpretive signs.
2

Watershed Management Not specified

Pressure 1996 - high nutrient levels from run-off creates eutrophic conditions
7

SOURCES

1 Penfield & Smith Engineers, Inc., prepared for the City of Santa Barbara. 1985. Limnological investigation of euthrophication at the Andree Clark Bird Refuge and recommendation for mitigating actions. ~135 pp., plus appendices. This report documents the eutrophic conditions and makes recommendations for remedial action to correct the water quality problems. A general overview of physical conditions, specific data on sediments, water chemistry and eutrophication mitigation measures are provided. Original field research includes sediment and water sampling, surveys of phytoplankton and zooplankton in the water column, bird surveys, and a description of the flora surrounding the lake.

2 California State Coastal Conservancy. 1986. Staff recommendation: Andree Clark Bird Refuge enhancement. 13 pp., plus appendices. Staff recommended that the Conservancy approve the enhancement plan and authorize the distribution of funds for implementation of the plan. A brief description of the site, site problems and history is provided. The appendices contain the enhancement plan and letters of community support for the project.

3 City of Santa Barbara. 1990. Grant closeout final report: State Coastal Conservancy Andree Clark Bird Refuge enhancement. 5 pp., plus photographs. This final report briefly describes the enhancement work completed at the refuge and an outline of the proposed maintenance and monitoring program.

4 City of Santa Barbara Parks Department. 1986. Grant proposal for a project to improve wildlife habitat values at the Andree Clark Bird Refuge. 8 pp., plus appendices. This plan briefly reports on the existing conditions, proposed changes and results expected from the enhancement project, describes the interpretive facilities and programs, and reviews the proposed management and maintenance program. The appendices contain proposed lists of flora and fauna for the enhancement project, illustrations of the interpretive signs, and a copy of the CEQA negative declaration for the project.

5 California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Central Region. 1994. Water quality control plan, Central Coast Region. 200 pp., plus appendices. The plan designates beneficial uses and associated water quality objectives for inland surface waters, enclosed bays and estuaries, and ground waters, for the Central Coast (Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito, Santa Cruz and portions of San Mateo, Kern and Ventura Counties). It includes a discussion of applicable policies and statutory requirements and identifies measures for achieving water quality objectives. It also describes ongoing monitoring and assessment programs. Appendices contain 35 documents, including the text of state and local policies relevant to implementation of the plan, descriptions of ground water basins and sub-areas, and analyses used to develop various discharge and disposal requirements.

6 Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board. 1996. 303(d) list of impaired water bodies. 6 pp. A list of waterbodies in the Central Coast Region that do not or are not expected to attain water quality standards after application of required technology-based controls. The list includes the size of the water body, the sampled pollutants affecting designated beneficial uses, the source of the pollutant, and the water body's priority status with regard to developing Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs). The TMDL is the total amount of a pollutant that can be discharged into a water body without compromising water quality standards. 303(d) lists are prepared as part of the Water Quality Assessment of the State's major waterbodies, and meet a requirement of section 303(d) of the federal Clean Water Act

7 Cope, J.; Santa Barbara Parks Department - Operations and Management. November 1996. Personal communication.

8 Lafferty, K.D.; UC Santa Barbara Marine Science Institute. April 1997. Personal communication.

9 Ambrose, R.F. (ed), J. A. Altsatt, K. D. Lafferty, & C. P. Sandoval. 1995. Coastal wetland resources of the Santa Barbara County mainland. Environmental Science and Engineering Program, UCLA. 89 pp. Report briefly describes the physical features and biological community at 10 wetland sites (Santa Maria River, San Antonio Creek, Santa Ynez River, Canada Honda Creek, Canada de Santa Anita, Canada de Alegria, Gaviota Creek, Devereux Slough, Goleta Slough, and Arroyo Burro) in Santa Barbara County to provide baseline information on these resources. Plants, invertebrates, fishes and birds were surveyed at the 10 sites, and these original survey data are contained within the report. An additional 12 sites were surveyed for the presence of tidewater gobies

Webmaster: wetlands@resources.ca.gov

GENERAL			Source
Site	Andree Clark Bird Refuge
Map	Santa Barbara, USGS 7.5' quadrangle
Location	The refuge is located on the eastern edge of the City of Santa Barbara at the intersection of Highway 101 and East Cabrillo Boulevard.
Contacts	City of Santa Barbara Parks Department: 805-564-5437
	Santa Barbara Audubon Society, Inc.: 805-964-1468
Approximate Wetland Habitat Acreage	29 acres (open water) plus shoreline riparian habitat; and beach lagoon at the spillway of the lake - acreage not specified.		1
Approximate Historic Acreage	Not specified		1


Ownership	Owner	Acres	Source
	City of Santa Barbara	42	1


LAND USE			Source
Land Use Designation	The City of Santa Barbara's Land Use Plan identifies the area as Open Space, Park and Recreation, and Natural Resource.		2
Onsite Use	Bird refuge, educational and interpretative programs, park and picnic area.		2
Historic Use	Until the 1880's, the area now occupied by the lake was a salt marsh. Construction of the railroad resulted in the rerouting of Sycamore Creek isolating the area from its major freshwater source. At times during the summer the marsh dried out and was used as a horse racetrack. In 1920 the area was dammed to create a permanent reservoir.		2
Adjacent Use	On the north side of Highway 101 is a golf course/country club, to the south, across E. Cabrillo Blvd., is the Santa Barbara Cemetery and beach, and to the east is the Child's Estate Zoo.		1
Adjacent Historic Use	Ranching and agriculture.		1


HYDROLOGY			Source
Tidal Influence	Historically the bird refuge was a coastal saltmarsh/lagoon and seasonally connected to the tidal action by Sycamore Creek.The lake is formed by a dam at Cabrillo Boulevard that also prevents the intrusion of sea water. A beach lagoon that is formed at the spillway of the lake, on the beach side of Cabrillo Blvd., is periodically tidally influenced.		2, 8
Watershed Area	844 acres		1
Tributaries and Flow	Tributary	Flow	Source
	There are no natural tributaries to the lake. Water entering the lake is stormwater and urban run-off delivered by culvert.	Calculated flow into the lake is 800 ac/ft per year. Maximum flow for a 100 year storm is 1350 cfs.	1
Dams	None		1
Other Sources	Wastewater flows from the zoo and surface flows from the adjacent lawn and streets.		1


WATER QUALITY			Source
General	Beneficial Uses are identified as rec1, rec2, wild, warm, biol, rare and comm. The lake is not included on the 303(d) list. The lake is described as eutrophic with high levels of phosphorus, nitrogen and ammonia.		1, 5, 6
Dissolved Oxygen (DO)	1984/85 - morning samples of surface water in October ranged from 5.3 to 9.6 ppm at a temperature of 21.5 degrees C, bottom DO for the morning not specified. Bottom samples in the afternoon ranged from 2.25 to 20 ppm at an unspecified temperature. February morning samples ranged from 8.6 to 0.8 at the bottom, at a temperature of 16 degrees C.		1
Water Salinity	1984 - salinity at six stations in October was 7.5 ppt (depth not specified), and in February 1985 the salinity at both the surface and bottom stations was 3.5 ppt.		1
Sedimentation	Sediment loading not specified.


SOIL			Source
Soil	Bottom sediment is composed of highly organic clays and silts with intercalated stringers of fine sand.		1
Habitat	Acres	Vegetation
Beach lagoon	Not specified	Not specified	8
Open water	29	1985 - blue-green algae, diatoms, and green algae	1
Riparian	Unspecified acreage (2.1 miles of shoreline length of varying width)	1986 - primarily cattails, bulrushes, and willows	2
Transitional/ Uplands	13	1985 - panic grass*, ornamentals, native and non-native shrubs and trees	1


ANIMAL USE			Source
Birds	1984/85 - quarterly surveys identified a total of 221 species; of these 82 were water associated including five special status species.		1
Fish	1984/85 - mosquitofish* collected from the lake with baited fish traps and dip netting. Fall 1993 and 1995 - tidewater goby+ collected from the beach lagoon by seining and trapping.		1, 9
Benthic Invertebrates	1993 - four species of molluscs and crustaceans from the beach lagoon.		42
Insect	1984/85 - cursory visual sampling in April 1985 identified dragonfly nymphs and two families of beetles. Visual observation in October 1984 identified damselflies, mosquitos and craneflies. 1995 - salt marsh water boatman from the beach lagoon.		1, 9
Other Wildlife	1984 - visual observations in October and November identified two species of frogs and the western pond turtle		6
Special Status Species	1984/85 - California brown pelican, double-crested cormorant, osprey, California gull and California least tern		6


OUTLOOK			Source
Enhancement Status	In 1990 an enhancement program was completed which included a new weir outlet to control water elevation, new inflow culverts, treatment of the water with aluminum sulfate, removal of non-native plants and revegetation with native plants along the north shore, removal of domestic birds, and construction of pathways, overlooks and interpretive signs.		2
Watershed Management	Not specified
Pressure	1996 - high nutrient levels from run-off creates eutrophic conditions		7


SOURCES
1	Penfield & Smith Engineers, Inc., prepared for the City of Santa Barbara. 1985. Limnological investigation of euthrophication at the Andree Clark Bird Refuge and recommendation for mitigating actions. ~135 pp., plus appendices. This report documents the eutrophic conditions and makes recommendations for remedial action to correct the water quality problems. A general overview of physical conditions, specific data on sediments, water chemistry and eutrophication mitigation measures are provided. Original field research includes sediment and water sampling, surveys of phytoplankton and zooplankton in the water column, bird surveys, and a description of the flora surrounding the lake.
2	California State Coastal Conservancy. 1986. Staff recommendation: Andree Clark Bird Refuge enhancement. 13 pp., plus appendices. Staff recommended that the Conservancy approve the enhancement plan and authorize the distribution of funds for implementation of the plan. A brief description of the site, site problems and history is provided. The appendices contain the enhancement plan and letters of community support for the project.
3	City of Santa Barbara. 1990. Grant closeout final report: State Coastal Conservancy Andree Clark Bird Refuge enhancement. 5 pp., plus photographs. This final report briefly describes the enhancement work completed at the refuge and an outline of the proposed maintenance and monitoring program.
4	City of Santa Barbara Parks Department. 1986. Grant proposal for a project to improve wildlife habitat values at the Andree Clark Bird Refuge. 8 pp., plus appendices. This plan briefly reports on the existing conditions, proposed changes and results expected from the enhancement project, describes the interpretive facilities and programs, and reviews the proposed management and maintenance program. The appendices contain proposed lists of flora and fauna for the enhancement project, illustrations of the interpretive signs, and a copy of the CEQA negative declaration for the project.
5	California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Central Region. 1994. Water quality control plan, Central Coast Region. 200 pp., plus appendices. The plan designates beneficial uses and associated water quality objectives for inland surface waters, enclosed bays and estuaries, and ground waters, for the Central Coast (Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito, Santa Cruz and portions of San Mateo, Kern and Ventura Counties). It includes a discussion of applicable policies and statutory requirements and identifies measures for achieving water quality objectives. It also describes ongoing monitoring and assessment programs. Appendices contain 35 documents, including the text of state and local policies relevant to implementation of the plan, descriptions of ground water basins and sub-areas, and analyses used to develop various discharge and disposal requirements.
6	Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board. 1996. 303(d) list of impaired water bodies. 6 pp. A list of waterbodies in the Central Coast Region that do not or are not expected to attain water quality standards after application of required technology-based controls. The list includes the size of the water body, the sampled pollutants affecting designated beneficial uses, the source of the pollutant, and the water body's priority status with regard to developing Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs). The TMDL is the total amount of a pollutant that can be discharged into a water body without compromising water quality standards. 303(d) lists are prepared as part of the Water Quality Assessment of the State's major waterbodies, and meet a requirement of section 303(d) of the federal Clean Water Act
7	Cope, J.; Santa Barbara Parks Department - Operations and Management. November 1996. Personal communication.
8	Lafferty, K.D.; UC Santa Barbara Marine Science Institute. April 1997. Personal communication.
9	Ambrose, R.F. (ed), J. A. Altsatt, K. D. Lafferty, & C. P. Sandoval. 1995. Coastal wetland resources of the Santa Barbara County mainland. Environmental Science and Engineering Program, UCLA. 89 pp. Report briefly describes the physical features and biological community at 10 wetland sites (Santa Maria River, San Antonio Creek, Santa Ynez River, Canada Honda Creek, Canada de Santa Anita, Canada de Alegria, Gaviota Creek, Devereux Slough, Goleta Slough, and Arroyo Burro) in Santa Barbara County to provide baseline information on these resources. Plants, invertebrates, fishes and birds were surveyed at the 10 sites, and these original survey data are contained within the report. An additional 12 sites were surveyed for the presence of tidewater gobies