Buena Vista Lagoon

GENERAL			Source
Site	Buena Vista Lagoon
Map	San Luis Rey USGS quadrangle
Location	The lagoon lies within the cities of Carlsbad and Oceanside in northern San Diego County.		3
Contacts	California Department of Fish and Game, Region 5. (714) 644-7216
	Buena Vista Lagoon Foundation, (619) 727-3866
	Buena Vista Lagoon Visitor's Center, (619) 439-BIRD
Approximate Wetland Acreage	223		11
Approximate Historic Acreage	666		11

Ownership	Owner	Acres	Source
	California Department of Fish and Game.	198	3
	Private	5.75	3

LAND USE			Source
Land Use Designation	Open Space in both the City of Oceanside zoning ordinance as amended 1995 and the City of Carlsbad zoning ordinance, 1991.		1
Onsite Use	State Ecological Reserve, fishing and passive recreation are permitted uses; a Visitor Center run by the local chapter of the National Audubon Society offers interpretive information; I-5, Hill Street and the Southern Pacific Railroad		3, 5, 6
	all cross the lagoon, dividing it into 4 basins.		6
Historic Use	The railroad was built in 1883; salt evaporation ponds were constructed in 1900, treated effluent was discharged into the lagoon from 1956 to 1965; 160 acres of marsh were filled for development beginning in 1960.		7
Adjacent Use	Urban development surrounds the lagoon, including a shopping mall on the east end built on former wetlands; there is a small park along the southern edge of the lagoon; Highway 78 and Jefferson Street border the eastern basin.		3
Historic Adjacent Use	Grazing and farming, and rapid urbanization since the 1970's.		6

HYDROLOGY			Source
Tidal Influence	Formerly, tidal influence occurred periodically when winter floods breached the barrier beach at the mouth; a weir, installed in the ocean outlet in 1948, regulates maximum water levels.		6
Watershed Area	19 square miles		6

Tributaries and Flow	Tributary	Flow	Source
	Buena Vista Creek	Permanent flow primarily derived from urban runoff; stream is ungauged, data on flow rates unavailable; in 1985 the creek bed was both down-cutting and aggrading; the channel is concrete for 1/4 mile through downtown Vista.	3, 6
Dams	None		8, 6
Other Sources	None identified		3,6

WATER QUALITY			Source
General	Circulation and flushing are constrained by roadfills for I-5 and Hill Street and the weir. Beneficial use categories supported: Rec1, Rec2, biol, wild, rare, mar, warm; potentially supported category: est. WATER BODY DESIGNATION ?		6, 8
Temperature	1994 samples of surface water Aug 28, 30 and Sept 2 recorded a range of 21-31 degrees C throughout the lagoon. No difference was observed between the eastern and western lagoons.		13
Dissolved Oxygen (DO)	1994 - a.m. and p.m. Aug 26-28 samples of various parts of the water column in the western portion of the lagoon, reported to be unaffected by sewage entering the eastern end Aug 23-24; lowest level (0 mg/l) recorded in the a.m., the lowest p.m. level was 3.9 mg/l. Samples in the immediate vicinity of the spill recorded 0 mg/l for 6 days after the spill in both a.m. and p.m.; levels began to rise the afternoon of the 7th day.		13
Water Salinity	Buena Vista Lagoon has become a freshwater system; 1994 samples of surface water Aug 28, 30 and Sept 2 recorded a range of 1-4 ppt throughout the lagoon.		3, 6, 13
Sedimentation	In 1985 lagoon was described as a very efficient sediment trap; estimates of 1940-1982 sedimentation rate based on cores of the lagoon bed were 35,000 tons/yr; the eroding channel bed was identified as the principal source of sediment.		6

Soil			Source
Soil	Top 6.5 feet of sediment idenified as layers of sand, organic-rich mud and silty clay.		6

Habitat	Acres	Vegetation	Source
Open Water	127	1991 - Widgeon grass, pondweed sp, arrow grass; the lagoon edges are dominated by narrow and broad-leaf cattails, spiny rush and bulrush.	3, 11
Seasonal sand/mud flats	14	1993 - unvegetated	11
Salt marsh Small area between uplands and reeds	14	1991 - pickleweed, marsh rosemary, and alkali weed listed as present.	3,2
Brackish/fresh marsh	36	1993 - Cattails and bulrush present	11
Riparian Small corridor in east basin	Not specified	Mainly arroyo willow	3
Upland Includes 2 least tern nesting islands in the east basin	Not specified	1991 - Mainly introduced species such as Eucalyptus* spp., giant reed, and ice plant with scattered representatives of coastal sage and chaparral communities; no vegetation identified for islands.	3

ANIMAL USE			Source
Birds	103 species identified during 1994 monthly surveys; 56 water-associated and 47 upland including 6 raptors; 8 water-associated sensitive species, including Ca Least tern, Belding's savannah sparrow and a single light-footed clapper rail, also seen in 1995.		2, 4
Fish	Fish species listed as lost due to a 1994 sewage spill were: largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie, catfish, bullhead, carp, and Gambusia/misc forage fish.		12
Benthic Invertebrates	Not specified		3
Insect	Not specified		3
Other Wildlife	1991 - 18 mammal species including raccoon, striped skunk, opossum, Ca vole, and western harvest mouse. 14 amphibians and reptiles including Western spadefoot+, two-striped garter snake, San Diego gopher snake, Ca side-blotched lizard, and bullfrog.		3
Special Status Species	Amer white and Ca brown pelicans, double-crested cormorant, light-footed clapper rail, Ca gull, Ca least tern, loggerhead shrike, Osprey, Northern harrier, Cooper's hawk, and Western spadefoot.		2, 3, 4

OUTLOOK			Source
Enhancement Status	In 1983, 160,00 cubic yards of sediment were dredged from the east basin and 2 least tern nesting islands were created; the islands were graded and capped with sand in 1989; the Buena Vista Lagoon Foundation prepared a stewardship plan for the		3, 7
	lagoon in 1983; a 1995 settlement agreement provides for funding for design of an adjustable weir for the lagoon mouth; management objectives for the state ecological reserve include protection and enhancement of wildlife populations, the reserve		3, 7, 10
	management plan was being updated in 1995. /TD>		11
Watershed Management	Several components of a watershed enhancement program initiated in 1982 to reduce sedimentation in the lagoon have been implemented, including construction of two sediment basins and channel enhancements;		7, 11
	a joint powers authority has been formed among the 3 cities in the watershed to improve and coordinate erosion control efforts in the watershed.		7
Pressure	Urban development immediately surrounding the lagoon and on the creek flood plain; water circulation constrained by structures across the lagoon and mouth; erosion and sedimentation in the watershed; introduction of exotic plant and animal species.		3, 6

SOURCES
1	Gene Ybarra, City of Oceanside Planning Department. Personal communication. December 1, 1995.
1a	Dan Lynch, City of Carslbad Community Development. Personal communication. December 1, 1995.
2	Zembal, Richard. 1995. Status and distribution of light-footed clapper rails in California, 1980-1995. Preliminary report to the California Department of Fish and Game. 28pp.
	Results of the 1995 survey of breeding light-footed clapper rails in California. The report incorporates data from 15 years of annual surveys and discusses population trends for the region and at each of 36 sites censused. Trends are tied to ecological conditions at each site and the author identifies possibilities for improving habitat.
	ecological conditions at each site and the author identifies possibilities for improving habitat.
3	California Department of Fish and Game. 1991. Interim management plan: Buena Vista Lagoon Ecological Reserve. 11pp. and species lists.
4	The plan outlines the purposes and objectives of the reserve, identifies fish and wildlife resources and public access facilities, summarizes the history of land use onsite, and describes intended management objectives and activities.
	Lists of plants, birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians identified at the reserve are included as appendices.
5	State Coastal Conservancy. 1989. The coastal wetlands of San Diego County. 64 pp.
	Public education booklet describing ecological concepts and dynamics of San Diego County salt marshes. Discussion includes watershed processes, littoral and tidal influences, habitat types, significance to migratory birds, and the effects of urban development. Profiles the history, current values and problems, protection efforts and public access opportunities at 13 wetland areas.
6	June Applegate. 1985. Buena Vista lagoon and watershed sediment control study. 43 pp. and technical appendices. Prepared for the State Coastal Conservancy.
	Study to develop a prioritized list of sediment management procedures for the Buena Vista watershed using a cost-benefit comparison. The report characterizes sediment sources and describes methods and results of watershed hydrology and lagoon hydraulics modeling employed to predict the most effective means of reducing sedimentation into the lagoon. A combination of sedimentation control techniques are recommended. Prepared as part of Phase II of the Buena Vista Lagoon Enhancement Program.
7	Buena Vista Lagoon Foundation. 1983. Buena Vista Lagoon stewardship plan. 8 pp. and appendices.
	Plan prepared to structure implementation of the Foundation's founding objectives which include conserving and restoring the lagoon marsh and wetlands and to act as an ongoing guardian of the lagoon. The plan identifies a range of actions including monitoring water quality, sedimentation rates, vegetation; improving public access; developing a program of public education and acquiring small aquatic habitat areas not in the reserve. The plan includes a history of land use at the lagoon, sketches for interpretive structures and an extensive bibliography listing publications related to water quality, biology, politics and other areas of interest addressing the lagoon.
8	U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District. 1973. Floodplain information: Buena Vista Creek - Pacific Ocean to Vista, San Diego County, California. 36 pp.
	Prepared to identify flood potential and flood hazards along the creek, the report summarizes land use in the watershed, provides a description of factors in the watershed that affect flooding, describes past floods and estimates characteristics of future floods. Future flood assessment includes specific description of potential hazards. Peak flow estimates are based on measurements from stream basins having similar meteorological characteristics. Includes floodplain maps and high water profiles.
9	Regional Water Quality Control Board. 1992. Water body fact sheet from the water quality assessment data base.
	This information comes from the state's water quality assessment data base and includes the water quality assessment data for estuaries in San Diego County. Information is presented for method of assessment, water quality (impaired or threatened), beneficial use category affected, type of source and program affected.
	beneficial use category affected, type of source and program affected.
10	Regional Water Quality Control Board. 1994. Water Quality Control Plan for the San Diego basin (#9). 400 pp. + appendices
	The plan includes information on the quality of inland surface waters coastal waters, reservoirs and lakes and ground water in San Diego County. It identifies beneficial uses supported by these waters and provides a plan for their protection.
11	MEC. 1993. San Dieguito Lagoon restoration project regional coastal lagoon resources summary. 56 pp and appendix.
	This report provides a summary of habitat types, fish, bird and benthic invertebrate populations at 16 coastal wetlands south of Anaheim Bay. It is a synopsis of primarily existing information; sources used in identifying and quantifying habitat types include aerial photographs taken in early 1993. Discusses restoration of habitats at San Dieguito Lagoon given present and historic conditions of other coastal wetlands in the region. This report was prepared as part of the San Dieguito Restoration Project undertaken by Southern California Edison to mitigate for damage to coastal marine resources from the operation of the San Onofore Nuclear Generating Station.
12	San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board. Undated. Preliminary report on damage assessment for the Buena Vista Lagoon sewage spill on August 23 and 24 1994. Staff report to the Regional Board. 5pp.
	Identifies damages incurred to the biological and public access resources of Buena Vista Lagoon by the sewage spill. Includes rationale for and calculations of associated monetary losses. Monetary values are assigned to fish and invertebrates killed, lost opportunities for fishing, wildlife viewing and hiking during the period the Ecological Reserve had to be closed to public access.<
13	MEC Analytical Systems, Inc. 1994. Emergency response sampling at Buena Vista Lagoon. 61 pp. and data tables.
	Reports results of water quality sampling immediately following a sewage spill on August 23 and 24, 1994. Dissolved oxygen (D.O.) and coliform levels were measured almost daily between August 23 and September 16, with morning and afternoon samples on 6 occasions. Biological oxygen demand, Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen and chlorophyll a were measured once in the eastern lagoon. Most sampling was done in eastern portions of the lagoon near the site of the spill, but the program included three days of sampling in the area between Hill Street and I-5 and near the mouth. Sampling was carried out for the City of Vista to monitor the spread of the sewage plume and the consequent effects on water quality.

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