Santa Ana River

GENERAL			Source
Site	Santa Ana River Mouth
Map	Newport Beach, 7.5' USGS quadrangle
Location	Wetland areas covered in this profile are on the east side of the Santa River and extend about two miles inland from the coastline, adjacent to the Cities of Costa Mesa and Newport Beach in Orange County. Across the Santa Ana River to the west is the restored Talbert Marsh (see Huntington Beach profile).
Contacts	US Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District; 213-894-7053
	Orange County Environmental Management Agency; 714-834-6791
	City of Costa Mesa; 714-745-5100
Approximate Wetland Habitat Acreage	168+ (at four sites along the southeastern side of the river)		1, 4
Approximate Historic Acreage	2900 (for the greater Santa Ana River Mouth wetlands complex)		4

Ownership	Owner	Acres	Source
	US Army Corps of Engineers (COE) (easterly of the Santa Ana River mouth)	92	3
	Orange County (Regional Parks) (1.1 mile upstream of the mouth of the Santa Ana River)	180	1
	City of Newport Beach (oil field within the COE site)	7+	9
	Private (oil production sites)	106+	9

LAND USE			Source
Land Use Designation	The COE site, which is closest to the river mouth, is designated open space and recreational by Orange County. The Mobil Oil site, to the east of the COE site, is designated open space in the Orange County General Plan and zoned for:		1, 3, 9
	residential, business and light industrial with an oil production overlay zone over the area. The Talbert Nature Preserve, approximately 1.1 miles from the mouth, is designated for public use in the City of Costa Mesa's General Plan and
	zoned Institutional and Recreation. These river lowlands between the Pacific Coast Highway and Fairview Regional Park are included in the Santa Ana River/Santiago Creek Greenbelt Corridor.
Onsite Use	The COE has implemented a salt marsh restoration project on their property. Limited public access is allowed on the site. North and east of the COE's mitigation area are the Mobil Oil fields which contain severely degraded wetland and upland areas. To the north of the COE's site lies the Talbert Nature Preserve, which includes a freshwater habitat known as Victoria Pond and associated seasonal wet meadow. The Nature Preserve is separated from the Santa Ana River Channel by the Greenville-Banning Flood Control Channel.		1, 4
Historic Use	In 1920 the Santa Ana River was confined within artificial levees and forced to discharge into the Pacific Ocean at its current location. Within the historic flood plain agricultural fields were developed, and oil exploration and production carried out.		5
Adjacent Use	The wetland areas are bounded by the Santa Ana River to the west. Fairview Regional Park is to the north. To the east is the mesa and residential development of the City of Costa Mesa. The Pacific Coast Highway and residential development of		1
	Newport Beach are to the south.
Adjacent Historic Use	Agricultural and oil production occupied the flood plain after channelization of the river. Agricultural uses were rapidly replaced by urban development after 1940.		5

HYDROLOGY			Source
Tidal Influence	The sandy-bottom of the Santa Ana River Channel is under tidal influence up to Victoria Street Bridge; the bridge separates the Talbert Nature Preserve into north and south sections. The COE site has tide gates at the both the northern		5
	and southern ends of the marsh, connected to the Santa Ana River. Tidal action within the COE's site is muted, due to the elevation and operation of the tide gates. The Mobil Oil field marsh site is diked and not subjected to tidal influence.
	Elevations in the freshwater wetland area of Talbert Nature Preserve are above high tide.
Wetland Watershed Area	Santa Ana River - 2800 square miles		6

Tributaries and Flow	Tributary	Flow	Source
	Santa Ana River Channel	The Santa Ana River is one of the largest rivers in southern California. Design peak flow discharge at the Pacific Ocean is 47,000 cfs. Channelization with high levee banks and other flood control measures upstream have greatly reduced the river as a source of seasonal flood-waters to the marshes.	5
	Greenville-Banning Channel	Channelized to Victoria St. Bridge where it joins the Santa Ana River. Flows are composed of storm water discharge and urban run-off. Also intercepts run-off from Fairview Regional Park north of the Talbert Nature Preserve site.	1, 5
Dams	Prado Dam - 1941; Seven Oaks Dam - scheduled for completion in 1998		6
Other Sources	Storm drain discharge and landscape irrigation run-off from the mesa enters all three areas. Water level in Victoria Pond in the dry seasons is maintained by ground water.		1

WATER QUALITY			Source
General	Water quality is categorized by the Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) in the lowest reach of the Santa Ana River as intermediate due to urban run-off. Beneficial uses are; rec1, rec2, biol, wild, rare, mar and est.		7, 8
Dissolved Oxygen (DO)	1986/87 - water quality sampling was conducted quarterly at six stations in the COE's marsh at low tide. DO levels ranged from .5 to 12.5 ppm in surface waters and 2.3 to 4.3 ppm bottom waters. Readings were averaged from morning and afternoon sampling periods. Temperature ranged from 8 to 26 degrees C.		3
Water Salinity	1986/87 - water quality sampling was conducted quarterly at six stations in the COE's marsh at low tide. Salinity levels in surface waters ranged from 14 to 34.5 ppt and 20 to 33 ppt in the bottom waters. Times of sampling not specified.		3
Sediment	Santa Ana Canyon is the major source for transported sediment in the Santa Ana River. From just upstream of the Talbert Nature Preserve, the soft bottom of the river experiences a high		1
	degree of scour. Approximately 1000 tons of sediment erode annually from the mesa and are deposited in Fairview Regional Park and the northern portions of the Talbert Nature Preserve.

Soil			Source
Soil	Tidal marsh - silty sands and clays. Talbert/Fairview - stratified sandy silt and clayey silt to a depth of 10 feet.		1

Habitat	Acres	Vegetation
Tidal channel	21	1993 - primarily macroalgae	10
Salt marsh	59	1993 - primarily pickleweed and planted cordgrass	10
Diked degraded marsh (oil fields)	88	1983/84 - present are pickleweed, aklkali heath, jaumea, sea lavender, salt grass, and ruderal fields (primarily saltbush, alkali mallow, sweet fennel* and milk thistle*)	5
Freshwater marsh	Not specified.	1983/84 - present are mule-fat, cattail, cockelbur, California bulrush, saltbush, horseweed, curley dockand alkali heath*	5
Willow riparian	Not specified.	1983/84 - dominated by yellow and red willows, also present are sagebrush, giant reed, mule-fat, pampas grass and castro bean*	4

ANIMAL USE			Source
Birds	1995 - During 39 surveys between the months of March and September, 93 species were identified of which 56 are water associated. Twelve special status species were observed.		12
	1988 - over a period of 12 years, observations at the lowlands also included an additional five birds of special statue.		5
Fish	Not specified.
Benthic Invertebrates	Not specified.
Insect	1982 - Survey of the lowlands identified spiders and mites, beetles, leafhoppers, bees, ants, flies, moths, caterpillars and true bugs.		5
Other Wildlife	1983/84 - At the COE restoration site and adjacent lowlands western toad, Pacific tree frog, southern alligator lizard, western fence lizard, side-blotched lizard, common kingsnake and gopher snake were observed.		5
	1985 - At the Talbert Nature Preserve site, reptiles and amphibians are similar to those observed at the COE's site. Mammals included opossum, ornate shrew, coyote, and long-tailed weasel.
Special Status Species	1995 - Snowy plover, Belding's Savannah sparrow, osprey, Cooper's hawk, long-billed curlew, California gull, elegant turn, black skimmer, loggerhead shrike, yellow warbler, Wilson's warbler and double-crested cormorant were identified at the COE site.		13, 5
	Additionally 1988 - Observations at the lowlands, over a 12 year period, also identified the least bittern, white-faced ibis, northern harrier, peregrine falcon, and willow flycatcher.

OUTLOOK			Source
Enhancement Status	As part of the Santa Ana River flood control project, the COE began restoration of 92 acres of marsh in 1989 as mitigation for biological impacts. In 1991, Orange County adopted an Enhancement Plan for South Talbert and Fairview/North Talbert parks, (renamed Talbert Nature Preserve in 1995) which included wetland enhancement. Restoration work on the northern portion of the Preserve and around Victoria Pond were completed in 1996. In 1991 the Orange County Environmental Management Agency developed a draft Local Coastal Program for the Mobil Oil site. This land use plan, which the OCEMA did not continue to process, identified enhancement potentials for the marsh and uplands areas, residential densities and recreational open space.		5, 9, 11
Watershed Management	The Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority (SAWPA) was formed in 1971 to develop a long-term plan to manage the area's water supply, and finance and build multi-agency water projects. SAWPA historically focused on water quality and ground water. Recently (1994) the Authority broadened its focus and participation to include issues of flood control, wildlife resources and interaction with other water agencies.		2
Pressure	The Talbert Nature Preserve is impacted from the adjoining developed recreation areas to the north, limited flooding events, and poor quality water from the mesa urban run-off. Vegetation and channels at the southeast corner of the COE marsh have been damanged by dogs, hikers and small boats. The loss of salt marsh flora and fauna continues at the Mobil Oil site due to the absence of tidal waters.		5, 9, 10
SOURCES
1	EDAW, Inc for the County of Orange. 1991. Fairview and Talbert regional park enhancement plan. 200 pp. plus appendices.
	The purposes of this study were to establish the feasibility of enhancing two sites as recreational parkland and wetland habitat, and to develop adequate information to determine the potential for using the enhanced wetland habitat as a mitigation bank. Existing biological, water and soil conditions are identified. Original surveys of the plant communities and wildlife description from existing surveys are included. A wetland delineation of each site is provided.
2	Western Water. 1996. Santa Ana River watershed. 2 pp.
	Brief review of the Santa Ana River watershed land uses, water distribution and upstream vs downstream issues of sediment and flooding. Identifies some concerns with water quality and proposes strategies to deal with water quality and allocation issues.
3	Simons, Li & Associates, Inc. for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 1987. Marsh restoration: lower Santa Ana river channel, Orange County, California. 109 pp.
	The report presents a design analysis and plan for the restoration of a 92 acre salt marsh near the mouth of the Santa Ana River. This project was mitigation for a part of the COE's All-River Plan.
	A base line analysis of tidal exchange, inundation, storm drainage, freshwater circulation, water quality and habitat distribution from original and existing surveys is provided. Alternate design concepts and summaries of construction costs for the proposed enhancement are also provided. Extensive details for planting installation and habitat establishment are included.
4	MEC Analytical Systems, Inc. 1991. Ecological Descriptions and Evaluation of proposed enhancement/restoration for eight southern california wetlands. Final Report. Prepared for Southern California Edison. 300 pp. and appendices.
	Evaluation of eight coastal wetland sites for improvement according to criteria specified by the California Coastal Commission. Development of the base line characteristics for each site was accomplished from a comprehensive literature search. The assessment is organized into four parts: historical acreage and present ecological condition; proposed enhancements and restorations; evaluations of proposed enhancements and restorations based on biology; and evaluations of proposed restorations and enhancements based on Coastal Commission objectives and standards. Appendix A describes each wetland site in detail. A variety of existing documents are incorporated into the report.
5	Keith Macdonald & Associates, Inc. for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 1985. Santa Ana marsh and adjacent lowlands terrestrial resources report (Part I & II). 225 pp plus appendices.
	A comprehensive review of existing literature and original field work to characterize and define the faunal and floral habitats of the low lands east of the Santa Ana River Mouth. Report includes detailed vegetation maps and complete floral lists and estimates of plant biomass and primary production. Descriptions of the spatial and temporal distributions of terrestrial animals utilizing the area are also provided.
6	US Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District. 1980. Santa Ana River phase I GDM on the Santa Ana River main stem including Santiago Creek. Public Information Brochure. 25 pp.
	A summary report of the general design for flood control improvements proposed for the main stem of the Santa Ana River. Included are descriptions of the river basin, flooding problems, and status and evaluation of the flood control study.
7	Regional Water Quality Control Board. 1995. Water Quality Control Plan for the Santa Ana River Basin. 200 pp.
	The plan includes information on the quality of inland surface waters, coastal waters, reservoirs and lakes and ground water in Orange County. It identifies beneficial uses supported by these waters and provides a plan for their protection.
8	Regional Water Quality Control Board Santa Ana Region. 1995. Water quality assessment.
	This information comes from the state's water quality assessment data base and includes the water quality assessment data for estuaries in Orange County. For each estuary, information is presented for water quality (impaired or threatened), including a brief summary of the problem.
9	Orange County Environmental Management Agency. 1991. Local Coastal Program: land use plan (draft). 80pp.
	Draft land use plan for the Mobil Oil/Santiago Partnership lands adjacent to the Cities of Newport Beach and Costa Mesa directly adjacent to the COE's restoration site. Includes recommendations for wetland and riparian habitat enhancement, creation of recreational areas, residential and commercial developments, and infrastructure improvements. The plan was not adopted by Orange County.
10	Frik, B., and L. Weber for the US Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District. 1995. Cordgrass pilot planting experiments at the Santa Ana River Marsh. 22pp.
	Reports on experimental cordgrasss plantings at the enhanced marsh. The pilot planting was initiated, after the failure of the original plantings, to determine the best protocol for plantout. Issues of elevation, soil salinity, tidal circulation, plant stock and soil supplements are investigated. Study determined that for this site nursery stock and use of fertilizer tablets achieved the best success.
11	US Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District. 1988. Final supplemental environmental impact statement, Santa Ana Mainstem including Santiago Creek. ~160 pp., plus appendices.
	This final report addresses specific questions raised in response to the Draft EIS regarding biological impacts along the River and evaluates new environmental findings. Report reviews the affected environment along the entire 60 mile plus Santa Ana River. Physical and biological resources for each segment of the river are updated with new field research data.
12	Kelsey, R., and C.T. Collins. 1995. Avifunal survey of Newport Slough, Newport Beach, California, for US Fish and Wildlife Service, Southern California Refuge Complex and US Army Corps of Engineers. 10pp and appendix.
	Survey's purpose was to examine the diversity of avian species at the COE's enhanced salt marsh. Survey was from March to September 1995 with 39 survey trips. Report describes the current site conditions and makes recommendation for enhancing the habitat value. Species list and number of sightings are listed in appendix.

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