FoCLB Causeway Proposal
Please credit all photographs: © FoCLB 2020
FoCLB encourages the County to replace East Cliff Drive across Corcoran Lagoon with a causeway, to eliminate flooding on the roadway, as well as to allow the lagoon to function naturally.
History of FoCLB's Causeway Proposal
On February 8, 2016 FoCLB emailed the County's Director of Public Works John Presleigh with a proposed solution to several problems associated with management of Corcoran Lagoon and Corcoran Lagoon Beach. The email was copied as an FYI to the Director of Parks and Supervisor of the First District. That email said, in part:
Hello John ~
In mid-December the breach of Corcoran Lagoon by [deleted] created a Sentinel news story that included a quote by you, indicating that you would be meeting with the CA Coastal Commission "and work something out."
Today I am writing to address a long range plan for East Cliff Drive, which now essentially:
1) keeps the lagoon from functioning naturally, harming sensitive species
2) causes annual flooding that impacts transportation (especially emergency vehicles)
3) requires sand-off-roadway maintenance throughout the year,
4) makes the entrance to a County beach look ugly (that K rail), and
5) destroys shorebird nesting habitat on occasion.
I see the illegal breach of the sandbar by [deleted] as an opportunity for the County to solve many problems, noting that, as is usual with Ma Nature, everything is hitched to everything else. Additionally, with sea level rise, its time to do this right and do it smart!
My suggestion is that it is time for the County to form a working committee to plan for a causeway to replace the existing road through the lagoon and beach. The causeway will replace the poorly designed E. Cliff Drive of yesteryear. Actually, the original "yesteryear" design was pretty smart -- I refer to the historical way of crossing the lagoon, a causeway.
Such a causeway will be pricey (I'm going to guess $5 million), but the capital investment should be recoverable over time as it will solve all the maintenance and transportation problems I listed (above). And it will be a proactive response to future sea level rise.
Working with the Coastal Commission for a permit to solve [deleted]'s problem is a bandaid approach to a much more complicated situation. Since Corcoran Lagoon Beach (CLB) is designated "critical habitat" for an endangered species (Tidewater Goby); since the County's LCP requires protection of shorebird nesting sites; since migratory birds use both Corcoran Lagoon and CLB; and since the beach sand is part of the MBNMS, the County will need to meet with CA Fish & Wildlife, USFWS and NOAA, at a minimum, as it decides what to do about an occasional sandbar problem for Zwerling.
I look forward to your initial reaction to my proposal.
Sincerely,
Jean Brocklebank
Friends of Corcoran Lagoon Beach
Director Presleigh replied the same day:
"I agree that much more needs to be done inline of what you are suggesting. There are, however, very large funding issues to overcome on a site like this as you suggest below, and the grant opportunities have so far been very limited. We have similar and worse situations like this at a couple other locations in the County due to coastal flooding, and we have submitted for grants to improve them but so far no luck in landing a grant. I am certainly open to working on a solution, etc."
Hello John ~
In mid-December the breach of Corcoran Lagoon by [deleted] created a Sentinel news story that included a quote by you, indicating that you would be meeting with the CA Coastal Commission "and work something out."
Today I am writing to address a long range plan for East Cliff Drive, which now essentially:
1) keeps the lagoon from functioning naturally, harming sensitive species
2) causes annual flooding that impacts transportation (especially emergency vehicles)
3) requires sand-off-roadway maintenance throughout the year,
4) makes the entrance to a County beach look ugly (that K rail), and
5) destroys shorebird nesting habitat on occasion.
I see the illegal breach of the sandbar by [deleted] as an opportunity for the County to solve many problems, noting that, as is usual with Ma Nature, everything is hitched to everything else. Additionally, with sea level rise, its time to do this right and do it smart!
My suggestion is that it is time for the County to form a working committee to plan for a causeway to replace the existing road through the lagoon and beach. The causeway will replace the poorly designed E. Cliff Drive of yesteryear. Actually, the original "yesteryear" design was pretty smart -- I refer to the historical way of crossing the lagoon, a causeway.
Such a causeway will be pricey (I'm going to guess $5 million), but the capital investment should be recoverable over time as it will solve all the maintenance and transportation problems I listed (above). And it will be a proactive response to future sea level rise.
Working with the Coastal Commission for a permit to solve [deleted]'s problem is a bandaid approach to a much more complicated situation. Since Corcoran Lagoon Beach (CLB) is designated "critical habitat" for an endangered species (Tidewater Goby); since the County's LCP requires protection of shorebird nesting sites; since migratory birds use both Corcoran Lagoon and CLB; and since the beach sand is part of the MBNMS, the County will need to meet with CA Fish & Wildlife, USFWS and NOAA, at a minimum, as it decides what to do about an occasional sandbar problem for Zwerling.
I look forward to your initial reaction to my proposal.
Sincerely,
Jean Brocklebank
Friends of Corcoran Lagoon Beach
Director Presleigh replied the same day:
"I agree that much more needs to be done inline of what you are suggesting. There are, however, very large funding issues to overcome on a site like this as you suggest below, and the grant opportunities have so far been very limited. We have similar and worse situations like this at a couple other locations in the County due to coastal flooding, and we have submitted for grants to improve them but so far no luck in landing a grant. I am certainly open to working on a solution, etc."
Two months later, on April 10, another email was sent to the same three recipients:
This is a follow-up to my Feb. 8, 2106 email in which I suggested that the County seriously consider replacing E. Cliff Drive with an engineered causeway, to allow the tidal lagoon to function more naturally, to solve flooding across E. Cliff Drive, to end traffic diversions and, to reduce sand maintenance.
John, I am pleased that you initially acknowledged that a causeway project makes sense, albeit finding grant money is difficult. Have you been able to give any more thought to creating a working committee to research and plan for a causeway at Corcoran Lagoon?
Attached is a photo taken April 4th, showing more time, energy (fossil fuel) and money being spent to deal with the status quo.
How unfortunate that the shorebird nesting area was so greatly disturbed (at nesting time) and that native plants (Arbronia) that had just begun to re-esablish themselves in the nesting area (protected in 2014 and 2015) were bulldozed, resulting in depauperate sand (see attached pictures).
Since Corcoran Lagoon and the beach through which its outflow now meanders is designated "critical habitat" for the endangered Tidewater Goby, isn't it time to plan for a restoration project that will address wildlife as well as current maintenance headaches, roadway flooding, and traffic diversions?
Rather than fight a losing battle, as the level of the sea rises, why not take a cue from nature and engineer a way to let the lagoon function naturally, allowing all that watery energy to ebb and flow under, not over, a roadway?
Sincerely,
Jean
This is a follow-up to my Feb. 8, 2106 email in which I suggested that the County seriously consider replacing E. Cliff Drive with an engineered causeway, to allow the tidal lagoon to function more naturally, to solve flooding across E. Cliff Drive, to end traffic diversions and, to reduce sand maintenance.
John, I am pleased that you initially acknowledged that a causeway project makes sense, albeit finding grant money is difficult. Have you been able to give any more thought to creating a working committee to research and plan for a causeway at Corcoran Lagoon?
Attached is a photo taken April 4th, showing more time, energy (fossil fuel) and money being spent to deal with the status quo.
How unfortunate that the shorebird nesting area was so greatly disturbed (at nesting time) and that native plants (Arbronia) that had just begun to re-esablish themselves in the nesting area (protected in 2014 and 2015) were bulldozed, resulting in depauperate sand (see attached pictures).
Since Corcoran Lagoon and the beach through which its outflow now meanders is designated "critical habitat" for the endangered Tidewater Goby, isn't it time to plan for a restoration project that will address wildlife as well as current maintenance headaches, roadway flooding, and traffic diversions?
Rather than fight a losing battle, as the level of the sea rises, why not take a cue from nature and engineer a way to let the lagoon function naturally, allowing all that watery energy to ebb and flow under, not over, a roadway?
Sincerely,
Jean
Director Presleigh responded the same day: " ... there is simply no resources to take this on at this time both financially or a commitment of staff. We have a serious back log of storm damaged projects that staff is currently working on at this time. We are simply trying to put roads back together so folks can safely get home. How about we discuss later this year."
Hearing nothing further for 8 months, another cordial email was sent on 1/15/16, requesting a meeting about this in 2017. That response: "As you know, Measure D just got passed, and we have an extreme need to use it to resurface County roadways. The cost of this project is simply out of reach for us right now, and probably for some time in the future. If the Feds or the State make funding available for coastal counties to address problems with rising ocean water surface elevations, we will be all over it for this project. I also have this same issue on East Cliff near 7th Avenue, Rio Del Mar Flats, Beach Road, and a few other locations."
2017 has come and gone. FoCLB will persevere.
Hearing nothing further for 8 months, another cordial email was sent on 1/15/16, requesting a meeting about this in 2017. That response: "As you know, Measure D just got passed, and we have an extreme need to use it to resurface County roadways. The cost of this project is simply out of reach for us right now, and probably for some time in the future. If the Feds or the State make funding available for coastal counties to address problems with rising ocean water surface elevations, we will be all over it for this project. I also have this same issue on East Cliff near 7th Avenue, Rio Del Mar Flats, Beach Road, and a few other locations."
2017 has come and gone. FoCLB will persevere.
Corcoran Lagoon Flooding 2015
Corcoran Lagoon Flooding 2016
The wave that washed across East Cliff on January 30th
The wave picked up the large log that had been sitting near the toilet area for a year and washed it into the road. On the way, it wiped out the sign posting the ordinances and also broke off the poop bag dispenser. These pictures were taken after the road crews had bulldozed the debris back onto the beach side of the road. The poop bag dispenser was no where in sight - probably in the inner lagoon.
The wave picked up the large log that had been sitting near the toilet area for a year and washed it into the road. On the way, it wiped out the sign posting the ordinances and also broke off the poop bag dispenser. These pictures were taken after the road crews had bulldozed the debris back onto the beach side of the road. The poop bag dispenser was no where in sight - probably in the inner lagoon.
Corcoran Lagoon Flooding 2017
Corcoran Lagoon Flooding 2018
January 15, 2021
Even in a La Niña year, the wetland lagoon continues to function, albeit with difficulty, ignoring the asphalt roadway of East Cliff Drive. This watery inundation picks up oil and other roadway contaminants from the roadway and delivers it to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. A bridge over the wetland makes sense for many reasons.
January 2023
During a series of winter storms, ocean waves cover East Cliff Drive.
Click image to enlarge
Corcoran Lagoon Beach Flooding
December 28, 2023
Corcoran Beach was swallowed whole Thursday morning as high tide and high swell combined to overtop East Cliff Drive. (Jessica A. York — Santa Cruz Sentinel)
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