Lagoon Breaching
Scroll down for breaching events monitored by FOCLB
Please credit all photographs: © FoCLB 2020
Lagoon Ecology
In late spring and summer a sand bar develops across the Corcoran Lagoon stream mouth, producing a summer lagoon. Freshwater from winter rain raises the lagoon level and greatly increases the lagoon size and habitat complexity. Plankton blooms, algae and rooted aquatic vegetation support abundant invertebrates as food for lagoon fish, including threatened steelhead and endangered tidewater goby.
The sand bar naturally breaches when winter storms raise the lagoon level, and storm waves overtop the sand bar. If the sand bar forming the lagoon is artificially breached at the wrong time of year, the entire lagoon can be catastrophically drained, flushing young fish out to sea before they are ready to survive in salt water, and destroying sensitive natural fish rearing habitat.
In late spring and summer a sand bar develops across the Corcoran Lagoon stream mouth, producing a summer lagoon. Freshwater from winter rain raises the lagoon level and greatly increases the lagoon size and habitat complexity. Plankton blooms, algae and rooted aquatic vegetation support abundant invertebrates as food for lagoon fish, including threatened steelhead and endangered tidewater goby.
The sand bar naturally breaches when winter storms raise the lagoon level, and storm waves overtop the sand bar. If the sand bar forming the lagoon is artificially breached at the wrong time of year, the entire lagoon can be catastrophically drained, flushing young fish out to sea before they are ready to survive in salt water, and destroying sensitive natural fish rearing habitat.
FoCLB Monitors
On February 11, 2014, the lagoon was artificially breached, resulting in great loss of Tidewater goby. We alerted Santa Cruz County Parks and California Fish & Wildlife officials. From then on we began monitoring illegal breach activity. On December 3, 2014 there was a natural, seasonal breach of the lagoon. On January 31, 2015, FoCLB was able to alert regulatory authorities about an attempted breach that included a deep trench from the outflow to the shoreline. Four FoCLB members took shovels to the beach and filled in the trench, successfully stopping what would have been another disastrous breach.
FoCLB Reports
We now have contacts established with regulatory agencies (County, CDFW and NOAA) and alert them to any activity by phone as soon as we see any artificial breaching attempts, then email photo-documented reports.
Working with UCSC
FoCLB purchased remote camera equipment for researchers at UCSC's Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology to use at Corcoran Lagoon. Their work uses time-lapse photography to document patterns of bar-built estuary (lagoon) breaches in Santa Cruz County. They monitor the causes, timing, and impacts on fish and wildlife. Their time-lapse cameras are at three natural sites (Waddell Creek, Laguna Creek, and Old Dairy Creek) and three anthropogenically impacted sights (San Lorenzo River, Corcoran Lagoon, and Soquel Creek). We also forward reports of our observations to this team of researchers.
On February 11, 2014, the lagoon was artificially breached, resulting in great loss of Tidewater goby. We alerted Santa Cruz County Parks and California Fish & Wildlife officials. From then on we began monitoring illegal breach activity. On December 3, 2014 there was a natural, seasonal breach of the lagoon. On January 31, 2015, FoCLB was able to alert regulatory authorities about an attempted breach that included a deep trench from the outflow to the shoreline. Four FoCLB members took shovels to the beach and filled in the trench, successfully stopping what would have been another disastrous breach.
FoCLB Reports
We now have contacts established with regulatory agencies (County, CDFW and NOAA) and alert them to any activity by phone as soon as we see any artificial breaching attempts, then email photo-documented reports.
Working with UCSC
FoCLB purchased remote camera equipment for researchers at UCSC's Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology to use at Corcoran Lagoon. Their work uses time-lapse photography to document patterns of bar-built estuary (lagoon) breaches in Santa Cruz County. They monitor the causes, timing, and impacts on fish and wildlife. Their time-lapse cameras are at three natural sites (Waddell Creek, Laguna Creek, and Old Dairy Creek) and three anthropogenically impacted sights (San Lorenzo River, Corcoran Lagoon, and Soquel Creek). We also forward reports of our observations to this team of researchers.
Lagoon Breaching Events Monitored by FoCLB
December 17, 2018
Storm driven lagoon breach, the natural way. The first picture shows the lagoon covering the southern half of the beach, with energetic waves approaching.
The second picture shows the natural breach, with lagoon waters pouring into the Pacific ocean. Until 8:45 am the lagoon was still rising as waves were washing over the beach. Notice the egrets in the lagoon water outflow to the sea, thinking about breakfast.
January 8, 2018
As a result of the heavy downpour, the lagoon outflow on Corcoran Lagoon Beach breached naturally last night. By the next day, the flow was barely detectable at East Cliff.
January 15, 2018
The lagoon is full again. There was more water in the lagoon than before the breach. These pictures were taken at 9 am. Later the level rose approx another 8 inches
April 8, 2017
It appears that the lagoon breached naturally last night unless the man who has tried to artificially breach the lagoon by hand digging was at work the previous evening, digging at the narrowest part of the beach. No way to know for sure. The difference this time is that most of the water remained in the lagoon.
January 2, 2017 2:40 pm - Corcoran Lagoon Breach Attempt
Two FoCLB members saw the perpetrators and rushed to get pictures of them and their Ford 150 and plate (7R74908). FoCLB members managed to then stop the flow just as it was beginning to go.
Here are pictures of the channel that these boys created and how it was repaired, using driftwood and kelp first to create a base (note the woman hand packing sand):
Moran Lake Breach December 27, 2016 3:25 pm
Report: "I called Sheriff's Dept, they patched me through to Fish & Wildlife telling me that 'they handle those situations.' F&W filled out a form over the phone and took my number. No contact after that. I took the first pic of the digger at 3:25 pm. They departed at 4:37pm in an SUV - GMC Yukon XL. License plate 4ZIZ689. I tried to build a dam, but the flow was too strong."
Pictures from Moran breach activity:
Pictures from Moran breach activity:
December 24, 2016 4:05 pm - Corcoran Lagoon Breach
No pictures of those who did this, but here is the report, followed by post breach pictures:
"At 4:05 pm today a woman came off the beach and said that late stage teenagers were digging a ditch to breach the lagoon. As I entered the beach near 23rd, the perpetrators saw me coming and ran away. When I got over there at 4.10 pm the water was already flowing through a completed ditch. The ditch was about 3 feet wide. I began building a dam. A man that lives on 14th Avenue was riding his bike on East Cliff. He saw what I was doing and came over to help. He did most of the work filling the ditch while I built the dam. I used driftwood, rocks, seaweed and sand. We stopped the flow at 5:26 pm. The dam did it's job. When I checked at 9.00 am this morning, the lagoon was at the same level as it was last night. No sign of the dam or the partially filled in channel. We thought that the tide might might wash out the less dense sand of the ditch, but it didn't."
"At 4:05 pm today a woman came off the beach and said that late stage teenagers were digging a ditch to breach the lagoon. As I entered the beach near 23rd, the perpetrators saw me coming and ran away. When I got over there at 4.10 pm the water was already flowing through a completed ditch. The ditch was about 3 feet wide. I began building a dam. A man that lives on 14th Avenue was riding his bike on East Cliff. He saw what I was doing and came over to help. He did most of the work filling the ditch while I built the dam. I used driftwood, rocks, seaweed and sand. We stopped the flow at 5:26 pm. The dam did it's job. When I checked at 9.00 am this morning, the lagoon was at the same level as it was last night. No sign of the dam or the partially filled in channel. We thought that the tide might might wash out the less dense sand of the ditch, but it didn't."
May 17, 2016 2:00 pm - Corcoran Lagoon Beach
"The trench dug to illegally breach the lagoon was 30 feet long and 3 inches deep. Now 24 feet long, I scraped sand into the first 6 feet and stomped on it."
January 7, 2016 - Corcoran Lagoon Beach
These pictures show a normal storm related lagoon outflow breaching event. Lots of energy in those tides!
December 8, 2016 - Corcoran Lagoon Breach
We have no pictures of those who breached the lagoon late on the night of 12/8/16, during a rainstorm. Here is the result:
December 2015 - Four breach attempts, one breach
December 15, 2015 - artificial breach attempt
Someone was trying to breach the sandbar plugging the lagoon outflow water from flowing to the ocean. This was discovered at 11:00 am today. The Sheriff and CA Fish & Wildlife have been notified. We'll monitor the situation tomorrow.
In response to our report of an attempted artificial breach of Corcoran Lagoon outflow on the beach, the County of Santa Cruz Public Works Department and a County Fishery Resource Planner, installed several signs to alert the public that it is illegal to alter the lagoon in any way.
December 19, 2015 - Three artificial breach attempts
People ignore signs, don't they? Sure they do. After our alert to authorities on Dec. 15, several signs were installed at the beach (pictures below). Here's a first person account of what happened today. Three FoCLB supporters witnessed three separate illegal actions by several people.
"At 12:15 a child had pulled the sign post out of the sand and was trying to replace it. Then the child and an adult began scraping a channel with their feet. I explained it was a mistake to do that. The adult said that they weren't going to dig out too far. I told him that if the flow started it would create a channel and drain the lagoon. It began to rain. The adult told me that they were going home to get rain gear.
"I went home and called a friend, warning her to watch the beach. While we were on the phone, she said she could see people with shovels on the beach. I went back down there and started taking pictures. My friend walked past me and hastened out there to stop them. Another resident came out and got the phone numbers of the authorities, then made calls. Officers came, three or four deputies and a life guard. The digging was stopped.
"I had my boots on so I stood in the ditch, to stop the flow. When the officers began to walk towards 23rd, I walked with them and showed them the sign that the diggers ignored. After the officers had departed, I noticed two adults and two young children continuing to dig the ditch.
"I went over to speak to them. They said that the little girl wanted to make the water flow. I said that I wanted to stop the flow. One of the adults got in my face and called me a name, saying that I wanted to ruin his kids fun. He calmed down, and while we were standing there, what appeared to be a uniformed officer entered the beach at 23rd. I told the guy that a cop was coming (turned out it was a life guard). Before the lifeguard could get to the group, they ran away.
"I met County Fishery Planner, Kristen Kittleson at 24th. I told her that the lagoon was flowing out. She said that she was going home to get a shovel. As I returned to the beach, a Park Ranger arrived.
"I went back down to the beach to try to block the flow. I made a dam with a piece of wood that I had found and used my hands and feet to make another dam. I only reduced the flow. Kristen arrived with a shovel and was interrupted by another beach visitor, so I took her shovel and started filling the ditch and stopped the flow. From then on Kristen, another man and I took turns with the shovel. We eventually filled the whole ditch."
People ignore signs, don't they? Sure they do. After our alert to authorities on Dec. 15, several signs were installed at the beach (pictures below). Here's a first person account of what happened today. Three FoCLB supporters witnessed three separate illegal actions by several people.
"At 12:15 a child had pulled the sign post out of the sand and was trying to replace it. Then the child and an adult began scraping a channel with their feet. I explained it was a mistake to do that. The adult said that they weren't going to dig out too far. I told him that if the flow started it would create a channel and drain the lagoon. It began to rain. The adult told me that they were going home to get rain gear.
"I went home and called a friend, warning her to watch the beach. While we were on the phone, she said she could see people with shovels on the beach. I went back down there and started taking pictures. My friend walked past me and hastened out there to stop them. Another resident came out and got the phone numbers of the authorities, then made calls. Officers came, three or four deputies and a life guard. The digging was stopped.
"I had my boots on so I stood in the ditch, to stop the flow. When the officers began to walk towards 23rd, I walked with them and showed them the sign that the diggers ignored. After the officers had departed, I noticed two adults and two young children continuing to dig the ditch.
"I went over to speak to them. They said that the little girl wanted to make the water flow. I said that I wanted to stop the flow. One of the adults got in my face and called me a name, saying that I wanted to ruin his kids fun. He calmed down, and while we were standing there, what appeared to be a uniformed officer entered the beach at 23rd. I told the guy that a cop was coming (turned out it was a life guard). Before the lifeguard could get to the group, they ran away.
"I met County Fishery Planner, Kristen Kittleson at 24th. I told her that the lagoon was flowing out. She said that she was going home to get a shovel. As I returned to the beach, a Park Ranger arrived.
"I went back down to the beach to try to block the flow. I made a dam with a piece of wood that I had found and used my hands and feet to make another dam. I only reduced the flow. Kristen arrived with a shovel and was interrupted by another beach visitor, so I took her shovel and started filling the ditch and stopped the flow. From then on Kristen, another man and I took turns with the shovel. We eventually filled the whole ditch."
December 20, 2015
Update: Most of yesterday's work was undone, a channel exists again. There were some people observed in this area about 8:00 pm the night before. This could also have been the result of a high tide event and the fact that the sand that was shoveled back into the trench (dug by people yesterday) was not packed solid enough.
Three of us spent an hour filling the trench. Again. This time we pounded on the sand to try to pack it better. Here's what it looked like after we finished:
December 21, 2015
The lagoon was breached prior to 7:00 am this morning. The opening to the ocean is right were the digging occurred.
December 22, 2015
Corcoran Lagoon flood damages KSCO radio equipment in Live Oak
By Stephen Baxter, Santa Cruz Sentinel
"Saturday, KSCO Owner Michael Zwerling wanted to breach the lagoon to the ocean to prevent more equipment damage, but he was told by Public Works leaders that he needed a permit or emergency designation from the California Coastal Commission because of a protected fish in Corcoran Lagoon. But he did it anyway, momentarily breaching the lagoon with a shovel until sheriff’s deputies stopped him."
Click HERE for full story and pictures.
By Stephen Baxter, Santa Cruz Sentinel
"Saturday, KSCO Owner Michael Zwerling wanted to breach the lagoon to the ocean to prevent more equipment damage, but he was told by Public Works leaders that he needed a permit or emergency designation from the California Coastal Commission because of a protected fish in Corcoran Lagoon. But he did it anyway, momentarily breaching the lagoon with a shovel until sheriff’s deputies stopped him."
Click HERE for full story and pictures.
Update on Zwerling breaching story
The County’s District Attorney’s office completed a settlement with KSCO radio station. As part of the settlement, the radio station completed work to flood proof the towers and made a donation to the Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project.
January 2015 - Artificial breach attempt
January 31, 2015
Attempt to breach the lagoon
Four FoCLB volunteers filled the trench early the next morning
December 2014 - natural breach
December 3, 2014
Two observations: a) There is less sand deposited on the beach closer to the 19th Ave rocks than farther along the beach; b) Waves hitting the rip rap between 19th and and 20th swirl around and carry the sand away.
Two observations: a) There is less sand deposited on the beach closer to the 19th Ave rocks than farther along the beach; b) Waves hitting the rip rap between 19th and and 20th swirl around and carry the sand away.
February 2014 - Artificial breach
February 11, 2014