TIJUANA RIVER NATIONAL ESTUARINE RESEARCH RESERVE ADVISORY COUNCIL

Transcription

1 TIJUANA RIVER NATIONAL ESTUARINE RESEARCH RESERVE ADVISORY COUNCIL Minutes Tuesday August 7 th, 2018 at 1pm 301 Caspian Way, Imperial Beach CA, DRAFT meeting minutes Advisory Council Members Present: at this meeting in BOLD PRINT Robin Greene California State Parks - District Superintendent , robin.greene@parks.ca.gov Chris Peregrin TRNERR Reserve Manager ext. 303, chris.peregrin@parks.ca.gov Andy Yuen SDNWRC Project Manager , andy_yuen@fws.gov Brian Collins USFWS - Refuge Manager ext. 302 Brian_collins@fws.gov Mike McCoy SWIA Board Member , mccoy4ib@aol.com Dana Lyons US Navy- Community Plans Liaison , dana.lyons@navy.mil Chris Helmer City of Imperial Beach Environmental and Natural Resources Director , chelmer@imperialbeachca.gov Briana Menke City of San Diego Transportation & Storm Water Division , jchase@sandiego.gov Doug Liden USEPA Environmental Engineer , liden.douglas@epa.gov Joe Gutierrez USBP- IB Station , joe.e.cutierrez@cbp.dhs.gov Carlos Peña USIBWC Area Operations Manager , carlos.pena@ibwc.gov Mike Verderber County Parks representative , mike.verderber@sdcounty.ca.gov Sam Jenniches State Coastal Conservancy Project Manager , sjenniches@scc.ca.gov Michelle Jesperson California Coastal Commission representative , mjesperson@coastal.ca.gov

2 Program Managers Present: Bronti Patterson Stewardship Associate TRNERR ext. 313, Kristen Goodrich Coastal Training Program TRNERR ext. 314, Jeff Crooks Research Coordinator TRNERR ext. 333, Anne Marie Tipton Education Coordinator TRNERR ext. 304, Members of the Public Joe Ellis, Public Emma Reese, Citizen/TRVEA John Zarem, Volunteer David Norgard, County Parks Dick Pilgrim, Volunteer Josh Bugiel, County DPR Yolanda Apalategui, Sen. Ben Hueso Victor Avina, Sup. Cox Melanie Tyler, County SD Crystal Branch, County SD Ginger Sacco, CAS Gabriela Torres, Surfrider Max Argon, Resident A. 1:05 Meeting was called to order B. AGENDA - The agenda was approved. C. LAST MEETING MINUTES - Meeting minutes were approved. D. Member Comments Joe Gutierrez USBP - IB Station i. The primary border fence is being worked on going from east to west. ii. Sewage issues Test samples are being taken from dry flow events for analysis. iii. Continued activity on The Iron Gates so there are less agents in the field. Carlos Peña USIBWC Area Operations Manager i. US has removed cubic yards of sediment up river. ii. Mexico has installed a trash rack and pump in the river south of the border. iii. US section installed a temporary berm at the boundary. iv. No Transboundary flows since March.

3 v. Feasibility study for construction of a sediment basin in the Tijuana River is in process. vi. Sept. 6 th is a Citizens Forum Meeting here at the Tijuana Estuary. Chris Helmer City of Imperial Beach Environmental and Natural Resources Director i. The City Council has approved the Imperial Beach Blvd. rehabilitation project. ii. The City is updating the Local Coastal Plan which will include a climate change plan. iii. The City is renewing the permit for beach nourishment projects. Mike Verderber County Parks Representative i. No comment at this time. Mike McCoy SWIA Board Member i. Concerned about the lighting for new project along the estuary with respect to impacts that might have on the nesting birds and concerned about the plant pallet. ii. SWIA is able to keep grants coming in and staying productive with respect to this new administration. Doug Liden USEPA Environmental Engineer i. Funding for alternative scenarios to diverting the river at the border on the US and Mexico side is being looked at. ii. There is an on-going erosion study on the Mexican side of Goat Canyon. iii. USEPA has 10 million dollars for infrastructure at the border this year. A lot of repairs are needed. Sam Jenniches - State Coastal Conservancy Project Manager i. Prop. 1 funding has been put off until next fiscal year. ii. Prop. 68 money will be appropriated to this current year s fiscal budget. iii. The SCC and IBWC has been contacted by the Fish and Game Commission who have an interest in helping out with the cross border sewage flows issues. Briana Menke - City of San Diego Transportation & Storm Water Division i. City of San Diego was able to get the scope of work and cost share amendment signed for the Phase 2 Hydrology & Hydraulics Study that they have partnered with the Army Corps to complete. It will take 3-4 weeks to finalize Stage 1 so that they can release the reports and data for people to use. ii. The City of San Diego is partnering with the County on a large scale study to gather information on the Tijuana River Valley - gathering information from other stake holders and land managers to make sure that we are not duplicating efforts.

4 E. Program Manager Reports Brian Collins USFWS - Refuge Manager i. USFWS staff has been helping out with the fires up North. ii. Three refuge officers are rotating to support Homeland Security. iii. Nesting season is almost complete. iv. Working with City of IB on both city projects adjacent to refuge land. v. Funding for replacing the deck at 3 rd and IB Blvd has been secured. vi. Rivermouth is open but Brian is keeping an eye on it. The warmer water is a concern. vii. Brian suggested that the city vegetate any sand replenishment. viii. USFWS has been working closely with the Port of SD on a new large mitigation restoration site in the South Bay at this time. Chris Peregrin Reserve Manager TRNERR i. Goat Canyon sediment work continues at BFSP. Transitioning from last year s contractor to a new contractor. ii. Update on Monument Road repair project- meeting with California Coastal Commission to review alternatives for repairs. iii. My duties will be expending to include Silver Strand State Beach. iv. Planning continues for the Nelson Sloan Quarry Restoration- working with partners to develop the environmental review using the sediments captured around other restoration projects. This funding includes money for our new Parks and Recreation Specialist Lorena Warner-Lara taking on duties of Assistant Reserve Manager. Anne Marie Tipton Education Coordinator TRNERR i. Education Department is developing new programs. In May, we held our first combined Social Studies & Science field trip to Border Field which included interpreting the WWII base end stations with a CBP escort, a visit to the sediment basins to incorporate standard on cross-border cooperation, and a vegetation sampling rotation. In October, we will have a Climate Change Teachers on the Estuary high school teacher training. ii. Attended training up North with the other West Coast NERR Education Coordinators to learn more about data literacy and lesson plans. iii. Sweetwater high school district is hosting the Education Dept. next month to present to all of their science teachers. Kristen Goodrich Coastal Training Program TRNERR i. NOAA Marine Debris has funded CTP to do a cleanup and outreach program to conduct trainings. ii. CTP has delivered a Needs Assessment for coastal decision makers in Tijuana.

5 iii. EPA has funded a program related to plastic solutions to educate decision makers on plastics and marine debris. The City of Tijuana and Tecate are supportive of this effort. iv. CTP staff are using hot spots modeling to conduct interviews with residents to better understand what infrastructure challenges they are facing on a daily basis. v. CTP hosted two large summit meetings this last quarter. F. New Business (2:10 2:45) a. County Parks Restoration Projects in the Tijuana River Valley. i. Melanie Tylke presented an overview of the various restoration projects currently underway and/or planned for the Tijuana River Valley Regional Park. b. TRNERR Recent Monitoring Results i. Dr. Kellie Uyeda, Justin McCullough, and Monica Almeida presented highlights from findings from TRNERR monitoring related to vegetation change and tropicalization (warm water species we are seeing around Southern California) G. General Public Comment: None. H. Future Agenda Considerations I. Adjourned at 3:00pm TRNERR MEETINGS FOR Advisory Council TRNERR Training Center 1pm Future TRNERR Advisory Council dates: November 20, 2018 TRNERR Trails Committee meeting dates: August 21, 2018 November 20, 2018