Agua Hedionda Watershed Management Plan

Copyright © 2005 Kenneth & Gabrielle Adelman. All rights reserved.

Agua Hedionda WatershedAgua Hedionda Watershed

30 square miles of land area30 square miles of land area Cities of Carlsbad, Vista, Cities of Carlsbad, Vista,

Oceanside, and San Marcos, and Oceanside, and San Marcos, and unincorporated County of San unincorporated County of San Diego Diego

37 linear miles of streams most of 37 linear miles of streams most of which are still natural or earthen which are still natural or earthen bottomed channels bottomed channels

Watershed terminates at the Agua Watershed terminates at the Agua Hedionda Lagoon, an important Hedionda Lagoon, an important cultural, economic and cultural, economic and environmental resource that environmental resource that provides critical habitat for provides critical habitat for migratory and resident birds and migratory and resident birds and fish. The lagoon serves as nursery fish. The lagoon serves as nursery habitat for commercially and habitat for commercially and recreationally significant coastal recreationally significant coastal and resident species. and resident species.

Priority Watershed IssuesPriority Watershed Issues

Land Use Conversion Land Use Conversion creates more impervious creates more impervious cover and pollutantscover and pollutants

Water Quality Impairment Water Quality Impairment due to sedimentation, due to sedimentation, bacteria, total dissolved bacteria, total dissolved solids (TDS) and nutrientssolids (TDS) and nutrients

Stream Bank ErosionStream Bank Erosion Loss of Wetlands and Loss of Wetlands and

Riparian Buffers Riparian Buffers Loss of Native HabitatLoss of Native Habitat

Scientific Basis of WMPScientific Basis of WMP Stakeholder input:Stakeholder input:

Watershed Planning Group (WPG)Watershed Planning Group (WPG) local and state governments, federal local and state governments, federal agencies, environmental organizations, and local citizens established goals and agencies, environmental organizations, and local citizens established goals and objectives and oversaw processobjectives and oversaw process

Technical Advisory Committee (TAC)Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) – staff from local governments helped – staff from local governments helped establish assumptions for future land use conditions, comment on draft establish assumptions for future land use conditions, comment on draft findings, screen candidate Best Management Practices (BMPs) and Low findings, screen candidate Best Management Practices (BMPs) and Low Impact Development (LID) scenarios, and provided input on candidate sites for Impact Development (LID) scenarios, and provided input on candidate sites for stream restoration, BMP retrofits, and land acquisition. stream restoration, BMP retrofits, and land acquisition.

Technical Analysis:Technical Analysis: Field reconnaissance and stream characterizationField reconnaissance and stream characterization Geomorphic analysis Geomorphic analysis Data review and analysis Data review and analysis Predictive watershed modeling to assess the current (2007) and future (2030) Predictive watershed modeling to assess the current (2007) and future (2030)

conditions in the watershed with and without managementconditions in the watershed with and without management

Management Plan Management Plan RecommendationsRecommendations

New Development Site Management (Low Impact New Development Site Management (Low Impact Development techniques for the watershed, buffer policy, Development techniques for the watershed, buffer policy, water conservation)water conservation)

Preservation (Acquisition)Preservation (Acquisition) Riparian Buffer and Wetlands RestorationRiparian Buffer and Wetlands Restoration Stream RestorationStream Restoration Stormwater BMP Retrofit ProjectsStormwater BMP Retrofit Projects MonitoringMonitoring Citizen Stewardship/Public OutreachCitizen Stewardship/Public Outreach Funding and Sustained SupportFunding and Sustained Support

Responsibility for Plan Responsibility for Plan Implementation is BroadImplementation is Broad

ACTIONACTION

IMPLENTATION RESPONSIBILITYIMPLENTATION RESPONSIBILITY

LocalLocalJurisdictionsJurisdictions

Sewer/Water Sewer/Water AgenciesAgencies

Wildlife Wildlife AgenciesAgencies

NGOsNGOsProject Project

ProponentProponentUniversitiesUniversities

Watershed Watershed CouncilCouncil

New Development New Development Site Management Site Management

●● ●●

Preservation Preservation (Acquisition)(Acquisition)

●● ●● ●● ●● ●●

Riparian Buffer and Riparian Buffer and Wetland RestorationWetland Restoration

●● ●● ●● ●● ●●

Stream Restoration Stream Restoration ●● ●● ●● ●●

Stormwater BMP Stormwater BMP Retrofit Projects Retrofit Projects

●● ●●

Monitoring Monitoring ●● ●● ●● ●● ●●

Stewardship/Public Stewardship/Public Outreach Outreach

●● ●● ●●

Funding and Funding and Sustained Support Sustained Support

●● ●● ●●

Benefits of ImplementingBenefits of ImplementingAgua Hedionda WMPAgua Hedionda WMP

Provides a comprehensive, geographically focused, Provides a comprehensive, geographically focused, scientifically-based plan for preserving, restoring, and scientifically-based plan for preserving, restoring, and enhancing watershed functions and minimizing future enhancing watershed functions and minimizing future degradation. degradation.

Provides a roadmap to support existing Programs Provides a roadmap to support existing Programs (MHCP/MSCP, Stormwater Permit, TMDLs, offset (MHCP/MSCP, Stormwater Permit, TMDLs, offset development impacts)development impacts)

Important element for obtaining future funding Important element for obtaining future funding SD Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM)-$91MSD Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM)-$91M Stormwater Management (Prop 84) - $82MStormwater Management (Prop 84) - $82M Flood Control (Prop. 1e and 84) - $50+MFlood Control (Prop. 1e and 84) - $50+M Urban Stream Restoration (Prop 84) - $18MUrban Stream Restoration (Prop 84) - $18M Future Water Bonds - $$$Future Water Bonds - $$$

What’s Next?What’s Next? Adopt Watershed Management PlanAdopt Watershed Management Plan Establish Watershed Council to direct Establish Watershed Council to direct

implementation, obtain grants and manage projectsimplementation, obtain grants and manage projects Local jurisdictions – MOA, MOU, JPA, LOALocal jurisdictions – MOA, MOU, JPA, LOA Stakeholder Advisory Board – Agencies, NGO’s, Stakeholder Advisory Board – Agencies, NGO’s,

Interested PublicInterested Public Dedicate partial staff time to support Watershed Dedicate partial staff time to support Watershed

Council and resources to fund Watershed CoordinatorCouncil and resources to fund Watershed Coordinator Examples – San Diego River Conservancy, Examples – San Diego River Conservancy,

Escondido Creek Watershed Alliance, San Deiguito Escondido Creek Watershed Alliance, San Deiguito River Parkway JPA, Buena Vista Lagoon JPARiver Parkway JPA, Buena Vista Lagoon JPA