Template:SPU 4099
From Salish Sea Wiki
Nearshore Strategies Data Report
Cereghino et al 2012 completed a soundwide analysis to identify and describe beach sites in Puget Sounds as part of a nearshore ecosystem restoration strategy (using remote sensing data c. 2000-2006). The following narrative was developed to support distribution and use of analysis results:
- Beach Site 4099 is a 5.69 km long beach system containing 615 meters of barrier beach (11%) and 11 creek mouths, one of 145 beach sites located in the South Central Sub-basin. Based on these attributes it ranks 80 out of 100 in terms of size and complexity among all Puget Sound Beach systems. Over five generations of beach development, 66 percent of beach length now has some indicator of sediment supply degradation, and 23 percent of the nearshore zone has estimated impervious levels higher than 10 percent. Property boundaries now legally segment the shoreline with an average of one property every 30 meters. Based on these metrics, this site ranks 77 out of 100 in terms of estimated degradation among all beach sites in Puget Sound. The PSNERP Strategy Analysis places this site in Degradation Group D15, a very large group of 247 sites with very high levels of sediment supply degradation and average to above average levels of shoreline development. Based on this grouping we recommend this site for a enhancement-based strategy, where due to extensive development and degradation, the likelihood of restoring ecosystem processes is low, and efforts should focus first on mitigating development impacts, and strategically protecting and restoration critical habitat functions for key species. The site faces a slight risk from jetty development impounding sediment, has no impacts from active shoreline railroad, and faces a slight risk from predicted future population growth.
- This site has not historic or current barrier embayment shoreline, although small barrier estuaries may be located at creek mouths.
