The document summarizes a public involvement workshop held on March 8th, 2012 to review baseline data collected for the Los Cerritos Wetlands conceptual restoration plan. The workshop goals were to review baseline hydrology, watershed, and habitat reports and discuss opportunities and constraints to restoration. Presentations were given on the reports and a website was launched. A public feedback activity was held where community members provided input on the baseline data. The next workshop was planned for May 10th.

1. P u b lic In v o lv e m e n t W o r k s h o p
M a r c h 8 t h , 2 0 12

2. Public Involvement Workshop #2
Theme: Earth
Mascot: Southern Tarplant
Color: Green
• Workshop Goal:
1) Review the Los Cerritos Wetlands baseline data collected
• Workshop Objectives:
– Present findings from Hydrology Report, Watersheds Report, and
Habitat Assessment Report
– Discuss the urban setting of Los Cerritos Wetlands and the
Opportunities and Constraints to Restoration and Public Access
– Launch LCW Conceptual Restoration Plan Website
– Perform activity to collect community feedback on baseline data
• Workshop Ground Rules

3. Public Involvement Workshop #2
Workshop Outline
• Summary of Workshop #1
-Public Involvement River Trail
-Brief introduction to Los Cerritos Wetlands
-General introduction to scope of Conceptual Restoration Plan
3. Conceptual Restoration Plan Progress Update
-Baseline Data Collected: Hydrology, Watershed, & Habitat
-Preliminary Opportunities /Constraints to Restoration and Public Access
-Website
• Next Steps
-Review of workshop
-Next workshop topics, time, and location
• Public Feedback Activity
-What baseline data do you have to contribute?
-Workshop Activity: visit stations about current conditions of Los Cerritos
Wetlands and contribute your data

4. Summary of Public Involvement Workshop #1
Theme: Spirit
Mascot: Wandering Skipper butterfly
Color: Yellow
• Workshop Goal was: Introduce the project to the community
and receive initial feedback on public interests and concerns
• Workshop Objectives were:
– Discuss Los Cerritos Wetlands’ natural history
– Introduce the LCWA and consulting team members
– Introduced preliminary project goals and objectives
– Exhibit a road-map for Public Involvement Plan
– Perform activity to collect feedback on community values and vision
– Introduce stakeholder email database and project website
– Inform participants of next workshop date
• Workshop Activity Results were…

5. Public Involvement RIVER Trail
Road Map

6. Natural History of Los Cerritos Wetlands

7. Alamitos Bay 1928

8. Los Cerritos Wetlands
Exisiting Conditions
• Historically over 2400 acres of coastal wetlands
• Currently around 500 undeveloped acres remain
– Only ~50 acres of full tidal coastal salt marsh habitat
– Highly degraded upland, marine, transition, brackish & salt
marsh habitats
– Large invasive exotic weed infestations
– Impacted by industrial, commercial & residential land
uses
– Serves as refuge for migratory & special status species
specialsouthern brown pelican
concern
tarplant
least
terns
Belding’s
mudflat tiger beetles wandering skipper
savannah sparrow

9. Land Owners :
LCW Authority
City of Long Beach
LCW Partners LLC
Hellman Properties LLC
Bryant-Dankin LLC
State Lands Comm.
LA City DWP
Alamitos Bay Partners
Orange County
Loynes LLC
Lyon Communities

10. Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority
In February of 2006, a joint powers agreement was
adopted among the:
Rivers & Mountains Conservancy, State Coastal Conservancy,
& Cities of Long Beach & Seal Beach
=
These agencies comprise the project’s Steering Committee

11. Project Scope
• Develop conceptual restoration plan for Los Cerritos Wetlands
• 2 year long project
• 6 public involvement workshops through Spring 2013
• 6 meetings with the project’s Technical Advisory Committee

12. Project Organization Chart
Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority:
Project Manager
Steering Committee:
RMC, Coastal Conservancy,
Cities of Seal and Long Beach
Community Technical Advisory
Stakeholders Committee
Public Staff from
Involvement Applicable Public
Plan Agencies
Consulting Team
Any Questions?

13. Conceptual Restoration Plan
Progress Update
– Baseline Data Collected:
• Hydrologic & Hydraulic Baseline Report
• Watershed Impacts Report
• Habitat Assessment Report
• Opportunities and Constraints Report
• Preliminary Public Access Baseline
Studies
– Conceptual Restoration Plan Website

14. Hydrology

15. Hydraulic Modeling
Model can simulate
tidal elevations, flows,
and constituent
transport

16. Tidal Gauge Data
Hellman Channel Tidal Range
Ocean Tidal Range

17. Watershed Impacts Report
• ~640 sq mile
watershed
• 5 major dams
– Cogswell
– San Gabriel
– Morris
– Santa Fe
– Whittier Narrows
• ~10 miles of concrete
channel
• Innumerable sources of
pollution

18. Pollutant Source Assessments
• San Gabriel River Watershed
– Major NPDES metal loadings
– Monitored wet weather metal
loadings
– Modeled load duration curves
– Trash assessment
• Los Cerritos Channel Watershed
– NPDES annual water quality
assessment
– TMDL metal loadings from Los
Cerritos Channel fresh water
– Trash assessment
San Gabriel River Regional Monitoring Program
Monitoring Locations

19. River Water Temperatures

20. Habitat Assessment Report
Los Cerritos Wetlands Existing Habitat Types

21. Los Cerritos Wetlands Existing Habitat Types

22. Past and Present Habitat Acreages

23. Los Cerritos Wetlands Special Status Animals

24. Los Cerritos Wetlands Special Status Animals

25. Los Cerritos Wetlands Special Status Plants

26. Los Cerritos Wetlands Special Status Plants

27. Opportunities and Constraints Report
We analyzed:
•Topography / Landforms / Soils
•Tidal Exchange / Local Watersheds / Hydrology
•Ecology
•Climate Change
•Infrastructure
•Human Interaction
•Regulatory / Implementation

28. Current
Current

29. Sea Level +2 ft

30. Sea Level +5 ft

31. Existing Oil Infrastructure

32. Existing Utilities

33. Public Access Baseline Studies

35. Any Questions?

36. LCW Conceptual Design Website
intoloscerritoswetlands.org

37. Workshop Activity
Now that you have been introduced to the baseline data we have
collected, we want to learn more from you about the existing
conditions at Los Cerritos Wetlands
We invite you to visit the 5 Stations that are set up outside at
the Watershed Classroom & Exhibit
Watershed Exhibit
5. Watershed and Hydrology Station
6. Habitat Assessment Station
7. Opportunities and Constraints Station
8. Public Access Station
9. Public Involvement Website Station
Each station offers an interactive way to provide feedback on the
baseline data that has been compiled. A member of the consulting
team will be at each station to answer questions and collect feedback.

39. Public Involvement Workshop #3
Theme: Water
Mascot: Pacific Green Sea Turtle
• Tentative Goals: Color: Blue
1) Introduce Refined Project Goals and Objectives
2) Initiation Restoration Design Alternative
Conceptualization
• Tentative Objectives:
– Share project goals and objectives
– Introduce conceptual design process
– Perform workshop activity to initiate discussion of
possible alternatives
• May 10th, 2012, Seal Beach Senior Center

40. Public Involvement:
Tentative Workshop Schedule
# Date Location
1 November 10th, 2011 Seal Beach Senior Center
2 March 8th, 2012 Aquarium of the Pacific
3 May 10th, 2012 Seal Beach Senior Center
4 September 20th, 2012 Aquarium of the Pacific
5 January 31st, 2013 Seal Beach Senior Center
6 April 18th, 2013 Aquarium of the Pacific

41. Next Steps
• Finalize Project Goals and Objectives
• Complete Initial Environmental Study to Identify
Potential Contaminant Types and Sources
• Continue Development of Public Access Plan
• Initiate Process of Identifying Potential Restoration
Design Alternatives
• Conduct the 3rd Public Workshop

42. Closing / Leave Behind
Final Questions?
Final Questions?
Contact:
info@tidalinfluence.com