Chapters 1 - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Chapter 3
6. Increase Efforts to Inventory Refuge Species
Baseline data for avian species diversity and abundance are well established for the
Seal Beach NWR and baseline data is also available for fish species presence in
Anaheim Bay. Significantly less information is currently available for native plant
species, other vertebrate, and invertebrate species that occur on the Refuge. To
expand the information available for the array of species present within the Refuge
and their relationship to other species and existing habitats, this alternative proposes
to expand and/or update the existing biological baseline information for the Refuge by
locating and compiling historic monitoring and/or survey data and seeking funding
and/or developing partnerships to implement periodic (every three to five years)
surveys for the array of organisms supported on the Refuge.
7. Implement a Five-Year Water Quality Monitoring Program
Funding and/or partnerships would be sought to implement a five-year water quality
monitoring program on the Refuge to regularly collect data on the basic physical
parameters of the waters within the Refuge, including water temperature, dissolved
oxygen, water salinity, pH, light attenuation, turbidity, and levels of inorganic nitrogen
and phosphorus. This program would also include first flush monitoring of runoff
entering the Refuge from adjacent drainage channels, as well as regular quarterly
monitoring at pre-designated tide cycles and sample locations throughout the Refuge.
8. Monitor Tidal Channel Bathymetry and Channel Bank Stability
The slopes along major tidal channels and around the perimeter of the restoration
ponds would be photographed to establish a baseline from which the effects of ongoing
erosion in these areas can be assessed. These areas would then be photographed and
evaluated annually at similar tide cycles to determine if remediation is necessary to
protect natural marsh edges for shorebird foraging and as refugia for migratory birds
during high tides. An initial bathymetric survey of the main tidal channels in the
marsh would also be conducted to establish baseline channel depths. This survey
would be repeated every three to five years to determine what, if any, changes in
channel bathymetry are occurring.
9. Expand Opportunities for Research on the Refuge
During the scoping process, the need for research and associated studies of the species
and biological processes occurring on the Refuge was identified. To address this need,
the Refuge would reach out to various graduate programs to seek researchers
interested in addressing research questions that benefit Refuge resources and improve
management effectiveness.
10. Monitor Changes Related to Climate Change and Sea Level Rise
To better understand how the Refuge’s trust resources are being affected by climate
change and sea level rise, funding and/or partnerships would be sought to facilitate
routine monitoring and recording of tidal elevations within the marsh and changes in
habitat quality and type over time. Changes in avian species composition would be
determined by comparing monthly high and low tide counts with data provided from
previous years. Additionally, periodic (every five to ten years) fish surveys would be
conducted to compare current conditions to those documented in comprehensive
surveys conducted in past years. Data from endangered species monitoring would also
be analyzed to identify any potential change in site use, species population sizes,
productivity, and other relevant factors that might be associated with climate change
and/or sea level rise. Understanding how conditions are changing as a result of climate
3-30 Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge