03-16-18 - Lagoon Trail Restoration

Want to be a part of the hands-on conservation community efforts in San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve? If so, please join the Lagoon Platoon team Saturday, March 17th from 9am-12pm to lend a hand with the Rios Trail Restoration by helping with native seed collection, planting, invasive plant removal and propagation efforts. This event will be led by a Conservancy biologist along with Conservancy naturalist from the San Elijo Native Plant Nursery who will lead participants on a brief tour before the event starts. The goal of this project is to propagate plants unique to San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve, which will not only engage the community, preserve genetic integrity and increase survivorship of plant species but also reduce our carbon footprint. Tools for restoration will be provided and experience is not needed! For more information or to register for this event, please visit here.

03/09/18 - Continued Excavation of Ocean Outfall & Bypass System Design

Project Update:

Continued Excavation of Ocean Outfall & Bypass System Design

Cardiff-by-the-Sea, CA, March 09, 2018

Construction work continues on the Land Outfall Replacement Project by the San Elijo Joint Powers Authority and general contractor, J.R. Filanc. Project information can be found at www.sejpa.blogspot.com and www.sejpa.org.

Here are the key updates on our progress:

• The contractor exposed the existing ocean outfall pipe connection and gathered measurements for the design of the bypass system that will connect to the new land outfall pipeline.

• Over the next few weeks, the custom bypass system will be fabricated and installed.

• A 5th & 6th dewatering well were installed at the beach work pad to remove groundwater from the excavation site. This water is tested and clean as mentioned in detail in a previous post.

• Excavation is continuing at the water reclamation facility on Manchester Avenue in order to connect the east end of the new outfall pipeline to the City of Escondido and SEJPA water infrastructure.

• Next week the contractor will begin excavation and installation of a 10-inch pressure relief line for the City of Escondido pipeline.

Ongoing trenching work in Manchester Avenue is expected through April 2018 and may temporarily impact access to the San Elijo Nature Center.  Every effort is being made to reduce any inconvenience to the community.

The San Elijo Joint Powers Authority is a local wastewater and recycled water agency serving the communities of Cardiff, Olivenhain, Solana Beach, Del Mar, and Rancho Santa Fe. This project will safeguard public health, protect the local environment, and preserve public recreation opportunities along the beaches of Encinitas, Cardiff, and Solana Beach. Thank you for your patience while we work to protect our community and coastline.

Contact:

Mike Konicke

760.753.6203 x77

konickem@sejpa.org

03/08/18 - Chesterfield Drive Rail Crossing Closure

While work continues on the San Elijo Joint Powers land outfall pipeline, there are other local projects in the lagoon. Below is an update from SANDAG on the upcoming work affecting train service and Chesterfield Drive in Cardiff.

Improving the San Diego segment of the Los Angeles – San Diego – San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) rail line is the fundamental priority of the North Coast Corridor (NCC) Program and is the reason why various projects along the corridor are being done simultaneously. SANDAG is working with the NCTD and City of Encinitas to improve the Chesterfield Drive railroad crossing.The Chesterfield Drive Rail Crossing Improvement Project’s  goal to improve safety and access at Chesterfield Drive for pedestrians and bike riders. To achieve this, SANDAG crews will be building sidewalk curb extensions, a multi use bikeway and pedestrian path and rail crossing signals and gates. This project is happening at the same time as the San Elijo Lagoon Double Track project and will affect the nearby residents, businesses and drivers within the Chesterfield area.

Starting Friday, March 9 and through the weekend, the Chesterfield rail crossing will be closed for construction. Construction crews will be working 24 hours on the rail crossing to install the second railroad track across Chesterfield Drive. The closure will go into effect on Friday, March 9, at 8 p.m. and remain in place through 3 a.m. Monday morning. Nearby residents and businesses should expect occasional construction noise and nighttime lights over the weekend. Pedestrians and bike riders will still have full access through the intersection during construction. Motorists may experience detours in Cardiff near the Chesterfield Drive rail crossing so please be mindful of detour signs when driving in the area.

The Chesterfield Drive Rail Crossing Improvement Project is one component of the San Elijo Double Track Project. This project adds 1.5 miles of a second rail line across the lagoon. It replaces the existing trestle bridge with a modern concrete bridge, improves the Chesterfield Drive crossing, and adds a new pedestrian and bike crossing at the south end of the lagoon. The Chesterfield Drive crossing currently has narrow sidewalks, steep inclines and minimal lighting. These improvements will greatly improve pedestrian and bicycle accessibility and safety at Chesterfield Drive.

For more information about Build NCC and regular updates on construction activities, please sign up for email notifications at KeepSanDiegoMoving.com/BuildNCC, follow the project on Twitter @BuildNCC, and enroll for text alerts by texting “BuildNCC” to 313131.

Additional information can also be obtained by calling the construction hotline at (844) NCC-0050 or by emailing BuildNCC@KeepSanDiegoMoving.com.

03/08/18 - Coaster/Amtrak Service Update

While work continues on the San Elijo Joint Powers land outfall pipeline, there are other local projects in the region. Below is an update from SANDAG on the upcoming work affecting train service.

Build NCC construction projects occurring along the coastline of Encinitas and Solana Beach are specifically affecting the four miles of Cardiff railroad tracks over the next few weeks starting March 4th. Residents, COASTER passengers, local businesses and traffic along the Coast Highway between Lomas Santa Fe Drive and Encinitas Boulevard may experience some noise, slowed traffic, and detours. This project is part of the larger $1 billion Lossan Double Track Effort between Orange County & downtown San Diego.

The construction of the new rail bridge, and restoration work in the San Elijo Lagoon is being coordinated by SANDAG. SANDAG estimated that by 2030 passenger and freight rail services in San Diego will have doubled. Increasing local rail capacity provides a stable, environmentally friendly alternate choice of transportation for both people and goods. This project will not only help reduce the number of cars on Interstate 5 but also lead to an overall reduction in air pollution from traffic. The project is expected to be completed by late 2019. More information about the overall project can be found here.

Over the next two weekends, all Coaster and Amtrak Pacific Surfliner services from San Diego-Los Angeles-San Luis Obispo (Lossan) coastal rail corridor will be suspended as a result of a planned and temporary closure of the rail corridor, known as an Absolute Work Window (AWW). This means that all rail traffic will need to be stopped so the SANDAG crews can perform critical work on the railroad that would not normally be possible while trains are operating. Expect temporary day and night time noise and lights during construction hours starting at 8 p.m. Friday evening through 3 a.m. Monday morning. There will be no replacement transportation service connection to the COASTER station stops so customers should plan accordingly. The rail will re-open for regularly scheduled COASTER, Amtrak, and freight service in time for the morning commute on Monday.

This work will significantly improve San Diego’s transportation, environmental and coastal access. During construction the NCC, SANDAG, and NCTD will be working hard to minimize noise, traffic delays, and other impact on the community. This project is temporary and will result in an great improvement in the quality of life for Cardiff residents. In the meantime, all of the organizations working on this project are very grateful for your patience and understanding as these improvements are made.

You can also stay informed about train service updates by visiting GoNCTD.com, Amtrak.com, or MetrolinkTrains.com . For all other concerns, questions or general inquiries about feel free to call (858) 549-RAIL or visit KeepSanDiegoMoving.com

03/02/18 - Sand Replenishment Project Update by SANDAG

As work continues on the Land Outfall Replacement Project by San Elijo Joint Powers, other construction projects by Caltrans and SANDAG also impact the local region. Below is an update of one of the projects, shared by Keep San Diego Moving, which is part of the larger North Coast Corridor Environmental Program and affects eight main ecosystems.

This week San Elijo Lagoon Restoration crews will begin an extensive beach sand replacement at Cardiff State Beach. Crews will be delivering 8,000 cubic yards of high quality sand from the lagoon to Cardiff per day. The sand replacement will help reinforce and protect the shorelines of Cardiff, Solana Beach, Encinitas, and Carlsbad. At the same time, the San Elijo Lagoon is undergoing a restoration project that is meant to improve overall tidal flow, water quality and create new wetland habitat. The NCC project is expected to be completed by early 2021 and is part of the $6 billion collaboration with North Coast Corridor Program, which is first phase of construction in the cities of Solana Beach, Encinitas, and Carlsbad. Together, their goal is to improve the highway, rail, environment and coastal access simultaneously to minimize impacts to the lagoon and neighboring communities.

In addition to the 8,000 cubic yards of sand being added to Cardiff State Beach, approximately 300,000-cubic yards of sand will be added to the North County coastline, as seen in the photo by the dredge. This will be an ongoing operation occurring Mondays through Saturdays for the next six weeks. Residents will likely hear noise and see some nighttime lightning during evening construction. Beachgoers may notice a “low tide” or sulfur smell coming from the sand replenishment at the beginning of dredging. This will be temporary and subside as the sand turns over with the tide and is exposed to the sun. Specifically, small sections of the beach will be temporarily filled as the sand replenishment moves south towards Seaside Beach. Therefore, there will also be limited access during hide tide events while the crews are working between the Cardiff Reef Lot and the Seaside Lot.

Later phases of the project will include crews replacing the removed sand from the lagoon’s central basin with high nutrient sediments, which are transferred from the various lagoon channels.

For more information and/ or to receive the latest on the construction updates for the San Elijo Lagoon Restoration please text BuildNCC to 313131.

For all other other general, questions, inquiries and/or concerns regarding the beach sand replenishment project, please feel free to call 844.NCC.0050 or email buildncc@keepsandiegomoving.com

02/23/18 - Volunteer Habitat Restoration Project

Want to do your part to protect the Ocean? There’s a great opportunity this weekend right in our own backyard!

Join the San Elijo Lagoon Foundation this weekend and every 1st & 3rd Saturday of every month from 9am-12pm to take part in lagoon habitat restoration. Lend a hand with native seed collection, planting, invasive plant removal and propagation efforts with the Foundation’s team of biologists and naturalist and other community members.

Registration and more information can be found at: https://www.sanelijo.org/lagoonplatoon

2/21/18 - Improving Our Water Infrastructure

The land outfall pipeline connection construction is ongoing now. Please see our handy information guide on what the construction project is, why is this necessary, and why you may see water near the construction site on Cardiff Beach.

The San Elijo Joint Powers Authority is a local wastewater and recycled water agency serving the communities of Cardiff, Olivenhain, Solana Beach, Del Mar, and Rancho Santa Fe. This project will safeguard public health, protect the local environment, and preserve public recreation opportunities along the beaches of Encinitas, Cardiff, and Solana Beach. Thank you for your patience while we work to protect our community and coastline.

Contact: 

Mike Konicke

760.753.6203 x77

konickem@sejpa.org