Project Description

Project Overview

  • Title: Pathways and Preservation: Connecting Aqua Hedionda’s Kelley Trail to El Camino Real

  • Location: Aqua Hedionda Lagoon, Carlsbad, California, north of downtown San Diego.

Geographic Area

  • Size of Aqua Hedionda Lagoon: Approximately 1.6 square kilometers.

  • Composition: Divided into three basins due to manmade transportation paths, including:

    • Train tracks

    • An interstate

    • A highway

Hydrology and Watershed

  • Hydrologic Subunits: The lagoon is the output area for the Carlsbad Hydrologic Subunits, which consist of:

    • Los Manos Hydrological Subarea

    • Buena Hydrological Subarea

  • Water Supply: These subareas contribute approximately 59.5 kilometers of rivers and streams draining into Aqua Hedionda Lagoon, enhancing its water supply (Reference: Tetra Tech, 2008).

Uses and Ecological Importance

  • Multipurpose Functions: Aqua Hedionda Lagoon serves as:

    • A recreational area

    • An important infrastructure facility

    • A conservation site

  • Ecological Preserve: While the lagoon itself is not part of the ecological preserve, the adjacent marshlands and Aqua Hedionda Creek are included in the designated ecological preserve areas, extending northeast to El Camino Real (Refer to Map 4).

Ecological Significance

  • Size of the Preserve: Approximately 1.6 square kilometers.

  • Biodiversity: The ecological preserve supports many species, including:

    • Upwards of twelve different species listed as endangered on either state or federal levels.

  • Human Impact: There have been significant losses in habitat due to human encroachment, emphasizing the need for protections in the ecological preserve to ensure the future ecological health of Aqua Hedionda Lagoon.

    • The preserve aims to mitigate human impact and conserve the dwindling upland area that was once more expansive (Reference: Tetra Tech, 2008).

Management and Oversight

  • Management Agencies:

    • The California Department of Fish and Wildlife Services oversees the management of the ecological preserve.

    • The Aqua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation operates in collaboration with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife Services to maintain the Agua Hedionda Ecological Preserve.

  • Maintenance of Trails and Lagoon: The Department of Fish and Wildlife does not maintain trails and lagoons outside the ecological preserve area (California Department of Fish and Wildlife, n.d.).

Ownership and Management Framework

  • Primary Management Entity: Cabrillo Power 1 LLC manages and owns Agua Hedionda Lagoon.

  • Local Collaborators: The cities of Carlsbad and Vista along with the County of San Diego assist in management efforts, particularly focused on:

    • Overall water quality monitoring of the lagoon, which serves multiple recreational, infrastructural, and conservational needs (Reference: City of Carlsbad, n.d.).

Kelley Trail Details

  • Description of Kelley Trail: A trail surrounding Aqua Hedionda Lagoon, originally designed to alleviate pressure from a utility pipe adjacent to it (Reference: Hernandez, 2019).

  • Length of Trail: 1.6 kilometers.

  • Access Points: Entry and exit points are located at:

    • Via Hinton and Via Marta

    • Kelly Drive and Park Drive in Carlsbad, California.

Proposed Trail Development

  • Aim of the Proposed Changes: Create a traversable trail connecting Kelley Trail to El Camino Real road, entering from the Via Hinton and Via Marta entrance.

  • Current Situation: No existing path allows for direct connection between Kelley Trail and El Camino Real road.

  • Ecological Concerns: Potential construction of the new trail may threaten the ecological preserve, with risks to:

    • The health of the ecosystem for both flora and fauna.

    • The integrity of native species habitats, leading to possible uninhabitability and reshaping of local ecosystems.

Field Study and Data Collection

  • Research Purpose: The field study group collected data from three transects along Kelley Trail to assess:

    • Potential ecological impacts of the proposed trail construction.

    • Overall health considerations for the preserve and its surrounding areas.