Old Ranch House & Abalone Rocks

Lagoons (PDF, 2.0MB)

Background

The purpose of this study is to continue the long-term water quality monitoring (we are continuously logging sensors and supplemental handheld readings) and tracking watercourse boundaries in the only two remaining intact coastal, saltwater lagoons on Santa Rosa Island, part of Channel Islands National Park. Because of their unique, dynamic properties and potential to provide habitat and nutrients to native flora and fauna, baseline and long-term monitoring datasets on these lagoons are vital.


Sampling is conducted using salinity loggers, handheld readings, and GPS tracks of the lagoons’ watercourse boundary.


The preliminary data collected by CSUCI students and SRIRS staff, so far, has been worth while and helpful in fully understanding the lagoons on Santa Rosa Island, but more data is needed to create a holistic picture and management strategy.


Both Abalone Rock and Old Ranch House lagoons were hypersaline during the reporting period, though Old Ranch House lagoon much more so through most of 2020.


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