Chapter 3
Summary of Inventory and Characterization
SECTIONS:
3.1 Introduction
In order to develop the goals, policies, and regulations of this Shoreline Master Program several supplemental documents have been completed to describe the current conditions of the Port Townsend Shoreline. These documents provide a comprehensive analysis that evaluates the components that make up the ecological health of the shoreline jurisdiction and identify areas with potential for conservation and restoration of ecological functions. This chapter summarizes the findings of these documents. These documents include:
a. Shoreline Inventory Summary Report 2002
b. Characterization of Functions and Ecosystem-wide Processes 2004
c. Port Townsend Shoreline Atlas
d. Salmon and Steelhead Habitat Limiting Factors for Water Resource Inventory Area 17, the Quilcene-snow Basin 2002
3.2 Study Area
The City of Port Townsend lies on the northern tip of the Quimper Peninsula on the northeastern corner of the Olympic Peninsula. The city is bordered on three sides by marine beaches, referred to in this document as the Northern, Eastern, and Southern shorelines. Although these three shoreline are connected through climate, oceanographic features, littoral drift, and animal habitat utilization, they are distinct from one another in ecologically important ways such as: wave energy, substrate type, and degree of human shoreline alterations. City shorelines include priority habitats supporting a variety of priority marine fishes, birds, plants and invertebrates. Many of these species are listed under state and/or federal law as priority species, sensitive species, species of concern, candidate or listed species under the Federal Endangered Species Act.
The City also contains two “Lake Shorelines,” Kah Tai Lagoon and Chinese Gardens. Following is a description of each shoreline: the Northern, Eastern,
Southern, and Lake Shorelines, including existing land use, public access, and impairments. The shorelines are further divided into sub-segments based upon the geomorphology.
3.3 Northern Shoreline
The Northern Shoreline runs along the Strait of Juan de Fuca between Elmira Street and the eastern tip of Point Wilson. Of the three shorelines, this shoreline is the most highly exposed to wind waves. The rocky intertidal substrates support surfgrass, priority canopy-forming kelp habitats and priority bird habitats associated with the bluffs and the proximity to Protection Island. The Northern Shoreline is composed of three sections. The three-mile long stretch includes: the West Bluffs, the Low Bank/Chinese Gardens Trough, and the Fort Worden Bluffs/Point Wilson Spit. Figure 36 of the Shoreline Inventory shows the sub- segments of the northern shoreline.
A. West Bluffs
This shoreline is 7000 feet long. The drift cell along this sub-segment carries sediments from these West Bluffs east to Point Wilson Spit. Armoring occurs in a few isolated instances. These steep bluffs, with heights up to 300 feet, are still eroding and contributing large amounts of sediments and woody debris to adjacent beaches.
Land Use
1. Land use along this sub-segment is residential and agricultural. Historically, there were likely forests to the edge of the entire bluff edge.
2. Presently historical forest areas have been cleared for housing developments between Fort Worden and the western edge of Seaview Estates.
Public Access
1. Although there is view access at Elmira Park, there is no public access directly to this shoreline segment due to private ownership of bluff areas and the steep nature of these bluffs.
2. Public view access is only provided atop the steep bluffs at Elmira Park.
3. The tidelands from Elmira Street to Cook Avenue and from Hendricks Street to Hill Street are state-owned from the government meander line or Mean High Tide to Extreme Low Tide (WDNR 1989).
Impairments
1. 6% of this shoreline is armored with isolated instances of riprap, bulkheading and stairways.
2. Approximately 70% of the length of the bluff top has been denuded to allow for agricultural and residential uses.
B. Low Bank/Chinese Gardens Trough
This sub-segment, consisting of approximately 2100 feet of low bank backshore, lies within the northern shoreline drift cell. The net sediment movement is easterly carrying sediment from eroding feeder bluffs at McCurdy Point to the
Point Wilson Spit. The bluffs to the west, including the above-described West Bluffs, are important sediment sources for this sub-segment. The low bank nature of this sub-segment precludes its significant sediment contribution to down-drift beaches (Shipman 2002).
Land-Use
Approximately 80% of the backshore area of this shoreline is residential, 10% is Jefferson County Park lands and the 10% is Fort Worden State Park land.
Public Access
1. Informal public access is located at the end of Gise Street, where a rock stairway provides beach access.
2. Public access is also located at the North Beach County Park from where the public can easily access the beach from the parking lot, which is only one to two feet above sea level. From either of these access points, the public can continue walking along the shoreline beyond city limits in the westerly direction or walk along Fort Worden property to Point Wilson.
Impairments
1. This area appears to have been 90% denuded over the past 100 years. However, no significant additional denudation appears to have occurred over the last 50 years. Cumulative effects of individual occurrences are an ongoing risk.
2. The City of Port Townsend sewage outfall is located 900 feet offshore from the Fort Worden State Park portion of this shoreline. This is monitored on a monthly basis, as part of a statewide Marine Water Column Ambient Monitoring Program. Sampling at this site has shown no loading of nitrates, ammonium or fecal coliform. Although low dissolved oxygen results have occurred at this site, such results are understood to reflect the upwelling of naturally low-oxygenated Pacific Ocean water. This is a very physically dynamic environment due to the close proximity to the shallow sill of Admiralty Inlet and exposure to strong currents and high seasonal winds that create turbulence and a well-mixed water column. At this site, the light transmission during most of the year is in the upper 80%. This is an indicator of healthy conditions, low turbidity, lack of suspended sediments and increased availability of light for plant photosynthesis.
3. This shoreline sub-segment is hardened by riprap for well over 50% of its length. However, the riprap is varied in height and upkeep. Approximately 20% of the riprap is single boulder height averaging 2 feet each and is in a derelict state. This derelict state still allows some movement of sediments and organic materials between the backshore and the intertidal. The remaining is armored as high as 7 feet with little to no interaction between backshore sediments and the intertidal beach.
4. Shoreline armoring poses the risk of interfering with public access when hardened shorelines cause beach erosion. This erosion can eventually cause the shoreline structure to intrude into the intertidal over time, limiting public access to areas on the other side of the structure.
5. Multiple stairs to the beach, a fence and 2 stormwater outfalls are found in the upper intertidal area.
C. Fort Worden Bluffs/Point Wilson Spit
The Fort Worden Bluff portion of this sub-segment is characterized by over 4200 feet of high banks and steep bluffs over 200 feet in height. These bluffs provide sediments for adjacent beaches and the Point Wilson Spit (WDNR 2001, Keuler 1988). The forests above the Fort Worden Bluffs are largely intact with forests along the entire bluff top contributing woody debris to the beach system. The Point Wilson spit is over 2400 feet of low bank backshore and accretionary spit receiving sediments from the bluffs to the west. The Fort Worden Bluffs and the West Bluffs are the major sources of sediments. Some of this sand is transported around the Point by wave refraction and the rest is lost offshore. The combined result, despite the existence of high feeder bluffs to the west, is a sediment deficit at Point Wilson (Schwartz 1994). A series of photos from 1976 to 1990 show a continuous riprap from in front of Battery Kinzie to the lighthouse, intermittent riprap in 1985, and riprap only at Battery Kinzie and the lighthouse in 1990. Presently, the shoreline around the tip of Point Wilson and seaward of the Battery Kinzie are armored by riprap and large concrete blocks. In addition to riprap, a series of three sills, composed of a series of boulders, were placed perpendicular to the shoreline to retard erosion between the Battery Kinzie and the lighthouse in 1989. An extreme series of northerly storms in 1990 lowered the beach profile and cut a scarp into the backshore despite the three sills. Based on beach profile measurements taken in 1994, erosion appears to have lowered the profile of the beach between 1990 and 1994. Park personnel estimate the beach to be eroding at a rate of 4 feet per year.
Land Uses
1. This entire sub-segment is Washington State Park lands.
2. The Point Wilson Spit also houses a U.S. Coast Guard lighthouse and dwelling, two parking lots, a road that loops around for public access to a parking lot on the northern side and a road for public access to a campground located on the western end of the spit.
Public Access
1. Fort Worden State Park historic military site offers long sandy beaches with upland lodging, conference centers, camping, day-use, theater, science center and boat ramp.
2. A public campground with 50 full-hookup sites on the spit area between the bluffs and the beaches of Point Wilson.
3. Public access to Point Wilson Spit is provided by three trails.
4. The beach along the northern shoreline is used predominately for beachcombing, walking, education and sightseeing.
5. Access to the northern shorelines is available from a day-use parking lot, over riprap and from the campground over the dunes.
Impairments
1. 20% of this shoreline has been armored, changing the natural portions of the spit backshore from one of sand, pebbles and cobble to large riprap and concrete blocks.
2. Shoreline armoring has likely interfered with the natural migration of the spit to the south.
3. Armoring may have reduced high berm and upper intertidal area for forage fish spawning.
4. Armoring and the lighthouse structure limit public access to the point.
5. Continued erosion threatens the existence of parking lot and existing Coast Guard buildings.
6. Remaining sill structures potentially impede public access.
3.4 Eastern Shoreline
The Eastern Shoreline runs along Admiralty Inlet between Point Wilson and Point Hudson. Residential and recreational land uses dominate the Eastern Shoreline. It is a semi-protected shoreline with reduced wind wave energy. These shorelines provide fine substrates that support rich abundances of eelgrass meadows that in turn support priority and ESA-listed fish species and priority bird habitats. The Eastern Shoreline is made up of four segments across a two- mile stretch: Point Wilson Spit, Low Bluffs, High Bluffs, and Low Bank Beach to Point Hudson (Figure 44 of the Shoreline Inventory).
A. Point Wilson Spit
Point Wilson Spit is approximately 3500 feet long. It is a broad, low bank sandy- spit with natural sandy beaches along this eastern shoreline. The spit is located within Fort Worden State Park and supports a Coast Guard Lighthouse that is armored with a combination of concrete blocks, riprap and pilings that have been added over time to defend the Point from erosion.
B. Land Use and Public Access
Point Wilson, within the Fort Worden State Park, is used predominately for recreation. The exception is the lighthouse area, presently used for navigational purposes by the U.S. Coast Guard. However, with changes in navigational technology, this use is expected to change to recreational. The spit is used both for active and passive recreational purposes with visitors from around the nation and the world enjoying fishing, diving, boating, viewing, walking, beach-combing, camping, picnicking, and educational group activities along the southern beach of the spit. The public has access to this entire shoreline segment. It is used for diving, boating, beachcombing, clamming, fishing and educational activities sponsored by the Port Townsend Marine Science Center. An underwater dive park is located offshore from this segment. This beach is a popular beach used year-round by families, individuals and organizations.
Backshore, picnic tables and shelters, restrooms and public trails enhance public access and use of this beach segment.
Impairments
1. Less than 1% of this beach has been armored. Armoring occurs only at the tip of Point Wilson where riprap and pilings armor the tip to protect the lighthouse.
2. The major extent of this beach has very little modification. The low-bank sub-segment with the boat basin, ramp, and associated bulkheads blocks sediment transport to this beach on the southern side of Point Wilson. However, sediments are apparently transported from the north around the spit and deposited onto the beach, as the beach does not show significant erosion loss.
C. Low Bluffs
This sub-segment extends for approximately 1500 feet. It includes the Fort Worden Boat Basin and extends to the edge of the High Bluffs along Morgan Hill. Just over 10% of this shoreline has been armored. These Low Bluffs are vegetated by a variety of trees and shrubs and are located upland of a broad sand and gravel backshore with dunegrass. These moderately high bluffs are not feeding sediments to the beach or littoral transport system. The beach is sandy with dunegrass found upshore and eelgrass beds in the subtidal areas. The net sediment drift cell direction is northeast from Point Hudson to Point Wilson. This beach area continues to receive sediments from Point Hudson. However, the south boat basin bulkhead breaks sediment drift at the edge of this sub-segment and sediment accumulates on the south side of the boat basin. A paved public road runs along the bluff-top parallel to the beach. This road provides vehicle access to Point Wilson Spit, the beach campground and public facilities.
Land Use and Public Access
1. Located within the boundaries of Fort Worden State Park, this area is extensively used by the public for walking, beachcombing, boating, diving and other recreational and educational events.
2. The boat basin within this segment provides a public launching ramp composed of a 33-foot concrete boat ramp and an associated seasonally available 70-foot floating dock. It also hosts the Port Townsend Marine Science Center, a marine science public education facility that includes a marine laboratory and aquarium that is open to the public.
3. The marina includes a 70-foot float for both the science center and public overnight moorage. This float is also located in the boat basin and is attached to the main dock.
4. The basin is enclosed by bulkheads on both the east and west sides.
5. A 132-foot bulkhead is located along the north side of the boat ramp. This protects the basin from wind waves and swells from the east.
6. On the south side of the main dock, a bulkhead consisting of a series of 264 pilings prevents sediments from entering the basin from the southwest and west.
7. Several anchor buoys are located offshore for overnight moorage. The State Parks maintains these buoys and charges the public a fee for buoy tie-up.
8. South of the boat basin, a 127-foot stairway provides public access from the paved road at the bluff top. The stairway includes viewing decks area with interpretive signage depicting the natural physical processes along that shoreline.
Impairments
1. Approximately 10% of this shoreline is modified. Bulkheads on both sides of the boat basin interfere with the sediment transport process in the net eastward direction and likely decrease the abundance of sediments deposited to the beach on the south side of the Point Wilson Spit.
2. In 1996, it was reported that at least 3500 cubic yards of excess sand were trapped in the basin with larger quantities prograded from the south breakwater updrift to the wooden access stairway.
D. High Bluffs
This segment begins at the southern Fort Worden boundary and continues for approximately 4300 feet to Chetzemoka Park. These are steep high bluffs of around 100 feet in height. There exists potential for large landslides and future hazards. These bluffs contribute significant sediment loads to the littoral drift system (Shipman 2002).
Land Use
1. For the most part, this entire stretch is developed for residential use with houses at the top of the high bluffs.
2. The shoreline is only used for passive recreation, such as walking and beach-combing.
Public Access
The bluffs are too steep to allow stairway access. Public access to these beaches is only through Fort Worden State Park beaches, Chetzemoka City Park or through Port property at Point Hudson. The Chetzemoka Park access provides viewing seats, disability access and interpretive public education signage on marine resources and shoreline biology.
Impairments
1. Less than 10% of this shoreline is armored. The residential portion, which is the major portion, of this sub-segment, contains no bulkheading.
2. The Chetzemoka Park shoreline is armored with broken chunks of aggregate followed to the south by approximately 275 feet of riprap and a concrete ramp walkway providing public and disability access to the shoreline directly from the City park.
3. At nearly Mean Tide Level, the tideline reaches the riprap toe at the base of walkway ramp.
4. On the northern end of the park property, stormwater runoff has been allowed to drain over the top of the bluff causing soil failure directly under the outfall located on the bluff at the rear of the Golden Age Club building.
5. Outfall of chlorinated City water forms an artificial aesthetic "creek" flowing through the park cascades down the bluff. It is at the site of this outfall that most of the derelict armoring aggregate is located.
6. Some denudation along the residential bluff tops with increased construction of new homes.
E. Low Bank Beach to Point Hudson
This 1500-foot low bank sub-segment extends from the southern border of Chetzemoka Park to Point Hudson. It receives sediments from the south with little, if any, input from the low bank backshore. The sediment wraps around Point Hudson to create the spit. This sediment deposition has created a spit extending easterly from the tip of Point Hudson. It is not clear if there was a historical tidal inlet located along this sub-segment. Historically, the Port filled and dredged the lagoon area at this site to create the marina.
Land Use
1. Approximately 700 feet of this 1500-foot sub-segment is owned by the Port of Port Townsend. The remaining is adjacent to private property.
2. Approximately 50% is residential and 50% passive recreational use. The beach is used by the public for walking and beach-combing and the adjacent upland area, owned by the Port of Port Townsend, providing overnight recreational vehicle and trailer-camping.
3. At Point Hudson, a gravel public road adjacent to the backshore provides access to commercial buildings, restaurants, marina office, hotel, and RV camping sites.
Public Access
1. Public access to this sub-segment is provided at both the Port’s Point Hudson property and Chetzemoka Park. This beach is widely used for beachcombing and walking by the local public.
2. Point Hudson public access provides parking and pathways to the beach.
3. A Native American historical canoe exhibit is adjacent to the beach at the Point Hudson section.
Impairments
1. 10% of this shoreline is armored.
2. This 1500-foot shoreline is largely unmodified, with the exception of 140 feet of riprap and wooden stairs added to provide beach access to a private residence.
3. Low bank erosion along the shoreline of the Lincoln Beach residences has moved the southern shoreline landward. This progradation could be exacerbated by shoreline modifications along the southern shoreline that have interfered with sediment transport and the deposition of sediments along this shoreline.
4. Riprap armoring appears to be moving seaward.
3.5 Southern Shoreline
The Southern Shoreline consists of the shoreline from the Larry Scott Bluffs, west of the western Boat Haven jetty, north to Indian Point, and north from Indian Point to Point Hudson. The approximately 3 miles of shoreline along this segment are defined primarily as urban waterfront with a mix of commercial and residential development. These shorelines are semi-protected from wind-wave energy. They also provide fine substrates for eelgrass beds and support priority and ESA-listed species. These shorelines are also the most highly modified shorelines in the City. The Southern Shoreline consists of three segments: Point Hudson to Indian Point Pocket Beaches, Kah Tai Trough, and Larry Scott Bluffs.
Port Townsend shorelines have a long history of human occupation. Based upon early photographs taken at the turn of the century, the City’s in- and over-water structure footprint appears to have been reduced over the past decades. This is a result of buildings no longer being built into the intertidal and recent dock construction, such as the Union Wharf, being designed to avoid impacts to the marine environment. The southern shoreline is 100% modified by various structures and landfill. The majority of land use is commercial/port related industrial. Residential uses in the form of condominiums or apartments occupy low bank areas between downtown and the Boat Haven while single-family residences sit on the high bank property above the Larry Scott Memorial Trail.
A. Point Hudson to Indian Point Pocket Beaches
This approximate one mile shoreline from Point Hudson to Indian Point consists of small pocket beaches separated by riprap, seawalls and a variety of over-water and other structures. Historically, along the eastern end in the immediate vicinity of Point Hudson, the shoreline was low bank with tidal marshes. Continuing westward from Monroe Street, steep feeder bluffs likely provided sediments to broad, flat intertidal beaches between Point Hudson and Indian Point.
Approximately 6% of this shoreline remains unarmored. Unarmored beaches can be found at Pope Marine Park, Adams Park and at the end of Tyler Street.
Land Use
1. The land use in this segment is predominately commercial and recreational.
2. Point Hudson is a small marina under the ownership of the Port of Port Townsend that serves mainly recreational boaters.
3. The City Dock, the Wave Viewing Gallery, the Tidal Clock, and the Union Wharf are city-owned structures built to serve tourism and recreational needs.
4. A variety of private property owners own buildings and parcels adjacent to downtown shorelines.
5. Admiralty Apartments and Bayview Condos are the only shoreline residential buildings between Point Hudson and Indian Point. All other uses are primarily commercial hotels, restaurants and retail.
Public Access
1. Public access via a pier out over the water is provided at the Point Hudson jetty walkway along the marina jetty.
2. Access to the full length of the beach between Point Hudson and City Dock is available just east of the Thomas Oil site, at the Salmon Club Boat Ramp, and Pope Marine Park.
3. Public access is provided on piers over the water on the City Dock and the Union Wharf.
4. Public access to the beach area between the Cannery Building and the Surf Restaurant is provided at the Adams Street Park.
5. Public access is provided just west of the ferry terminal access road and by way of the public walkway beginning at the Shirley Browning Park at the Bayview Restaurant and extending west to Indian Point via a continuous walkway.
6. Public access is provided at the end of Tyler Street
7. Public access to the shoreline is provided at Walker Street Park.
Impairments
1. Over 95% of this beach is armored.
2. Between the Jetty Walkway and the old Thomas Oil site approximately 120 feet of beach is armored with riprap followed by 60 feet of unarmored beach. West of the old Thomas Oil site, 60 feet of natural beach extends westward, followed by a 60-foot natural beach and a 60-foot cement seawall.
3. Concrete bulkhead on western edge of Thomas Oil site.
4. Portable Sani-can on intertidal beach.
5. Derelict dock at Thomas Oil site.
6. One city outfall pipe lies on the intertidal; another is out several hundred feet in the subtidal between the old Thomas Oil Dock and Salmon Club boat launch area.
7. The intertidal area between the City Dock and the Cannery Building has been effectively eliminated by a variety of structures that include the Tidal Clock, the Wave Viewing Gallery, the old Quincy Street Ferry Dock, and the old Cannery Building.
8. West of the old Cannery Building riprap, a seawall extends to a 100-foot unarmored pocket beach adjacent to the Adams Street Park, followed by buildings and decks extending into and over the intertidal, including the Surf Restaurant and Union Wharf.
9. West of the Union Wharf, a series of buildings extend into the intertidal with the exception of one small 100-foot unarmored beach at the end of Tyler Street.
10. Between the Port Townsend Plaza and the Washington State Ferry Terminal, the Port Townsend Plaza bulkheading and fill area effectively eliminates the intertidal beach seaward of the plaza riprap.
11. The area west of the Washington State Ferry Terminal and out to Indian Point is a long continuous intertidal beach armored with a combination of riprap and two concrete seawalls at each end. Indian Point is landfill extending out into the intertidal.
12. Bulkheading has interrupted the littoral sediment drift and deposition along Southern Shoreline beaches and adjacent Eastern Shorelines.
13. All docks with the exception of the Maritime Center, Union Wharf and the new Washington State Ferry Terminal are built upon creosote piles. Creosote is known to leach into adjacent substrates and the water column. In this way, it known to enter the marine food web, resulting in the bioaccumulation in marine organisms.
14. Riprap and concrete rubble effectively eliminate shallow intertidal on tides above MLW between Pope Marine Building and riprap rubble west of Cannery Building on Quincy Street.
15. Concrete waste pile between Pope Marine Park and Pope Marine building intrudes on the shallow intertidal above mean low water (MLW).
16. Between Quincy Street and Port Townsend Plaza, armored shorelines, with the exception of the Tyler and Adams Streets pocket beaches, intrude into the intertidal at tides above mean high water (MHW).
17. Port Townsend Plaza and associated riprap bulkheading extend into the intertidal area, effectively eliminating the shallow intertidal on tides higher than MLW from the eastern edge of the mall to just west of the ferry terminal access road.
18. Dredged hole seaward of Port Townsend Plaza, from which fill was dredged to support the plaza, eliminates the colonization of eelgrass at that location.
19. Restaurant, condominiums and motel built on landfill between new ferry terminal and Indian Point intrude over historic intertidal and presently effectively eliminate nearshore habitat above MHW.
20. Indian Point landfill eliminates shallow nearshore on all tides above MLW.
21. Derelict creosote piles and old wing walls still remain offshore of Point Hudson, the Quincy Street abandoned ferry dock, just east of the Wave Viewing Gallery and off of Indian Point.
22. Unusable "Wave Viewing Gallery" built on creosote piles shades intertidal and eliminates intertidal at all tide levels above MLW.
23. A non-functioning Tidal Clock structure contributes to intertidal creep seaward from MLW.
24. Future potential loss of public access with likely seaward movement of armored shorelines.
25. Landfill at Indian Point may have reduced extent of eelgrass bed.
26. Boat anchoring during heavy tourist season likely dislodges and interferes with health of eelgrass beds along downtown shorelines.
B. Kah Tai Trough
This is a one-mile shoreline that extends between the base of the bluffs just west of Kearney Street to the eastern base of the Larry Scott Bluffs. This depression once contained extensive wetlands and a very large lagoon that was largely filled to provide for a large boat basin, boatyard and other businesses. It is part of an approximate three-square mile depression in the center of the City that runs approximately 3 miles north to south and 1 mile east to west across the City center. Again, due to extensive modification, the direction of the drift cell is presently unknown. Although historically the littoral drift direction was easterly towards Point Hudson, these beaches are now cut off from sediments deposited by alongshore drift from the west due to the Boat Haven and associated jetties and structures.
Land Use
1. Along this approximate one-mile shoreline, between Indian Point and Boat Haven, landuse is 25% residential and 75% commercial.
2. The marina has two boat basins, a main basin for private recreational boats and a smaller commercial fishing basin to the east. Benedict Spit separates the two basins. The marina configuration is that of a closed basin comprised of 4 sets of docks with a total of 425 slips. The main basin hosts two haul- out areas and two boat ramps.
3. 25 acres of uplands adjacent to the marina hosts a large industrial park that provides storage for 200 boats and space for numerous marine trades and related businesses.
4. Historic use of railroad trestle, now abandoned, west of the Boat Haven.
5. Gaines Street sewer pump station located at the waterward end of Gaines Street.
Public Access
1. Public access to the beaches along this sub-segment is provided at Gaines Street, at Kearney near Jefferson Title and just west of Aladdin Motor Inn.
2. The large Port of Port Townsend Boat Haven is a public marina providing public access to docks over the water and along the inner marina shoreline.
Impairments
1. The jetties surrounding the marina interfere and block sediment transport with sediments backing up behind the western jetty and not depositing to beaches east of the marina, as they would otherwise do.
2. Marina jetties fill intertidal area and block sediment transport to all pocket beaches to the east with sediments being trapped at the western end jetty.
3. Water quality sampling indicates that boat discharges and the lack of circulation have degraded water quality within the marina. This degradation is significant during the boating season with fecal coliform standards far exceeding WDOH standards.
4. The marina provides no passageway for juvenile salmon migration.
5. The abandoned railroad trestle is a potential source of contaminants due to creosote piles.
6. The Boat Haven is built in some of the most productive Pacific sand lance habitat along city shorelines. Pacific sand lance spawning beaches are found on both sides of the Boat Haven.
7. Untreated stormwater outfall in the Boat Haven.
8. A seawall and numerous riprap-armoring modifications intrude into the intertidal posing risks of further seaward intrusion.
9. Artificial landfill at Indian Point intrudes into intertidal habitats.
C. Larry Scott Bluffs
Land Use
1. The City shoreline along the Larry Scott Trail extends for approximately 1/2 mile. It has 100% recreational use with the trail available to the public for walking and bicycling.
2. Along the bluff tops, the upland use is 100% residential.
3. At the base of the eastern edge of the bluffs, 2 port wetlands are used for stormwater catchment.
4. The Port maintenance shop is also located in close proximity to these wetlands.
Public Access
At the western end of the Boat Haven boatyard, public access is provided to a shoreline trail for passive public recreation that includes walking and bicycling along the Larry Scott Trail. The trail runs along the old railroad bed that once served the Port Townsend Paper Mill.
Impairments
1. Fill and riprap has separated the intertidal from the historic feeder bluffs. This reduces sediment deposition to down-drift beaches.
2. Larry Scott Trail is on fill over historic intertidal area.
3. Sediments drifting alongshore from feeder bluffs north of Kala Point accumulate behind the marina.
4. Untreated stormwater outfalls are found along this segment of shoreline.
3.6 Lake Shorelines
A. Chinese Gardens
The Chinese Gardens Shoreline consists of the shoreline surrounding the Chinese Garden Lake. It is located entirely within Fort Worden State Park within the City’s largest drainage basin. The Chinese Garden Lagoon is a Category I wetland with the lake also regulated under the City’s Shoreline Master Program.
Land Uses
1. Chinese Gardens is located within Fort Worden State Park. The surrounding area to the east and north is used for passive recreation, such as walking and kite-flying. No swimming or boating is allowed in the lake.
2. The western and southern half of the lake is approximately 50% residential, including a small sheep farm on the southwest corner, and 50% municipal with Jefferson County Housing Authority and the Port Townsend Sewer System and Public Works offices located along the shoreline.
Public Access
Public access is provided to Chinese Gardens through trails from North Beach County Park and trails to and from Fort Worden State Park. A bench for viewing and historical information is provided.
Impairments
1. Historical drainage valves and dams for Chinese Truck Gardens.
2. Pipeline to marine waters for outflow on tide levels below MLLW.
3. Historical deforesting for military fort.
4. City stormwater collection from south, west and east city streets. Most of this stormwater is treated by bioswale and ponding with the exception of a culvert at the south end of the lake and overland from a pasture housing development to the south.
5. Shoreline hardening occurs along the face of the sewer treatment plant.
B. Kah Tai
The Kah Tai Lake Shoreline consists of the shoreline surrounding the Kah Tai depression. At one time Kah Tai Lake was connected with Port Townsend Bay. In the mid-1960’s Kah Tai, previously an open coastal lagoon connected with Port Townsend Bay, was filled with Boat Haven dredge tailing to provide for boat storage areas, businesses, and parking. Today, Kah Tai consists of 15 acres of open water, 15 acres of wetland habitat, and 40 acres of upland habitat nestled within a natural area in the center of the City. Recently Ecology has concluded that the Kah Tai Lake Shoreline is a Category I wetland (Ecology 2004).
Land Use
1. Kah Tai basin is the second largest storm water drainage basin in the City. The basin drains approximately 645 acres of medium to dense residential development from the south-central city area, including surrounding areas, the golf course and Discovery Road areas.
2. A tide gate in Kah Tai connects the lagoon to Port Townsend Bay inside the Port Boat Haven near the small haul-out facility. The Port of Port Townsend owns 20 acres of the Kah Tai park area. This includes approximately 1 acre of water and 19 acres of land in the southeast corner of the Park between the Washington Mutual Bank and the Kah Tai Care Center.
3. The City has a 30-year lease until 2012 with the Port to use this for recreational purposes. The park is surrounded by a parking lot to the southwest, Landes Street to the west, 19th Street to the north, a small bakery on the northeast corner, Kah Tai Center, to the east, Washington Mutual Bank to the southeast, Henery’s Hardware, McDonald’s and Safeway to the South. The water itself is surrounded by trails and vegetation.
Impairments
1. Artificial filling of much wider area
2. Marine dredge fill
3. Soil contamination from unknown sources
4. Loss of potential linkage to marine shorelines
5. Non-native plant invasives upland (i.e. Scot’s Broom)
6. Heavily used trail within 10 feet of water’s edge
7. Recovering vegetated buffer
8. Inner pond (smaller) designed as human access site to ducks with limited buffer
9. Tide gate connection.