What's New at Topanga Lagoon
Topanga Lagoon Restoration Project
Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) Available
Access the FEIR
The FEIR for the Topanga Lagoon Restoration Project has officially been certified and the Preferred Hybrid Alternative 3A approved by California State Parks with the support of project stakeholders. The FEIR builds upon the information presented in the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) and both documents should be considered to fully understand the proposed project.
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A digital version of the FEIR is available HERE.
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The associated Appendices for the FEIR can be accessed HERE.
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The Notice of Determination (NOD) is located HERE.
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Review a recording of the 8/5/24 Proposed FEIR & Preferred Alternative Public Meeting
DEIR
A digital version of the DEIR is available HERE.
The associated Appendices for the DEIR can be accessed HERE.
The associated letter to the State Clearing House is located HERE.
2/24/24 Public Meeting #1, Annenberg Beach House
2/28/24 Public Meeting #2, Topanga Community House
Questions?
Reach out to us on our Stay Connected page.
Will the Project Affect the Surf or Beach?
Overview of Beach Morphology, Surf, and Nearshore Nourishment Modeling
A key project element is to reuse native fill excavated during the lagoon restoration and place it in the nearshore areas of the ocean off of Topanga Beach. The goal of this action is to benefit area beaches and avoid unnecessary disposal of clean soils and the associated truck trips offsite. Project consultant Moffatt and Nichol modeled how that material could behave when placed in the ocean so the project could be designed to maximize nourishment, while avoiding sensitive biological resources.
Another key consideration during project development was to determine if the project would affect local surf conditions and the shape of the beach as a key project goal was to protect these onsite resources. Consultants Integral and Moffatt and Nichol modeled how surf and the shape of the beach might change for the different project alternatives, and also considered the duration and type of different environmental conditions (drought, heavy storms).
The following link will take you to the video recording from February 20, 2024 which provides an overview of these studies and their results: YouTube Link
These studies are included in Draft EIR for the Topanga Lagoon Restoration Project and Appendices B - Shoreline Morphology, C - Nearshore Study and H - Surf Quality.
Watch Our Past Public Meetings
Project partners and stakeholders including CA State Parks, CalTrans, LA County Department of Beaches & Harbors and the RCD of the Santa Monica Mountains have held multiple public meetings to update the community on ongoing material and information regarding this restoration project.
We've discussed the project design alternatives, findings from public comment periods, the Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR), the Proposed Final EIR, the project's affect on surf and more.
Watch recordings from these important meetings on the RCD's YouTube Page.
Technical Advisory Committee Meets
Sixty-six members of the Topanga Lagoon Restoration Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) met on April 27th, 2023 to review the draft project analyses and provide expert guidance on regulatory considerations, prioritize conflicting goals for restoration, and identify any deficiencies. The project team is grateful for the time and expertise provided by the TAC. It truly takes a village!