Wetland Profile: Sweet Springs

Published 10/30/2004

LOCATION

County

San Luis Obispo

USGS Quadrangle

Morro Bay South

Descriptive Location

Sweet Springs is located on the fringe of Morro Bay near Los Osos.

Longitude & Latitude

-120°50'40" W, +35°19'17" N

Other Common Names

Sweet Springs Marsh

Wetland Complex

Morro Bay

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OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT & LOCAL AUTHORITIES

Current Ownership
Owners	Ownership Type	Acreage	Source
The Morro Coast Audubon Society			1

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LAND USE

On Site Use	Source
Open Space	2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Recreation	3, 6

Historic On Site Use	Source
Native American Use	4, 5, 6
Open Space	4, 6
Residential Single-Family	6
Rural Lands	5, 6

Adjacent Use	Source
Open Space	3, 4
Residential Multi-Family	3, 4, 5
Residential Single-Family	4

Historic Adjacent Use	Source
Native American Use	6
Open Space	4, 5, 6
Residential Single-Family	4, 5, 6

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WETLAND & RIPARIAN ACREAGE

Classification	Wetland Acreage	Date	Method	Source
Freshwater ponds	1			4
Lower pond	0.156			6
Pond	2			2
Salt marsh	12			4
Salt ponds	2			4
Upper pond	0.709			6

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HYDROLOGY

Tributary Influence
Tributary Influence	Influence	Gaging Station	Source
Artesian Well			5, 6
Seep			5, 6
Seep 1			6
Seep 2			6
Spring 1			2
Spring 2			2
Sweet Springs Seep	0.4 cfs		3
Various springs	2 cfs		4

Wetland Alterations
Alterations	Comments	Contribution / Removal Amount	Date	Source
Dikes/Levees, Fill				6
Dikes/Levees, Fill	Levees			2
Dikes/Levees, Fill	Separates fresh and salt marshes			4
Dredged Channel/Inlet				4
Groundwater Extraction				6
Groundwater Extraction	Artesian Wells			2, 6
Groundwater Extraction	Past			5
Groundwater Extraction	Spring/seep Wells	0.5 cfs		4
Non-point Source				5
Non-point Source	Urban Runoff			2, 3, 6
Non-point Source	Urban Runoff, several french drains and storm drains			4
Septic Tank Seepage				4
Storm Drains				4

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WATER QUALITY

Water Quality Data
Parameter	Duration	Comments	Source
Calcium carbonate	March-July 1974		6
Calcium hardness	March-July 1974		6
Carbon dioxide	March-July 1974		6
Cl-	March-July 1974		6
Dissolved Oxygen			4
Dissolved Oxygen	January, February 1991: High and low tides		2
Dissolved Oxygen	March-July 1974		6
Mg hardness	March-July 1974		6
NO3	March-July 1974		6
Nutrients			4
Nutrients	January, February 1991: High and low tides	Nitrites, Nitrates, PO4, Phosphorus	2
Nutrients	March-July 1974	Nitrates	6
SO4	March-July 1974		6
Salinity			3, 4
Salinity	January, February 1991: High and low tides		2
Sodium chloride	March-July 1974		6
Temperature			4
Temperature	January, February 1991: High and low tides		2
Temperature	January-August 1974		6
Total hardness	March-July 1974		6
pH	January, February 1991: High and low tides		2
pH	March-July 1974		6

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SOILS

NRCS SSURGO Soil	Source
AQUOLLS, SALINE	4
BAYWOOD FINE SAND	6
BAYWOOD FINE SAND, 2-9	4
BAYWOOD FINE SAND, 9-15	4

Comments	Source
Baywood fine sand; Soil compact below 10-15 inches; Subsoil extends 72 inches or more.	6
Sandy	3
Soil map	4

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VEGETATION

Special Status Plants
Common Name	Scientific Name	Federal	State	Source
California seablite	Suaeda californica	Endangered	None	4, 6
Salt marsh bird's-beak	Cordylanthus maritimus ssp. maritimus	Endangered	Endangered	4
San Luis Obispo County lupine	Lupinus ludovicianus	None	None	6

Non Native Plants The Non-native plant list is not intended to be a representative list of all plants found in the wetland. To learn more about all plants found in the wetland, including natives, please refer to the lists documented in the Vegetation Comments section.
Common Name	Scientific Name	Source
Black mustard	Brassica nigra	4
Eucalyptus (Blue gum)	Eucalyptus globulus	2, 4, 5, 6
Iceplant	Carpobrotus edulis	4
Monterey Cypress	Cupressus macrocarpa	2, 4, 5, 6
Oats	Avena spp.	4
Sow thistle	Sonchus sp.	4
Veldt grass	Ehrharta calycina	4
Wild fennel	Foeniculum vulgare	4

Vegetation Comments
Comments	Source
Native plant list	6
Plant list	4, 6
Vegetation map	2, 6

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ANIMALS

Special Status Animals
Common Name	Scientific Name	Federal	State	Source
California black rail	Laterallus jamaicensis coturniculus	Species of Concern	Threatened	4
Monarch butterfly	Danaus plexippus	None	None	2, 4, 6
Morro Bay kangaroo rat	Dipodomys heermanni morroensis	Endangered	Endangered	6
Silvery legless lizard	Anniella pulchra	None	None	6
Southwestern pond turtle	Clemmys marmorata pallida	None	None	6

Non Native Animals
Common Name	Scientific Name	Source
Bullfrog	Rana catesbeiana	6
Pond slider turtle	Trachemys scripta	7

Amphibian Sources

6

Benthic Invertebrates Sources

6

Bird Sources

4, 5, 6

Insect Sources

6

Mammal Sources

4, 6

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WETLAND IMPACTING ACTIVITIES

In the Wetland
Activity	Source
Excavation	3, 4
Flood control	2, 6
Foot path	2, 6
Impoundment	2, 3, 4, 6
Non-native plant invasion	2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Resource protection	3, 4
Surface/subsurface drainage	3, 6

Adjacent to the Wetland
Activity	Source
Hiking	2, 3, 4, 6
Non-native plant invasion	2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Recreation (other)	2, 4, 6
Resource protection	4
Road construction	3, 4
Surface/subsurface drainage	4

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SOURCES

Source	Author(s)	Year Published	Document Name
1	Morro Bay National Estuary Program	2004	Personal Communication
2	Olive, R. Todd	1991	A study of tidal effects on the physical and chemical properties of Sweet Springs Ponds.
3	Morro Group and Tenera Environmental	1990	Freshwater Influences on Morro Bay
4	Perspective Planning	1988	Sweet Springs Marsh, Resource Enchancement and Access Management Plan
5	Townsend, Brooke	1978	An ornithological analysis of Sweet Springs Marsh.
6	Mueller, Troye C. & Lynn M. Kelly	1975	A preliminary study of the flora and fauna of a freshwater pond.
7	David Wolff Environmental	2004	Personal Communication

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