Carmel River State Beach

Skirting Carmel Bay (see Carmel Bay Underwater Park and Carmel Submarine Canyon) for approximately 2,470 meters (8,100 feet), this beach includes several habitats at the mouth of the Carmel River. The rocky and sandy coasts, with their specific marine flora and fauna, are protected by a deep offshore reef.

During most of the year the mouth of the river is blocked by a sand bar, forming a lagoon and sandy area back of the beach which supports a freshwater marsh. Among the plants found here are cattail, Typha domingensis and Typha latifolia, tule, Scirpus americanus, spike-rush, Eleocharis macrostachya, and silverweed, Potentilla anserina ssp. pacifica. To the south of the river, plants present include yellow sand verbena, Abronia latifolia, saltbush, Atriplex leucophylla and seaside painted cup, Castilleja latifolia.

There is a variety of birds found on the beach and lagoon, including five species of gull, Larus spp., brown pelicans, Pelecanus occidentalis, ducks and grebes. The snowy plover, Charadrius alexandrinus, occasionally nests on the beach sand in the less-used areas. The rare clapper rail, Rallus longirostris obsoletus, was formerly found in the marsh but has not been observed recently. The endangered butterfly, Smith's blue, Philotes enoptes smithi, may occur in the sandy area back of the beach.

The width of the beach varies seasonally, with the berm building up to 60 meters (200 feet) seaward during the summer when the waves are small, only to retreat almost to the vanishing point during the winter storms when 3-meter (10-foot) waves are not uncommon.

Integrity: The area is developed as a State Beach; however, the lagoon has been protected. The bar is bulldozed to open the river to the sea, to permit migration of anadromous fish.

Use: Research, educational, observational, light recreation.

August 1976