Sciency Thoughts: Monterey County

Showing posts with label Monterey County. Show all posts

Monday, 22 January 2018

Beaches in Monterey County, California, closed by sewage spill.

Eight beaches in Monterey County, California, were forced to close this weekend following a spill of sewage from the Monterey One Water wastewater treatment facility in Marina, according to the Monterey County Environmental Health Department. The leak was discovered at about 4.30 am local time on Saturday 20 January 2018, and closed down, though it thought that about 22 275 000 litres of sewage are thought to have leaked through a storm drain into the sea by the time the spill was detected, resulting in the closure of Carmel Beach at Ocean Avenue, Monterey Municipal Beach, Lover’s Point, the Beach at Monterey State Beach, San Carlos Beach, the beach at Sunset Drive at Asilomar, the beach at Spanish Bay and Stillwater Cove.

A closed off beach in Monterey Bay, California, following a sewage spill on 20 January 2017. NBC Bay Area.

As well as the obvious dangers to health presented by sewage, which is likely to contain a variety of Bacteria and other micro-organisms harmful to Human health, sewage provides a source of nutrients which can lead to eutrophication and the rapid growth of blooms of Algae, Bacteria or other micro-organisms, which absorb oxygen from the water leading Fish and other aquatic organisms to asphyxiate.

Sunday, 3 December 2017

Californian student recovering after Shark attack.

A graduate student at the University of California, Irvine, is recovering after being attacked by a Shark while spear-fishing in Monetary Bay on Friday 24 November 2017. Grigor Azatian, 25, who is studying computer science, was fishing with his father when he was attacked by the animal, believed to have been a Great White Shark, Carcharodon carcharias, about three meters in length. The Shark bit him twice on the leg before apparently losing interest and retreating. He is being treated at the Natividad Medical Center for severe lacerations to the thigh and lower leg, but is expected to make a full recovery.

Computer science student and amateur fisherman Grigor Azatian, who was attacked by a Shark in Monetary Bay, California, on 24 November 2017. Armen Azatian/The Mercury News.

Despite their fearsome reputation, attacks by Sharks are relatively rare, with only 120 recorded off the coast of California in the 90 years since regular record-keeping began, eleven of these off Monetary County. Most attacks on Humans by Great White Sharks are thought to be mistakes. The species feeds principally on Marine Mammals, which we superficially resemble when we enter the water, gaining the majority of their nutrition from the thick adipose (fat) layers of these animals, which we lack. Due to this, when Great Whites do attack Humans these attacks are often broken off without the victim being consumed. Such attacks frequently result in severe injuries, but are seldom immediately fatal, with victims likely to survive if they receive immediate medical attention.

A Great White Shark off the coast of Isla Guadalupe, Mexico. Terry Goss/Wikimedia Commons.

Saturday, 9 August 2014

Magnitude 3.4 Earthquake in southeastern Monterey County, California.

The United States Geological Survey reported a Magnitude 3.4 Earthquake at a depth of 11 km in southeastern Monterey County, California, slightly before 9.50 am local time (slightly before 4.50 pm GMT) on Friday 8 August 2014. There are no reports of any damage or casualties associated with this event, though it was felt in southern Monterey and northern San Luis Obispo counties.

The approximate location of the 8 August 2014 Monterey County Earthquake. Google Maps.

California is extremely prone to Earthquakes due to the presence of the San Andreas Fault, a tectonic plate margin that effectively bisects the state. The west of California, including Santa Barbara and Los Angeles, is located on the Pacific Plate, and is moving to the northwest. The east of California, including Fresno and Bakersfield is on the North American Plate, and is moving to the southeast. The plates do not move smoothly past one-another, but constantly stick together then break apart as the pressure builds up. This has led to a network of smaller faults that criss-cross the state, so that Earthquakes can effectively occur anywhere, although this particular quake appears to have occured directly on the San Andreas Fault itself.

The extent of and movement on the San Andreas Fault. Geology.

Witness accounts of Earthquakes can help geologists to understand these events and the underlying structures that cause them. If you felt this quake (or if you were in the area but did not, which is also useful information) then you can report it to the United States Geological Survey here.