Chevron Reef, also known as Pratte's Reef, was an

artificial reef An artificial reef (AR) is a human-created freshwater or marine benthic structure. Typically built in areas with a generally featureless bottom to promote Marine biology#Reefs, marine life, it may be intended to control #Erosion prevention, erosio ...

constructed in 2000 in Santa Monica Bay, offshore from Dockweiler State Beach. It was the first artificial

surfing Surfing is a surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. Waves suita ...

reef in the United States and was the second to be built worldwide. It was removed in 2008.

Location

The reef was located about 100 yards offshore in 15 feet of water, north of the El Segundo jetty and 200 yards south of the Hyperion sewage treatment plant 1-mile outfall, known locally as "Shitpipe".

History

In 1984, the

California Coastal Commission The California Coastal Commission (CCC) is a state agency within the California Natural Resources Agency with quasi-judicial control of land and public access along the state's of coastline. Its mission as defined in the California Coastal Ac ...

approved a proposed 900-foot

jetty A jetty is a man-made structure that protrudes from land out into water. A jetty may serve as a breakwater (structure), breakwater, as a walkway, or both; or, in pairs, as a means of constricting a channel. The term derives from the French la ...

to protect a marine terminal and underwater pipelines at a Chevron facility in

El Segundo, California El Segundo ( , ; ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Located on Santa Monica Bay, it was incorporated on January 18, 1917, and is part of the South Bay Cities Council of Governments. The population was 17,272 as of t ...

. The Surfrider Foundation fought the decision and an agreement was made that the company would pay $300,000 to build an artificial surfing reef if it could be proved that the jetty caused a substantial decrease in surfable waves. Research demonstrating the jetty's negative effect on surf quality was completed in 1994, but Chevron paid out the $300,000 only in 1999. Plans proceeded and the reef was dubbed Pratte's Reef in honor of Surfrider co-founder Thomas Pratte, who had been influential in fighting the Chevron jetty approval and died in 1994. In the fall of 2000, 110

geotextile Geotextiles are versatile permeable fabrics that, when used in conjunction with soil, can effectively perform multiple functions, including separation, filtration, reinforcement, protection, and drainage. Typically crafted from polypropylene or ...

bags were dropped into the water to create the artificial reef. It did not have as much of an effect as hoped and an additional $200,000 grant from the California Coastal Conservancy was secured to fund adding another 90 bags at the site in spring 2001. In retrospect, the reef was not large enough to focus the swells into nicely breaking waves. Surfrider environmental director Chad Nelsen said in an interview that "when the surf gets big, it breaks outside the reef" but noted that the reef used the greatest volume of sand it could within budget constraints. Beginning in 2008, the reef was removed as required by its permit.

References

{{Reflist, 2

External links

Surfrider Foundation: Pratte's Reef
Artificial reefs Landforms of Southern California Landforms of Los Angeles County, California Reefs of California Natural history of Los Angeles County, California South Bay, Los Angeles Surfing locations in California 2000 establishments in California 2008 disestablishments in California