Surfrider Foundation: MAKING WAVES

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The late Tom Pratte, a Surfrider legend	PRATTE'S REEF UPDATE MAKING WAVES, June/July 1999

     Pratte's Reef is the first artificial surfing reef construction in the United States. This reef is a joint project with Chevron and the California Coastal Commission aimed at restoration of surf conditions destroyed by the installation of a groin between El Porto and Dockweiler beaches in El Segundo, California- South Bay Chapter country.
     The permitting process has been completed, and construction is scheduled to begin sometime in September, 1999. Due to its imminent installation and the nature of the project, this is the South Bay Chapter's highest priority project for 1999. South Bay's goals for Pratte's reef are three fold: ensuring the construction of the reef, increasing the size of the reef, and monitoring the environmental effects of the reef.

Increasing the size of the reef and monitoring the environmental effects both require money and volunteer labor.

     Chevron has funded $300,000 for the design, permitting and construction of the reef. This is sufficient for a modest sized reef, measuring 150 feet on each leg. The construction will be of giant sand bags specially designed for the marine environment and laid in a wedge shape with the point pointing seaward. However, to be able to increase the size of the reef and effectively monitor its success, the project needs more funding.
     The South Bay Chapter has set a goal to raise an additional $50,000 to augment Chevron's contribution and to fund environmental monitoring of the reef.
     Send donations for this project to 122 S. El Camino Real, PMB #67, San Clemente, California 92672. Make sure that you indicate that your donation is to go toward the "Pratte Reef Project". If you would like more information on this project, contact Michelle Kremer at mkremer@surfrider.org or (949) 492-8170.


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Surfrider Foundation USA:
122 S. El Camino Real #67
San Clemente, CA 92672
tel. (949) 492-8170
fax (949) 492-8142

Email addresses:
Membership: mmate@surfrider.org
Chapter Issues: emazzarella@surfrider.org
Envir. Issues: ekliszewski@surfrider.org
Legal Issues: mkremer@surfrider.org
Catalog: jwright@surfrider.org
Website Staff: mbabski@surfrider.org
Other: info@surfrider.org

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