User:Runcho/sandbox

History

Vasco Nuñez Balboa first spotted the Southern California Bight in 1513. At this time there were an estimated 700,000 Native Americans living in the region making it the most populated area of North America. In 1542, Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo of Spain and his crew were the first European explorers to land on this coastal region in the present day San Diego Bay. Cabrillo left because he found no future potential use for the land and surrounding areas. The first permanent European settlers of the Southern California Bight led by Juan Pérez arrived in 1769 on the San Antonio. The Spanish government had planned a three-part occupation plan to check the Russian’s settlement in Alta California.

Climate

The climate of the region that covers the Southern California Bight is consistent with a difference in monthly mean temperature of 10°C between the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego. Most precipitation in this coastal area happens in the months of December, January, and February with a monthly mean rate of 2.0-3.3in. The effects of El Niño are evident in the Southern California Bight. The characteristics of El Niño including warmer waters and elevated sea levels change weather conditions. These events of El Niño have caused floods such in the years 1969, 1982, and 1983 as well as droughts in 1976 and 1977.

Natural Resources

The Southern California Bight is characterized by coastal and offshore oil reserves. For the past century, the offshore areas of coastal cities such as Goleta, Santa Monica, and Huntington Beach have been home to oil extraction sites. With the presence of these oil reserves comes the construction of relative infrastructure including pipelines.