Southwest Fisheries Science Center, La Jolla, CA
- Client: RBF Consulting, San Diego, CA
- Project Owner/Operator: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
- Estimated Cost: $78.9 million
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), which is a line office of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is in the process of replacing its Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) in La Jolla, California. The project includes the demolition of the existing SWFCS Headquarters facility and the construction of the new building. Both the demolition and construction sites are located on the campus of the Scripps Institute of Oceanography (SIO), which is part of the University of California at San Diego (UCSD). Therefore, project construction has the potential to impact sensitive buildings on the SIO/UCSD campus, as well as nearby residences.
Wieland Acoustics installed noise and vibration monitors that are operating 24-hours a day. Sound level meters located at neighboring homes and at an adjacent SIO building measure noise levels and report a broad range of statistical data, including the average noise levels used to assess potential impacts according to the thresholds defined in the project's Environmental Impact Report (EIR). A portable seismograph measures and records vibration at the closest adjacent building to the construction site and reports vibration levels in terms of peak particle velocity (PPV), again for comparison with thresholds established in the project EIR.