Cal Poly Pier: TEAMER's First Open Water Pier Facility

The Cal Poly Pier allows users to test equipment from a shore-based facility with easy access, without the expense and complications of ship time. The Pier extends 1 km into San Luis Obispo Bay, in 12 m/40 ft of water, providing ample depth for deploying and testing a range of equipment and access for vessel support as needed. There is also a 100 gallon per minute rate flow through seawater system for aquaculture and organismal studies. It is a secured facility, with restricted access and large loading capacities sufficient to transport large equipment out onto the Pier. The area around the pier is semi-protected by the Port San Luis Breakwater (~1.8 km to the SW), with moderate wave and wind fields relative to the open coast. As such, it provides an excellent location to deploy and test equipment in semi-exposed conditions from a fixed, easy-to-access platform. The Pier is in a commercial harbor not associated with any special regulatory zones and provides easy access to port infrastructure.

Go to this TEAMER webpage for more details on the Cal Poly Pier as a test facility or to begin the application process.

AVAILABLE AREAS

• Total deck space: 90 feet x 150 feet (13,500 square feet total)
• 2,000-square-foot, 2-story main building (classroom, conference room, shop, storage)
• 1,700-square-foot Flowing Seawater Facility (indoor and outdoor aquaria support)
• 160-square-foot Scientific Diving support container (compressor and fill station)
• 450-square-foot lower landing platform located +3 feet above mean high water. 
  Supports vessel loading operations, equipment deployments and dive ladder.
   

Pier Landside

• 0.4-acre mixed parking and staging areas

Roadway (2,960 feet, single lane)

• American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials HS-20 rated
  • 8,000 lbs. per front axle
  • 32,000 lbs. per rear axle
  • 40,000 lbs. max per vehicle

Flowing Seawater System

• Continuous ~100 gallons/minute flow rate. Both Filtered Seawater (5–10-micron filtration pass) and Raw Seawater are supplied via overhead supply piping.

Boating Support

• 26-foot Radon with 1,000’ capacity hydro winch and pole crane (500 lbs. over side load).  Bent pole davit (500 lbs. over side load), DC/AC power.
• 21-foot Munson, Bent pole davit (300 lbs. over side load), DC/AC power.
• 19-foot Zodiac inflatable.

Scientific Diving Support

• American Academy of Underwater Sciences standards
• Compressor and fill station

Crane/Davits

• Jib Crane: 2-ton load rated with motorized trolley and boom (west side of platform)
• Davits: Two 500 lb. capacity pier deck mounted (east and south sides of platform)
   

UTILITIES

Water

• Potable water in buildings and multiple outside hose locations
   

Electrical

• The facility is served by a 12 kV AC primary distribution source.
• Secondary service is 480 VAC, three-phase, which serves as the backbone for high-load equipment and distribution panels. From this system, additional voltages are derived as needed.
• 80 kW diesel backup generator 

Phone/Internet

• Cell/Hot Spot coverage available via standard carriers. (No institutional Wi-Fi on site.)

Permitting

• NEPA Biological Assessment clearance
• Regional Water Quality Control Board Discharge permit exemption. Allows discharge of flow through seawater in San Luis Obispo Bay. Limited to discharge of food and nitrogenous waste associate with animal husbandry practices.
• All additional permitting requirements are independent of Cal Poly, are specific to discrete operations and the responsibility of individual project leads to obtain and maintain.