Briefly in the news

Paul Clinton

The Orange County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a $600,000

payment for a two-year watershed study of the Back Bay.

The board members unanimously approved the funding, adding their share

to a growing pot of funds to pay for the study, which is managed by the

Army Corps of Engineers.

The study, which began in January 2000, will examine several ways to

repair the Back Bay. The bay has been named an “impaired water body” by

the Environmental Protection Agency.

The board also entered into cooperation agreements with Costa Mesa,

Tustin and Lake Forest as agencies helping to manage the work.

The other agencies, which also include the Irvine Ranch Water

District, Newport Beach and Santa Ana, are all chipping in $80,000 to

defer costs. The Irvine Co. has also agreed to write an $80,000 check.

Other governmental agencies will make up the balance the $2.4-million

total cost of the study.