Coastal Commission gets first look at inlet proposal

Bryce Alderton

The loss of habitats and water quality are key concerns for the

California Coastal Commission as it begins looking at a proposal to put a

tidal inlet into the Bolsa Chica Lowlands.

About 25 people attended a public workshop in Redondo Beach last

Saturday as Jack Fancher of United States Fish and Wildlife Service

presented the proposed tidal inlet project for the Bolsa Chica Lowlands

to the commission.

Along with protecting habitats and keeping the water clean,

commissioners also said they were worried about the effects dredging

would have on the sand at Bolsa Chica State Beach.

“We’re working with ideas of diversion and other ways to clean the

waters and wetlands, and looking at every potential out there,” said City

Councilwoman Shirley Dettloff, who is one of the 12 commissioners. “There

are a lot of ways to accomplish these goals.”

The commission made no decision other than to request staff and

members of the wildlife service to return with more details on the

project at a future public hearing.

That hearing, Fancher said, likely will take place in October or

November.

The commission’s requirements are well known when it comes to projects

such as the proposed inlet, said James Raives, a coastal commission staff

member.

“The coastal commission looks at no significant habitat disruptions

with projects like this and we wanted to make sure the agencies pay

attention to that,” Raives said. “The commission had questions about an

outlet but did not direct staff to investigate other alternatives.”

Raives said one of the species the commission is concerned with is the

Belding Savannah Sparrow, which lives within the pickleweed in the

wetlands.

With the proposed tidal project, construction of a full tidal basin

could result in the temporary loss of 118 to 138 sparrow territories.

According to the proposal’s environmental report, some of the

pickleweed could be irrigated during a dry year or drained during a wet

one to reduce these losses.

Following the meeting, Fancher still said a tidal inlet is the

healthiest way to protect the wetlands and will not result in increased

beach closures, as suggested by groups such as the Surfrider Foundation.

“We’ll respond by providing the commission more explanation on [water

quality and beach posting issues], and we hope the commission will have

all the information it could possibly want to agree with us,” Fancher

said. “I’m upbeat by what happened at the workshop and the commission

seemed to favor wetland restoration.”

Dettloff said the commission would look over the project carefully,

especially when it concerned water heading into Huntington Harbour.

“Locally, configuration of the [East Garden Grove] Wintersburg Channel

is important to ensure that water going into the ocean and into

Huntington Harbour is as clean as possible,” she said. “Clean water is

one of the number one priorities with Huntington Beach.”

Currently, the Bolsa Chica Channel, Sunset Channel and the Wintersburg

Channel empty into Huntington Harbour.