Eyeing the storms, protecting your home

Mike Swanson

The rains came in full force to Laguna Beach and the rest of Southern

California on Christmas, and with more storms predicted in the coming

weeks, Laguna officials are offering pointers to protect homes and

the ocean.

Water quality is always a major issue in Laguna, and the oceans

are most at risk after a storm, said Rick Wilson, chairman of the

Laguna Beach chapter of the Surfrider Foundation.

“The city’s mantra is, ‘Nothing but rain in the storm drain,’”

Wilson said. “The best thing every homeowner can do is have no runoff

from their homes into the storm drains, including hose water.”

Aliso and Main beaches catch the most runoff, Wilson said, and

anything in one’s lawn or on the street ends up in the ocean. The

city’s high volume of houses under construction also creates a

problem, as silt runoff can be just as damaging as litter, Wilson

said.

Construction sites are often fenced throughout the year to prevent

runoff, but sites need to be watched even more carefully in the rainy

months. City building inspectors keep a closer eye on construction

sites from Oct. 1 to April 30, when builders are required to have

erosion control measures in place, city building official John

Gustafson aid.

“We don’t rely on complaints,” Gustafson said. “We have every one

of our inspectors looking at sites and ensuring that they all stay

buttoned up.”

The city has 53 storm drains, most of which are small and designed

to handle trickles of water, Wilson said. The diversions are disabled

during the winter so the city’s treatment plant isn’t flooded, which

means all rain water flows to the beach.

With the amount of hillside homes, and especially homes at the

bottom of hills, heavy rain is capable of reaching and entering

residents’ front doors as well. The city provides empty sandbags for

residents at all of the city’s fire stations for those who want a

little extra protection. Filled sandbags can be bought at Home Depot

and similar stores, Director of Public Works Steve May said. May had

no suggestions for where residents can get sand, but said taking it

from the beach is illegal.

“My suggestion is for residents to plan well ahead,” May said.

Sandbags are used regularly at construction sites, Gustafson said.

The city’s tougher tactics on water-quality measures are

relatively new, Gustafson said, but people are gradually learning the

rules and playing by them, especially on construction sites.

“None of these guys want to be issued stop-work orders, and

they’ve learned that that’s what we do if they aren’t staying clean,”

Gustafson said. “We make it clear that we want nothing coming off

those sites but clean water.”

Swimmers are advised to stay out of the water during rain and 72

hours after rain, Wilson said, especially at Aliso and Main beaches,

Wilson said.

“I realize people who have to be out surfing every day will go out

no matter how healthy it is, but I still like to remind everyone that

it isn’t a very smart thing to do,” Wilson said.

The Surfrider Foundation sponsors a water testing program at

Laguna Beach High School, where a “Surfrider Club” group of about 50

students tests several beaches in Laguna every week and reports the

results in fliers posted around town. Checking these results every

week is another way to give residents some information regarding

which beaches have the most problems, Wilson said.

“But again, you shouldn’t be swimming at any beach after it

rains,” Wilson said.

The National Weather Service is predicting heavy rain in Laguna

today that will continue into the evening.