Nesting could halve dredging of creek

Alicia Robinson

Orange County crews will have to stop dredging sediment from San

Diego Creek on Monday unless the Army Corps of Engineers grants an

extension of the county’s permit for the work.

Workers on March 5 resumed a $3.3-million creek clearing project

that began in December after county officials said the creek was

overgrown and full of sediment, creating a risk of flooding. If the

creek flooded, officials warned, it could send raw sewage from a

nearby treatment plant into the Upper Newport Bay.

Late last month, the Army Corps of Engineers and California

Coastal Commission granted the county emergency permits to continue

clearing vegetation and sediment.

The Army Corps permit ends Monday to protect the nesting season of

the least Bell’s vireo, an endangered bird that has previously been

sighted in the area, county Public Works Director Kenneth R. Smith

said.

“We will be sending a request for extension of that deadline, and

it will be based upon continued monitoring of the endangered

species,” Smith said. “The proposal would be that we would continue

the work only if the bird was not beginning the nesting process, so

the monitoring would ensure that we modify our activities so that it

does not endanger the species.”

Environmental activists have raised concerns about the creek

clearing project, which they said denuded parts of a streamside

habitat that was used by animals.

But environmentalist Jack Skinner, who recently visited the creek,

said he’s satisfied with the work that’s being done now because it is

preserving a corridor of plants and trees along the east side of the

creek.

Ironically, the removal of numerous willow trees at the beginning

of the project left few places for birds to nest, so nesting season

is probably less of a concern now, Skinner said.

“I frankly am pleased that there isn’t more disruption with the

riparian habitat than has already been done,” he said. “The real

damage was done early.”

Overall, Skinner said, he’s resigned to the way the project was

conducted but he hopes the Army Corps of Engineers will place

stringent requirements on the county to replace the habitat that was

destroyed.

* ALICIA ROBINSON covers business, politics and the environment.

She may can be reached at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail at

alicia.robinson@latimes.com.