Three good projects in development

VIC LEIPZIG AND LOU MURRAY

Nine months ago, Lou and I wrote a column about the development of a

restoration plan for the Huntington wetlands. Although the plan was

in its early stages then, it was well received at a public meeting

called by the Huntington Beach Wetlands Conservancy.

At another meeting this past Monday night, the public heard

further details from the conservancy. Actual restoration work is

still a long way off, but the plan makes clear that the job can, in

fact, be done.

There are four separate parcels of historic wetland along Pacific

Coast Highway in the southwest part of town. The conservancy refers

to them as the Talbert Marsh (lying north of the Talbert channel

inlet), the Brookhurst Marsh (lying north of Brookhurst Street), the

Magnolia Marsh (lying north of Magnolia) and the Newland Marsh (lying

between Newland and Beach Boulevard). The engineering firm of

Moffit-Nichol has developed plans for restoring each of these marshes

to tidal functioning.

One of the major benefits of this restoration would be to offset

the loss of 95% of California’s coastal wetlands that has occurred

over the past century of development. Draining and filling has

devastated the ability of the coast to support migrating and

wintering birds. Restoration of both the Huntington Wetlands and the

Bolsa Chica would add greatly to the ability of our town to attract

additional birdlife, which in turn attracts eco-tourists and their

dollars.

One question from the floor this past Monday night had to do with

what is now a rapidly rising public concern over mosquitoes. With the

coming of West Nile Virus to Orange County, people have good reason

to wonder if a marsh project might increase the population of

mosquitoes in the area. There is good news. The restoration project

will certainly result in fewer mosquitoes, not more.

The reason is pretty simple. Mosquitoes breed only in standing

water. After the restoration, all four marshes would be fully or

partially tidal. This tidal movement of the water will greatly reduce

the likelihood of mosquitoes. Thus the restoration will provide a

significant public health benefit to our community. Additionally,

Orange County Vector Control sprays with Bacillus thuringiensis

israelii in areas of salt water where predatory mosquitofish can’t

survive. These bacteria attack only mosquito larvae, not those of

butterflies.

If the permitting process goes smoothly, and if funding can be

located, the actual construction work on this restoration project

might begin as soon as 2007. Even under an optimistic scenario,

however, the full project isn’t likely to be completed until 2012.

But in the long run, these restored marshes will be a major community

advantage.

Another piece of good news for south Huntington Beach is the

upcoming emergency work on the Ascon-NESI dumpsite. The site needs a

full and complete cleanup, but while the wheels grind slowly to bring

that about, at least some emergency reinforcement of the berms will

take place this summer. The benefit of this is that another major

rain storm won’t wash styrene and other toxics out into Magnolia

Street and the residential neighborhoods to the east.

The third good-news project is that the city now has the funds to

proceed with the planned water treatment wetlands project in Central

Park. This project, conceived of several years ago, would take urban

runoff water out of the Wintersburg flood control channel and run it

through a treatment wetlands to remove toxics and excess nutrients.

The water would then flow into Talbert Lake, the lake immediately

north of the Central Library.

For the past 15 years or so, this lake has been strictly seasonal,

filling with water when it rains, then going dry again each spring.

Previously, the city used to pump water into the lake from its deep

wells, keeping the lake full during the summer. This year, the water

table is so high from last season’s record rainfall, that Talbert

Lake still has water in it.

After the wetland treatment project is completed, the lake would

become year-round once again. The vegetated marshy edges of the lake

would help remove pollutants and would provide valuable wetland

habitat for wildlife. Here too Orange County Vector Control patrols

the water, putting in mosquito fish and spraying as an additional

biological control.

I am well aware that there is urban runoff in the Wintersburg

channel all year round, because I co-chair the committee of the Bolsa

Chica Conservancy that monitors water quality in that channel. Once a

month, we sample the water in the channel as it flows past Gothard

Street. There is water down there right through the heart and heat of

summer. And that water, which ultimately reaches Bolsa Chica and

Huntington Harbour, always has levels of bacteria that exceed

standards for human contact. This proposed Central Park treatment

wetlands would reduce that bacterial source, and would be expected to

improve water quality in Huntington Harbour and Bolsa Chica.

These three projects have been mentioned in this column before.

And given how slowly progress is made, Lou and I will probably cover

these topics repeatedly in coming years. But thankfully we live a

community where progress is positive. Even if these projects move

forward slower than a sea slug crawling in a coastal salt marsh, at

least the progress is in the right direction.

* VIC LEIPZIG and LOU MURRAY are Huntington Beach residents and

environmentalists. They can be reached at vicleipzig@aol.com.