MAILBAG - Dec. 6, 2007

Glass wall should be removed for safety

The 4,400-foot-long glass wall at Bolsa Chica should come down. Bolsa Chica is one of the most important natural areas for birds in Southern California. Putting up a glass wall nearly a mile long in this area simply does not make sense.

The claim of the developer that somehow the housing itself will stop birds from hitting the glass is simply wishful thinking.

CONNIE BOARDMAN

Huntington Beach

No warnings posted for contaminated water

According to a report recently released by the Bolsa Chica Conservancy, the inlet to the Bolsa Chica wetlands is contaminated by enterococcus bacteria to levels that frequently exceed AB411 California state standards. Enterococcus bacteria is the fecal indicator that the Environmental Protection Agency has recommended to be the primary indicator of choice for the detection of pathogens in ocean waters.

The report states “Over a 12-month period, samples were collected by the Conservancy’s volunteer scientists at ebb and flood tides.” And: “After a year-long examination of bacterial levels in the ocean inlet, the Conservancy’s study demonstrates that there is no significant bacterial impact from the newly restored Bolsa Chica wetland on the water quality at Bolsa Chica State Beach. Bacteria levels generally are safely below closure thresholds established by the state of California’s Assembly Bill 411.”

However, as their data clearly show, state thresholds for enterococcus bacteria were exceeded on five out of 18 days sampled over a period of one year, or greater than 25% of the time.

Comparable bacterial exceedance rates for enterococcus at the county Health Care Agency monitored sites north (at 33N), and south (at 27N) of the new tidal inlet are 1.9% and 4.5% respectfully out of 215 days sampled over the same period of time.

A 25% sample data bacterial exceedance rate would make the Bolsa Chica inlet the most frequently contaminated REC 1 site currently being regularly monitored in Orange County. Unfortunately this site, unlike other problematic sites at the Santa Ana and San Gabriel river mouths, and the Talbert Marsh, are neither regularly monitored nor posted with warning signs by the county Health Care Agency.

DON SCHULZ

Surfrider Foundation

Huntington Beach/Seal Beach Chapter