An Open Letter to the Community from Mark Abramson of SMBRF

Residents of Malibu:

I have never met three people so mad that they can’t move on with their lives and can so twist the actual truth and facts to bolster their blatantly untrue arguments. I try not to get involved in this drama but when you so vehemently attack a person who has spent her whole life defending and protecting the environment in and around Malibu I can no longer stay silent. Just to set the record straight no proponent of this project ever claimed that the project in and of itself would fix the algae issues at the lagoon. The amount of nutrients coming from upstream and adjacent properties makes it impossible to reduce algal blooms in the lagoon which receives all the pollution from upstream and adjacent properties. The new configuration does improve the circulation and tidal inundation and flushing. The enhanced circulation during the open and closed conditions serves two main purposes:

1.       Tidal flushing will scour out the decaying algae that sits on the bottom during larger tidal events. This decaying algae is what created the horrible oxygen robbing muck that made the old lagoon smell so badly and  was removed from the lagoon during the restoration. If you visit the lagoon today you will notice that the smell has vanished.  The improved tidal flushing will also scour fine grain sediments (silts and clays) and leave behind more course grain sediments like sand. Nutrients tend to attach to fine grain sediments and can re-suspend themselves in the water column during certain times of the year which can contribute to algal blooms. The fact of the matter is that if the large nutrient inputs are not dramatically reduced there will always be large algal blooms in the creek and the lagoon. If you walk upstream the same algae is in the creek and unless the stream flow can reverse gravity it is not coming from the lagoon.

2.       The improved wind driven circulation during the closed condition. The new channel is wider and takes advantage of the prevailing winds at the lagoon. The islands and bridges that used to interrupt the wind have been removed and the new island configuration actually helps to funnel winds along the new channel uninterrupted all the way to the Adamson house. This longer unobstructed channel allows the wind to create waves which mix the water during the closed condition. The former lagoon had almost no circulation during the closed condition. If you visit the EcoMalibu website and look at the videos http://ecomalibu.org/video-page1.htmlthey clearly show circulation happening below the surface, even on days with minor wind and most of the water surface covered with algae. This circulation is helping to oxygenate the water despite the algal blooms and those same videos show schools of thriving fish (top smelt and jack smelt) which are notoriously sensitive to environmental conditions.

Please feel free to review any public testimony (there is plenty) or any of the environmental studies which can be reviewed at http://ecomalibu.org/studies.html that discuss the project.  

Suzanne Goode has dedicated her life to protecting wildlife and wild places for the people of California and millions of visitors who come to this great State to see its natural beauty. She has personally been involved with the acquisition and protection of thousands of acres of property in the Santa Monica Mountains that will always be free of development and wild. Places where ours and future generations can visit and appreciate the incredible natural landscapes that will continue to exist. It is these same places that allow for wildlife to continue  to exist despite the incredible amounts of development that surround them. Suzanne could have easily worked in the private sector and made substantially more money but chose to work for the State in order to protect these wonderful places. She fights daily against people and profiteers trying to illegally take some of this property for their own personal gain.

In terms of removing the illegal garden planted on State Parks property at Malibu Lagoon by a private Malibu Colony Resident I personally believe Suzanne should be applauded. Her job is to protect these resources that are in her care for the people and wildlife of California and that is precisely what she did.  It is incredulous that someone believes that they are so entitled that they can just plant and irrigate a garden on somebody else’s property. Not to mention that the “harmless garden” was planted with vines and plants that outcompete native vegetation and that the State and other resource agencies spend significant resources to maintain native vegetation diversity and eliminate non native and invasive vegetation.

I had hoped that after the lagoon was complete that even the few yet vocal opponents would at least hope that the project would succeed. Anyone can see that these loud bullies would rather the lagoon die so they could be right just once. It is obvious that they do not care about the lagoon now or in its former degraded condition. It is insane to think that with the approximately 70,000 acres that Suzanne looks after, she would engage in a project that didn’t need to happen. I know that the bully brigade hates facts and science but all the science and all the experts agree that this project needed to happen and so far the lagoon and the wildlife that calls this place home is better for it.

You are welcome to criticize and attack me but rest assured I will not be reading your comments and I am only engaging to correct the intentionally erroneous statements and to defend one of my personal environmental heroes. Every person who pays taxes in the State of California should be eternally grateful to have a person like Suzanne Goode working for them and looking after their investments.

Sincerely,

Mark Abramson

Senior Watershed Advisor

Santa Monica Bay Restoration Foundation

Rodenticides end up KILLING these great rodent predators!

Rodentcides end up killing these great  rodent controllers.   Dear Neighbors, We were very happy a couple of weeks ago that the City of Malibu passed our Resolution against Rodenticide use. Rodent poisons in the Santa Monica Mountains are decimating our coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions, owls, hawks and others at an alarming rate, with exposure rates of about 90%. This is due to passed along poisoning when the predators eat the weakened rodents. Attached is some information describing the problem. Also a great website about the effects in the Santa Mountains by a UCLA PhD student who works with the Nation Park Service is http://www.urbancarnivores.com/ Please do not use rodent poisons. See the attached pamphlet for suggestions instead. If you use a pest control service, please consider using an eco-friendly one. Here are links to providers who are certified to be eco-friendly by three certification outfits - Ecowise, Greenshield, Green Pro. From Ecowise: http://www.ecowisecertified.org/ecowise_find.html From Green Shield: http://www.greenshieldcertified.org/providers/#CA From Green Pro: http://www.certifiedgreenpro.org/QProApproved.cfm From the introduction to the City of Malibu Resolution: From the introduction to the City of Malibu Resolution: "Over the past year, several members of the community have addressed the City Council with concerns regarding secondary poisoning and killng of wildlife and domestic animals resulting from the use of anticoagulant rodenticides by home and business owners to combat the infestation of rodents on their property. The products contain active ingredients that cause lethal internal hemorrhaging in the animals that ingest the poison. Unfortunately, pets or wildlife may also be kiled by ingesting rodenticides or may become sick or die due to secondary exposure from consuming the dead or dying rodents. Some animals in California that have been identified as victims of secondary rodenticide poisoning include numerous varieties of hawks, owls and other scavenging birds, as well as foxes, coyotes and more. As there are numerous, less dangerous alternatives available to address the problem of rodent infestation, including non-anticoagulant products or traps, Councilmembers La Monte and Sibert are requesting the Council adopt Resolution No. 13-28 to urge businesses in Malibu to no longer use or sell anticoagulant rodenticides, urge all property owners to cease purchasing or using the poisons on their properties in Malibu and to commit the City of Malibu to not use anticoagulant rodenticides as part of its maintenance program for City-owned parks and facilities." Thank you, your neighbor, Kian Schulman Poison Free Malibu

EPA implements new water quality regulations for Malibu Watershed

Posted: Monday, July 22, 2013 6:45 am

http://www.malibutimes.com/news/local/article_bba47766-f290-11e2-924e-0019bb2963f4.html?_dc=48616681480.78024&_dc=260082

By Colin Newton / Special to The Malibu Times | 1 comment

The Environmental Protection Agency established new regulations for the Malibu Watershed earlier this month.

The EPA listed Malibu Creek and Lagoon as impaired, and identified some sediments, nutrients, including phosphorous and nitrogen, as pollutants.

According to the EPA, the extra sediments and nutrients can have an adverse affect on microscopic organisms, which can negatively impact animals that feed on them, such as clams and shellfish, in the watershed.

“It’s part of the food web,” said Dennis Washburn, chairman of the Malibu Creek Watershed Council. “The system can collapse from the bottom up.”

The goal of the regulations is to control nutrients and sediments at Malibu Creek and Malibu Lagoon by establishing the “Total Maximum Daily Loads” (TMDLs) of pollutants the water body can receive.

“It’s a calculation of how much trash a particular water body can stand,” Washburn said.

It is currently unknown how this will change the way Malibu approaches water management projects, City Manager Jim Thorsen said.

City hall was still reviewing the new regulations, he said.

The EPA also finalized a plan for the Ventura River Estuary and Tributaries, which addresses TMDLs in Ventura and their impact on algae.

The regulations conclude a 14-year effort with the State of California to establish TMDLs for water bodies in the Los Angeles region.

To read the EPA's full report, visit here. 

Damn the Dam!

A watershed of information concerning the details over the Rindge Dam Removal are soon to take shape.

Below is an article published in April by Westlake Malibu Lifestyle Magazine providing a brief history of the Malibu Creek Watershed.

 

The Very First Creek Obstructionist

Mr Rindge spoke with poetic fondness of fishing for his beloved trout in the upper reaches of the Malibu Creek before his wife persuaded him to construct a dam to hold water for their cattle in anticipation of prolonged droughts. Of the 109 miles of the Malibu creek watershed, the Steelhead had 70 miles of suitable habitat for spawning. Since 1926 the Steelhead habitat has been reduced to just 2 miles. Although much of the upper watershed has been degraded with development, removing the dam opens up miles and miles of prime spawning ecosystems through to Malibu Creek State Park with its deep cool pools that once held the largest steelhead.

As the plan for the dams removal draws near, criticism has grown over the cost of restoring the creeks fish habitat. A local newspaper reported that some city council members do not trust the State to improve its own  state controlled waterway. But if the state does not jump in, no other entity can manage or take responsibility  for repairing the obstructed waterway, ( certainly not the city of Malibu ). Due to a vocal minority, local mob that shouted down council members over the Malibu Lagoon Restoration Project, the Malibu City council changed their support of the Restoration to opposing it even though the City council had zero jurisdiction over State Land. Again it appears that the council may bow to a few local interest groups who do not understand the importance of allowing the sediment locked up behind the dam to flow down the creek to replenish our beaches that are suffering from sediment deficiencies. Broad Beach and its $20 million sand replenishment project is just one example of beach front houses being threatened from a lack beach replenishment. If money is not spent  removing useless concrete barriers in our watersheds it will be used for damages resulting in coastal erosion. 

  

If the city council is figuring it can count on surfers to oppose the dams removal like the Lagoon project they are mistaken. Surfers up and down the coast realize the importance of sediment flows out to the surf zones and will feverishly support the dams removal.

            

Prevailing Wind Circulation Creates Upwelling

State Showers Surfers with a Stainless Steal Gift!

Here is a picture of the first Surfer getting a rinse from the newly installed shower at the Malibu  Lagoon parking lot. The old shower was donated by the Malibu Surfing Association and Santa Monica Bay Keeper which was vandalized many times and out of use for the last year. State Parks put this shower in for Surfers to use but does not have the budget to maintain it should it continue to be vandalized. Visitors  have also been stealing sprinkler heads along the path to third point. A warning to those in the area that are suspected of vandalizing state property that fines and punishment can be tough if convicted. 

 

Clean Water Advocate's Rebuttal to Andy Lyon's Claims

The article below is a rebuttal by Bob Purvey of ECOMALIBU to a recent Malibu Times OP ED article submitted by vocal Lagoon Restoration opponent Andy Lyon.

 

By Bob Purvey

As always, Mr. Lyon is wrong about the lagoon restoration. He has again misinterpreted, and then misrepresented the facts in his recent Op-Ed piece.
Here are the facts:
Lyon issue #1: No Hydrology studies
No project of this size and importance could be designed and implemented without extensive hydrological studies. The studies included detailed modeling of the circulation, both an open and closed condition, to evaluate different channel configurations and how they would perform. These studies were the basis for the precision design of the newly restored Malibu Lagoon. The tides reach the exact elevations as marked on the islands and winter ramp. The wind now circulates the water throughout the entire lagoon, including the area formerly known as the “dead-zone.” Thus far, the lagoon is performing better than expected. Tidal circulation has dramatically increased during an open condition, and wind driven circulation is vastly improved during closed conditions. This is exactly what the hydrologists, engineers and project proponents said would occur. Now, the lagoon fish and wildlife are truly thriving and willcontinue to improve as this restoration matures.
Lyon issue #2: Algae paddy going from bank to bank
Interesting how the picture I took this morning of the same place in your picture doesn’t show the same amount of algae one day later... I wonder why? Yes, algae is in the Lagoon, as well as Malibu Creek and throughout the watershed. This lagoon restoration was intended to clean out pollutants and restore the circulation within the western channels that are sandwiched in by ten neighboring Colony residences, the Perrenchio golf course, PCH and the adjacent Cross Creek shopping malls. It was never intended to eliminate algae because of the significant up-stream influence of nutrient rich creek water circulating through the lagoon. There are major sources of nutrients upstream and adjacent to the lagoon that cause algal blooms. As these sources of nutrients are reduced by implementing water quality laws that prevent the nutrient issues, the quality of the lagoon will continue to improve. Nonetheless, algae is a natural occurrence in a functioning lagoon system. There will always be algae in the lagoon. The improved circulation will now prevent an inordinate accumulation of decomposing algae on the bottom that robs dissolved oxygen from the water. The wind driven circulation in the newly restored lagoon will oxygenate the water and will protect against the extremely low levels of dissolved oxygen that prevented fish and other aquatic wildlife from fully thriving. But let’s be clear, algae is a food source for certain species of fish and birds, which are important to the natural lagoon (estuary) system.
Lyon issue # 3: Rindge Dam no hydrology studies and 150 million dollars
As always, any project that impacts or changes hydrology will be meticulously studied. The Rindge Dam study has been ongoing for more than 10 years. Millions of dollars have been spent studying the hydrology, sediment regime, flood protection, wildlife habitat, and improved beach sand replenishment associated with the dam removal. No price tag has been stated for the removal of Rindge Dam nor has the method by which the dam might be removed been decided upon, however nothing even close to 150 million has ever been mentioned within the community of long-term environmentalist.
Andy, facts are facts.




Comments ?


Matt Horns posted at 1:56 am on Thu, Jul 4, 2013.

Posts: 166
Malibu Lagoon is one of three coastal wetlands in Los Angeles County (the others are Los Angeles River's and Ballona Creek's estuaries) that support thriving populations of striped mullet. Striped mullet feed on dead decayed algae and diatoms that have sunk to the bottom. They keep the bottom of the lagoon clean. That enhances dissolved oxygen levels in the substrate. This improves habitat for tidewater gobies and dozens if other imperilled native aquatic species. Striped mullets' habitat in Malibu Lagoon has been hugely expanded by the recent lagoon restoration project. This allows the "Newly Restored and Enhanced" west channels to once again support a thriving native ecosystem for the first time in almost 100 years.


stevewoodzy@aol.com
7:03 PM (14 hours ago)

to BobPurvey
Absolutely , we would be honored to post your suggestion ,, really well done ,, we have other pics too ,, just have not had the time . but will soon as possible 

La-GOON-ies Are At It Again

Malibu Lagoon RESTORED???

     #WRONGAGAIN

    Photo: Andy L.         Photo : Bob P.        Photo :Bob P.

Here is a sequence of three images taken from the same location in the new Malibu Lagoon. The last two were taken yesterday.  The first is Andy Lyon's photo, which was published in the Malibu Times, this past Thursday, 6/28/13, with his grossly misinformed Op Ed story.  His photo shows what he wants everyone to believe that it’s a permanent condition: "Algae..from bank to bank." Interesting how the algae all but disappeared within twelve hours, yesterday. The improved circulation of the new lagoon flushed out the algae as anticipated.  This clearly documents the enhanced circulation of the restored lagoon.  Even during a closed condition, as it is today, the wind driven circulation has enough energy to redistribute the algae as seen in the photos above.  Thankfully, State Parks and the other project proponents listened to the expert Hydrologists, Scientists and Engineers and not the constant drone of Lyon and few others. How can one person and his equals be so consistently wrong?  Contrary to your many statements, Lyon, the surf is not screwed up, the fish, birds and wildlife are thriving and the water quality has improved. Here's hoping you can move on to something more productive. Bob Purvey --

Posted by Andy Lyon with a 411 rebuttal 

One year later and look what we have now... They never did a hydrology study as they were supposed to do and now this is what it is doing. THAT IS A GIANT THICK ALGAE PADDY GOING FROM BANK TO BANK SOLID...The claim of better circulation was BUNK! They are trying to hand in an after the fact hydrology study NOW??? Little late for that! And our City Manager accepts that? Right...

You all can thank 
HEAL THE BAY
BAYKEEPER
SURFRIDER FOUNDATION
CA. STATE PARKS 
SANTA  MONICA BAY RESTORATION COMMISSIONand all the others that wasted 
PROP 50 CLEAN DRINKING WATER BOND MONEY ON THIS PROJECT.

Know that these same people are about to do a project on the other side of the PCH bridge at Serra Rd across from the old Guido's under the guise of 'cleaning' up the arundo and the creek that is really just making room for a parking lot and trail access... no traffic study on how a parking lot just after serra rd and before the bridge will affect the highway?? Great !
The same people want to tear out the dam ($150m easily) without doing any hydrology studies, putting cross creek residents property in serious jeopardy.
Our City Council is all too ready to violate BROWN ACT laws in order to get the bluffs park swap going and spreading fear of big bad Joe Edminston in order to achieve that, while doing absolutely ZERO to stop projects by these groups that are doing REAL damage to Malibu.
These groups are no friend to Malibu.
Peel those Heal the Bay and Surfrider foundation stickers off your car and stop giving them money !
Look what they did to the lagoon... #FAIL

411 Rebuttal to Andy's post and Commenters 

One mans icky algae issues  can be a Goby's treasure for hiding from predators . Every coastal water course in So Cal. is experiencing algae blooms which is common during hot weather and low seasonal rainfall . 

  Just like many of Andy Lyons  distortions of the truth , his claim that the State's permit to eradicate Arundo along the Malibu Creek is somehow a conspiracy to sneak in a parking lot and a trail head are off the charts false . There is a State permit for eradicating the non native Arundo which chokes water ways when allowed to grow out of control . These projects are taking place all over California and thank god the state is taking responsibility for doing so in our watershed. Unrelated to to the Arundo eradication project are the future plans that the state has in the planning stages to give better  access  to an already   existing State Parks trail that starts in Serra Retreat and climbs up the canyon . The State simply wants to give California taxpayers better access with less than 10 parking spaces on STATE LAND that the state owns . No Native trees will be affected and very  little habitat will be disturbed but Andy cannot stand the fact that the State wants to utilize state land that is land for ALL Californians . As much as Andy wants to keep things from Changing and to dictate what others do on some elses land , he does not have that power and neither does the City council . After the Arundo  eradication is completed ,the State has many hoops to go through  and permits to get with Cal Trans  before the Trail Head Parking is commenced .  

  

Comments to Post 

michael lynch June 25, 2013 at 08:10 am

when nature makes changes to itself (evolution) things usually get better. when humans make changes to nature (progress) the impact to nature is usually negative.

      

  Correct Michael ,  human changes screwed up the complicated hydraulic network of wetlands that were destroyed when the Colony and Cross Creek transformed cheap " swamp land " into summer homes and retail outlets .Man has always made ignorant  mistakes and has been short sighted but to Mans credit , Man is able to work out solutions for the  problems caused by there predecessors. Doing Nothing Solves nothing about the problems that the old Channels were suffering from. Large new Fish populations and the Waterfowl feeding on them are proof that habitat improvements are working better than expected already . Some  Audubon members are astounded by the the bird counts and the number of species that are already  moving in. .   

Flag as Inappropriate

V.P.A. June 25, 2013 at 08:49 am

Just another instance in why we need to change the personnel within our Council. This really should be the last straw. It's a disgrace. We shouldn't let them tamper with anything further. They proved incompetent to do so. There has to be a way to bring in a better calibre of Council.

    

    V.P.A, The city council has no jurisdiction Over  any  State owned parks  property or any federally controlled waterways   and had no power to overturn an EPA study that found the Malibu lagoon dysfunctional and impaired.If there were 5 Andy's  on the city council and all 5 Andy's voted against the Restoration nothing would change and the disfunctional lagoon would be still harboring deadly bacterias in the narrow stagnant lifeless dead zones on the back end  . 

Flag as Inappropriate

John Mazza June 25, 2013 at 09:34 am

There is a better way. Don't drink the cool aid that the Malibu machine candidates put out and do what Andy does ---RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE. There is an election next April and the machine candidates LaMonte and Rosenthal are running. All you have to do is vote. Only a third of Malibu voters vote.

     

 John , The last city council voted AGAINST supporting  the Restoration project due to local pressure but it was meaningless and the council knew it .Even Govenor Brown supported cleaning up the Lagoon  The city council also has to submit to the Regional Water Board because the City of Malibu has been negligent in septic discharge violations in areas that impact public health and safety . Malibu must maintain state and federal guidelines whenmandated regardless who is on the city council   

 

alden marin June 25, 2013 at 09:37 am

The poor, dug up Lagoon may grow back, but to what--now that they've made a totally unnatural lake out of it. This was never how it was historically, though they tried to convince us of this non fact. Very sad indeed. AND--when it doesn't grow back to any kind of reasonable configuration (as it was doing pre-excavation, building back its natural mud flats and narrow old channels)--they can just go right back in and dig it up again and again, in a make-work cycle, for the money they soak from bonds. This is a pernicious, unfair and highly damaging syndrome for our estuaries and our town (and the whole world!) and must be stopped. Shame on State Parks, Heal the Bay and The Bay Commission. Terrible work and very poorly realized. A waste of wildlife, time, money and everything else.

   

      Aldin , The poor lagoon was not deemed impaired before human developers ruined the wetlands and hindered the natural hydraulics  on the flood plain . The state will not evict the Private Colony homes or businesses that initially screwed up the once natural dynamics  . A true restoration would have to take out PCH , Cross Creek and many of the Colony homes that were literally built on the wetlands thanks to the area being filled with HWY fill. The State only had what little property it had to restore as much as possible in light that over 90% of wetlands in So Cal have been destroyed by Real Estate  developers. The western channels was used as a dump for building materials such as concrete , asphalt tractor tires , fuel tanks , Rusty iron, ceramic and concrete  pipes , truck parts , creosoted poles , bricks and in some places 8-10 feet of unnatural  greasy lard like Clay was dumped on the natural creeks aggregate and fauna  compliments of Cal Trans .Most of that was  removed by the state . Why don't you lambast those who initially screwed the wetlands , you know , those first greedy contractors who filled the channels behind the sand berm  to build summer homes in the Colony ? Oh I forgot that would make you  semi hypocritical since you lived there at some point . 

Ted Vaill June 25, 2013 at 12:09 pm

They are from the government and they are here to hurt you, especially if you were a non-human animal or plant formerly living in the Malibu Lagoon.

    Ted , Really ? What part of the restoration gives that impression ? Why did the State have such  an elaborate plan to avoid any loss of animal or bird life when they waited for the last of the Bird nest babies to fledge and fly away before any work started in that area ? Why were elaborate steps taken with dozens of biologist  and wildlife loving volunteers  to relocate any creatures in the work area ? Why were crews walking in front of the machinery checking under  every leaf  or non native bush ? Why was there an extensive effort to net every square inch of the Western channels in search of any fish that were relocated to the Main channel ? Why was Growing Solutions brought in the salvage the Native plants that were to be propagated and replanted in the restored channels ? Of course your gardener would never cut or prune a plant , I mean HURT a plant .   

  

Flag as Inappropriate

Flag as Inapprop

John Mazza June 25, 2013 at 09:35 am

I forgot to mention. THAT IS ONE SHOCKING PICTURE. WHAT GIVES?

   John , Andy's Picture "Shocks " You ? If it  does, you better not  look at any other waterways in Southern California . You will also be shocked at the Topanga ,  Trancas and Zuma Creek Lagoons. And oh boy do not look anywhere up into the Malibu Creek . I think that would be just too too icky for you ! 

V.P.A. June 27, 2013 at 01:34 am

Thank heavens for Andy Lyon. He's not intimidated by the various agencies & is prepared to speak out for what he believes. His research is phenomenal. We must all now seriously back his campaign. We have allowed ourselves to be victims of incompetence & unethical interests; hipocracy too. Andy's only interests lie in the preservation of Malibu's environment for us & future generations. This is a huge Wake up call so Let's wake up, take a leaf out of his book by action. Thank you Andy.

V.P.A, You say "We must all now seriously  back his campaign " What campaign is that ? At one of the City council debates he was recorded saying why the Lagoon was HIS issue and went on to say that the reason this was  his issue is because he is going to take a HIT because of the lagoon Project. Then he elaborated that because he is a Realtor of listings of homes  adjacent to the Lagoon that he would have to inform his clients who lease those homes for $ 100,000 a month that there would be Tractors back there . He admitted that he would take a financial hit   . His claims that the surf would be destroyed was BS along with the Goby genocide and  the murderous animal Massacres.   

Stoked June 27, 2013 at 07:17 am

So what causes algae growth? Look up eutrophication and ask yourself what we are dumping into the watersheds. Tapia's nitrogen levels are higher than acceptable and your gardener has probably overshot the chemical fertilizers and then leached the product that hit target by overwatering.
Don't blame those that cleared out the non-natives so you now have a better look at what YOU have been doing to our natural habitats

Algae blooms are  common all over  southern California especially   during hot weather and periods of low rain fall . Many species need algae for food and protection against predators. Algae blooms can be a result of humans introducing too many nitrates and phosphates from house hold cleansers and fertilizers into the body of water   

Joan Almond June 26, 2013 at 07:08 am

Lets all pray for an El Nino next year and hopefully Mother Nature will kick in in her magnanimous way and put everything back where it should like to 

 Yes Joan , All Malibu Surfers need to pray for a massive El Nino in order for the Main channel to deliver more cobblestones out into the Surf zone . Since 1983 there have been some  strong El Nino events that had almost zero affect on the western Channels . When the Main channel is in full flood , Bank to bank and the berm blasted out to sea , the western channels sits peacefully on the sidelines oblivious to the raging flood waters sweeping out to sea .

alden marin June 27, 2013 at 06:34 pm

As usual, from the bulldozing and clear cutting proponents, who dig and destroy first--then make false accusations later...there were NEVER any septic pipes or outlets from The Malibu Colony into the Lagoon! Never! This is simply and utterly false information being promulgated by someone, above-- who has NO IDEA of the Truth. The pipes that were excavated in the recent Lagoon bulldozing destruction dig were exclusively gravity drains from the EAST end of the Colony, put there by the Keiwits and the Deutsch Families to ease the historic flooding that has plagued the east end of the Colony over the decades--a known fact.... This is true and widely known to Colony residents---AND to the State of California who is/was aware of the gravity drains, which are repeatedly misidentified by above persons as sewage or cesspool run off pipes. It's simply NOT ACCURATE or TRUE and dishonest to claim this! Additionally, the Kirsten residence has a sump pump on the back side of their property (I am informed by S Littlejohn, 50 year long Colony resident in excellent standing and reputation) also-- for the purpose of cyclic flooding on their property. It should go noted that the culvert under the former access road which ran along the back of the old lagoon had a similar gravity drain. Malibu needs to know that there was never, at any time, septic or sewage pumps from the Colony into the Lagoon! To say so is entirely wrong & false, if not actionable. If these critics persist with this type of untruth, it shows they lack even the most basic information, and rely upon bulldozers instead of brain

steve dunn June 27, 2013 at 08:06 pm

As a 51 year resident surfer and one who knows the topography well in this area, Alden is 100% accurate.! When that area used to flood, Hervey Babanou would use a small bulldozer to breech the berm when the water would overflow in the Colony. The clay runoff pipes that were there were capped off in the 83 restoration by State Parks and then removed in this restoration

 Steve and Aldin,, According to the topography gravity pipes would drain towards the beach not the lagoon. This is highlighted by the fact that they need to use a sump pump to drain the one storm drain. These pipes were being used as chases that any type of waste discharge could simply be pumped through and directly into the lagoon. The Contractor  did not find any direct connections to the pipes but did find at least 2 small new PVC pipes inside of the ceramic and concrete pipes .These pipes were not all abandoned and the houses all have separate gravity drains much smaller in size that legally drain stormwater to the newly created swale from low areas in the back yards. The majority of the properties drain in the other direction. Any other discharge is not legal. The good news is these pipes are no longer available to discharge anything into the lagoon. SteveD. you are right , the Colony residents breeched the lagoon by there own means or lobbied the county to bulldoze the berm but not because of flooding . The Main reason was to lower the water table that had gotten so high that adjacent septic tanks and leech fields became submerged to the point that Toilets could not be flushed and at times  human waste backed up into the residence. A witness watched one resident with this problem use a  sump pump to empty  his septic tank into one of the illegal pipes that drained into the lagoon. That is one of the reasons some surfers saw actual turds in the surf zone when the county breeched the lagoon .    

Weasled Their Way Back

While Willy the Weasel sitings were plentiful during the Malibu Lagoon Restoration, sitings of his new family were not - until a few days ago when Willy's offspring were seen scampering around their newly remodeled home. An admirer was seen photographed the little guy heading toward an abundant food source in the western channels.

A Tern for the Worse : Predators

A flock of endangered Least Terns headlines globally last week when they returned to breed on the sandy shores of the Malibu Lagoon, as reported here first on the 411, but quickly left after crows or herons preyed on their eggs.

The diminutive “least terns,” so named because they are the smallest tern species, frequently inhabit the lagoon during the winter, says Suzanne Goode, a senior environmental scientist with California State Parks, but seeing them breed was something different.

“They feed in the lagoon and in the ocean, fly around, it’s just that they’ve never laid any eggs here since 1940,” Goode said. “The basic problem these  birds like to be on the sandy beach, and that’s where all the people like to be.” 

It’s unclear why the birds came to Malibu to breed after all this time, although Goode said there are theories.  "The Least Terns may have been lured by the ample fish populations in the Lagoon. The birds appear to come from the colony in Venice."

“They [could have experienced] heavy predation at Venice,” Goode said. “Number two, we fenced in a bigger enclosure this time [intended for snowy plovers, another bird]... another factor might be that the topography is much more open now [after the Malibu Lagoon Restoration Project], they like places with NOT a lot of shrubs around.”

“We had 58 birds here [last week], but only seven nests,” Goode said. “There were only seven nests to defend. Obviously if they haven’t laid their nests yet there’s nothing for them to defend, so they need to have about 30-35 nests before they can effectively fight off the crows.

According to Goode, after just completing  a walk thru of the nesting area with Nora Cook, they found six predated eggs. There we're tracks of American Crows adjacent to all and tracks of gulls, and medium sized herons (BCNH, SNEG) next to most and one set of GBHE/GREG tracks. The nest depressions were either intact or wind blown and were not over washed or disturbed by humans. Fears of Large surf and high tides sweeping through the nesting site was a concern but such forces did not impact  the site .The fenced area was overwashed at both the west and east ends.

There were 5+ sets of human tracks in the enclosure, 4 appear to go in/out as if retrieving something. One set does go along the rear wrack line and probably within 5 -10 ft of the nesting area. There is an area on the east end with multiple tracks that appear to go in and look at a dead gull There is one fresh set of dog tracks that appeared to enter from the east end and move along the fence, but did not go into the colony.

Upon further assessment, Goode established that a predator, most likely a crow, but possibly a heron found the colony and predated the nests

We’re going to leave the fence up here for a couple more weeks to see what happens, fence left up for snowy plover,” Goode said. “They could decide to come back here.”

Ecosystem Rescued

The opposition's ads seem to be getting smaller in the Surfside News, they went from three straight weeks of full page ads to a half page this week - could that mean they are running out of lies?

The truth is - when you got facts, you have plenty of FULL PAGE ads - here is some more information about the Malibu Lagoon Restoration:

Welcome back!

The Malibu Lagoon State Beach welcome's back the Least Tern's who haven't nested here in 73 years!

The 411 was at the Malibu Lagoon State Beach yesterday witnessing State Parks and Beaches and Harbor put up protective fencing and strategizing to ensure the safety of the nests located on the outer skirts of the lagoon area and on the sand.