Natural Perspectives

Vic Leipzig and Lou Murray

August 9 is a big date for the Bolsa Chica wetlands. That’s the day

the Coastal Commission meets in Redondo Beach to determine if the various

restoration plans meet state laws governing coastal wetlands. The

commissioners will have a number of plans before them, including the

preferred tidal inlet plan.

A tidal inlet, which should be supported by everyone who wants genuine

restoration, will return the flow of seawater to many acres of the Bolsa

Chica wetlands for the first time in over a century. Much of the restored

area will have full tidal flushing, as it did prior to 1899, when the

Bolsa Chica was dammed. With full tidal flushing, the water level will

rise and fall an average of 6 feet twice a day, as it did prior to human

disturbance. Without the daily ebb and flow of seawater, no meaningful

restoration can be accomplished. Naturally, the larger the area that

receives full tidal flushing, the better the restoration will be. Bolsa

Chica was historically a fully tidal salt marsh; it deserves to be fully

tidal once again.

Other areas of the wetlands are slated to receive muted tidal

flushing, which is a reduced volume of flow. This will provide a certain

amount of habitat enhancement, but it does not allow maximum

biodiversity. We strongly favor full tidal flushing because studies have

shown that this enhances biodiversity tenfold.

One of the most important features of the tidal inlet plan is that no

urban runoff would be allowed into the restored wetlands. Water from the

Wintersburg Flood Control Channel would continue to flow through

Huntington Harbour and out to sea at the Seal Beach Naval Weapons

Station. This will prevent bacteria, plastic, pesticides, palm branches,

motor oil, herbicides and other chemicals and detritus found in urban

runoff from entering the ocean through the restored inlet.

But what about the birds of the marsh? Won’t they contribute to

bacteria on the beach? Over the past three years, the Orange County

Department of Public Health found that public health standards for

enterococcus bacteria in Inner Bolsa Bay were never exceeded, despite all

the bird life. There were two instances when E. coli levels exceeded

state standards, but those events occurred when urban runoff entered the

wetlands from the flood control channel after storm events. It’s obvious

that it is urban runoff, not the birds, that are the problem. The

preferred plan will prevent urban runoff from entering the newly restored

wetland and from exiting through the new inlet.

We talked to local microbiologist Dr. Dave Carlberg about bacteria. He

calculated that after restoration, levels of bacteria at the inlet would

be from 16 to 170 times below the state limit for beach closure. That

sounds pretty safe.

The inlet would be constructed at the south end of the wetlands, with

jetties to keep the inlet from filling in with sand. The jetties have

been designed to not alter sand movement at the beach. There will be no

erosion, but a sandbar will be created offshore, which should enhance

wave structure for surfers, as it did at Talbert Marsh.

It’s true that the inlet will occupy five acres of what is now sandy

beach. In exchange for the loss of five acres of beach due to the

construction of the inlet, we will gain nearly 1000 acres of rich and

varied wetland habitat. This newly restored area will provide sustenance

and shelter to tens of thousands of birds, fish, reptiles and insects,

including many endangered and threatened species.

Keep in mind that, historically, there was a natural inlet to Bolsa

Lagoon. This inlet silted in when tidal flow to Bolsa Bay was blocked by

a dam in 1899. The proposed tidal inlet would simply restore the normal

water flow that once existed and would remove the five acres of beach

that were created when the inlet closed over in 1900.

However, this loss of beach concerns some people. Section 3001.5(c) of

the Coastal Act urges us to “maximize public recreational opportunities

consistent with sound resource conservation principles.” Restoration is

definitely good conservation of resources, and the restoration project

would provide greatly enhanced opportunity for recreational activities

such as bird-watching, nature study and photography, activities enjoyed

by about a third of the adult U.S. population.

Another group that would benefit from the full tidal restoration is

one that might not spring readily to mind -- students. Thousands of

students from elementary school through graduate school currently use the

Bolsa Chica regularly as a living laboratory. Restoration will provide

additional educational opportunities for them.

We find that the major features of the preferred tidal inlet

restoration plan meet both the spirit and letter of the California

Coastal Act, which calls for protection of public health, prevention of

urban runoff into the ocean, enhancement of biodiversity, maintenance of

normal sand movement, provision for educational opportunities and

maximization of recreational opportunities while following sound resource

management principles.

We hope the community will do the right thing and enthusiastically

support full tidal restoration, which will return the Bolsa Chica

wetlands to its natural state.

* VIC LEIPZIG and LOU MURRAY are Huntington Beach residents and

environmentalists. They can be reached at o7 [email protected] .