Algae smothering Malibu Lagoon

By Stephanie Bertholdo bertholdo@theacorn.com

The Malibu Lagoon is choking. Participants of the Malibu Creek Watershed Tour saw firsthand how algae is smothering the bay. Malibu Lagoon spans 13 acres at the end of the Malibu Creek Watershed. The lagoon empties into the ocean at Malibu’s Surfrider Beach, which has been named among the most polluted beaches in the region.

Craig Shuman, a staff scientist with Heal the Bay, said restoration efforts are underway, but changes must be made in the watershed for Malibu Lagoon to be rehabilitated. "What people want for birds may be different than what surfers want," Shuman said to the group on the beach.

He added that pesticides and fertilizers that end up at the lagoon pollute the area and kill native species. "It’s the end of pipe solution," he said.

Suzanne Goode of the California Department of Parks and Recreation said that polluted ground water empties into the lagoon, then the ocean. She added that the lagoon has poor circulation, low "biodiversity" and low dissolved oxygen, all resulting in increased amounts of algae, which kills fish.

The chemistry of the water changed. "It used to be brackish," she said, indicating that the change to polluted fresh water has had a domino effect on lagoon life. She added that the lagoon used to be "CalTrans’ dumping ground."

According to Heal the Bay’s website, CalTrans and other groups had completely filled the lagoon by the late 1970s. It was used for two baseball fields. Urban pollution "significantly diminished the quality of the water," the website stated.

Restoration of Malibu Lagoon began in 1983. The Resource Conservation District and California State Parks conducted the tidewater goby habitat enhancement project. Native vegetation was replanted, and non-native—often invasive––plants have been removed.

Goode and others believe more needs to be done to bring the lagoon back to its native state. Channels, Goode said, improved the flow, but she said that she doesn’t believe they function as well as they could.

Goode also explained that the use of private and individual septic tanks in Malibu sometimes causes problems. When old, undermaintained septic systems fail, the untreated ground water breeches and flows out to the ocean, adding to the pollution.

Shuman said that Heal the Bay is opening up the restoration process to anyone who wants to get involved. For further information, visit www.healthebay.org.