Watershed tour educational

By Stephanie Bertholdo
bertholdo@theacorn.com

Malibu Lagoon

First in a series

on environmental issues

"From the Headwaters to the Lagoon: the Malibu Creek Watershed Tour," conducted earlier this month, provided a broad environmental education on the region in an all-day adult field trip.

The tour began at Malibu City Hall, where members of the Malibu Creek Watershed Advisory Council discussed the interconnected ecosystems in the Santa Monica Mountains and myriad other environmental issues, from water and soil quality to native plants, animals and their habitats. City officials throughout the region, nonprofit groups, state and local agencies and private citizens participated in the first annual event.

The event was kicked off by Melina Sempill Watts, Malibu Creek watershed coordinator, Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains, and Dennis Washburn, Calabasas City Council member and chair of the Malibu Creek Watershed Advisory Council. Washburn reiterated the advisory council’s mantra about "living lightly" on the land.

Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, third district, Los Angeles County, told the 100-person group that the influences on Malibu Creek are often more than 100 miles away.

"Everything that happens upstream has an impact downstream," Yaroslavsky said. He added that he was "passionate" about preserving this area. "It’s such a rich environmental resource . . . it’s worth saving," he said.

A watershed is defined as a geographic area in which all of the rainfall discharges to a specific point. The Santa Monica Mountains are one of five Mediterranean "biomes" in the world, offering a unique ecosystem in an urban environment. Environmentalists have called the area rarer than a rainforest.

Mark Abramson of Heal the Bay explained that watershed issues range from algae and bacteria growth that choke delicate life cycles in the bay, excess sediments that diminish insect habitats, and urban runoff that mixes a variety of pollutants into the bay. He said that Malibu’s Surfrider Beach has been named one of the most polluted beaches for several years running. More than 1.5 million people visit the beach per year.

Abramson said that Heal the Bay is studying the pollution problems, monitoring the water chemistry for bacteria and the stream banks for instability. Erosion and fine sediments, he said, bury spawning and insect habitats.

"Twenty-four percent of streams have invasive vegetation," Abramson said. He added that more than 30 percent have algae. He said that Malibu Beach should be clean in three years.

Several other speakers discussed issues that affect the watershed. Environmentally friendly gardening projects ("native-scaping, water-wise gardens"); problems associated with horses; local, state and federal regulations; monitoring; education; funding and more were touched upon in the morning session of the trip.

Suzanne Goode of the California Department of Parks & Recreation said, "A lot of different things need our help in this watershed." She added that a three-year study, half of which is paid for through grants, is underway. She said that seven core habitat areas overlap in the Santa Monica Mountains. To survive, many species need a large, connected swath of land to roam, live and reproduce, she said. Invasive species, including bullfrogs and crayfish, threaten native species. Goode called for habitat "linkages," movement corridors and other means to connect animals with the land.

The perils of invasive plants were also discussed, from eucalyptus trees that spread quickly and kill native trees to tall, reed-type arundo plants that consume an enormous amount of water.

After the speaker session, participants traveled to the Malibu Lagoon, Rindge Dam at Piuma Road Overlook and the Tapia Treatment Facility for a tour and presentation on water conservation. The tour ended at Ahmanson Ranch, now called Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve, with a history of the fight to save the preserve by state Assemblywoman Fran Pavley (D-Woodland Hills). Articles on these issues will be featured in upcoming editions of The Acorn.

See related story on page 12.