Contractor Begins Building Dike at Malibu Lagoon

Taking advantage of a low water level at the Malibu Lagoon, contractors began work this week on a dike separating the main body of the lagoon from the back channels.

Ford E.C. Inc. brought in bulldozers to remove vegetation, including 30-year-old sycamore trees, earlier this week. The machines also began creating the dike, which will eventually be used for public beach access, according to Dave Ruth, who serves as a liaison between California State Parks, the lead agency on the project, and the contractor.

The dike will be 10 feet across, wide enough to allow bulldozers and other equipment to travel across, Ruth said.

He said contractors worked late Thursday to get ahead of an expected high tide to make sure to keep more water from entering the back channels, where the main scope of the restoration project will take place.

Opponents of the project, who have been watching the progress from the Pacific Coast Highway bridge, said Friday they are concerned about the work because of the open berm. They fear sediment from the channels will travel out of the lagoon and into the nearby ocean.

Before the dirt was moved, scientists and other volunteers checked the channels for fish and other wildlife, according to Suzanne Goode, a Senior Environmental Scientist for State Parks.

Craig Sap, District Supervisor for the Los Angeles District, said Thursday the California Coastal Commission gave State Parks the go ahead to begin removing vegetation, even though its dewatering plan is in draft form.

"We did receive clarification we are allowed to do everything up to dewatering," Sap said. The contractor is working to update the dewatering plan with the lagoon's current conditions, which is required under the permit.

The city of Malibu has filed a pubilc records request seeking a copy of the dewatering plan, but has not received it to date.

On Tuesday, Malibu Mayor Laura Zahn Rosenthal and City Councilman Lou La Monte spoke before the California Coastal Commission and asked to see the dewatering plan.

"I mentioned our biggest issue is with the water quality, especially the testing and all of those kinds of things," Rosenthal said.

She said the commissioners did not make much comment other than noting that the city will receive a copy once it is finished.

"We are very, very concerned about water quality in our city. We want to work with them and we want to be part of the solution as opposed to in the past when we were part of the problem. It would help if they would work with us as partners on a lot of these issues," Rosenthal said.

La Monte said the city does not want to wait for the final dewatering plan.

"The Public Records Act entitles the city and the public to see the draft and understand how the commission staff evaluates it," La Monte said."... We want to know what State Parks has come up with."