HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-15-2014 b1 romeroAGENDA
1M 0 2 2014 CORRESPONDENCE
Laguna Lake Observations
David F. Romero — June, 2014 Date -1 `Item#
Background
Since 1956, in my capacity as City Engineer, Public Works Director, Councilmember and
Mayor, I have been closely involved with Laguna Lake. As City Department Head, I
advised on the original Laguna Lake /Park Master Plan, conducted a hydrographic survey,
and supervised various dredging projects which created the viable lake we once had.
Over the years, I supervised many maintenance projects and a water quality study. I
studied and supervised studies and constructed projects to minimize flooding.
I also observed with concern and sadness during my 16 years as Councilman and Mayor,
the deterioration of the lake depth, water quality and viability. The lake is now well on its
way to becoming a marsh.
C omment.q
It is my belief that the viability of the lake is a CITY RESPONSIBILITY, similar to the
rest of Laguna Lake Park or any other City park. As such, maintenance and improvement
financing should be from the General Fund and Grants. I do not believe the neighborhood
near the lake should be subject to special assessment to pay for maintenance and
improvement of public portions of the lake.
In recent years, our city has experienced tight financial times and has delayed moving
ahead on a lake restoration project. The City's financial health is improving, and it is now
past time to move ahead to preserve this asset.
It should be made clear deepening the lake will not help with periodic flooding which
occurs during intense rain storms. Our intense rains occur after mid- December when fall
rains have raised the lake level to the control created by floor of the outlet structure on
Madonna Road. Deepening the lake will not change that.
The Project
Studies conducted in the 80s, verified by recent studies, show that the most effective way
to deepen the lake is by means of a suction dredge. This process has been used and
perfected over many years, and there are many companies that specialize in this work.
A key question relates to how dredged material should be disposed of. Staff reports have
discussed hauling the material offsite. This alternative may well require extra handling
and will be VERY EXPENSIVE. Thousands of truckloads of haul material will probably
require reconstruction of Park roads. It will place unnecessary truck loads and truck
traffic volumes on Madonna Rd. and perhaps Los Osos Valley Road. It will also require a
willing receiver site with approved permits and appropriate private development timing
issues resolved when the City is ready to haul.
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A much less costly alternative involves pumping dredged material to the large, sloping
rangeland fields of the City owned Nature Preserve area northwest of the developed area
of the park. This Nature Preserve area was long used for grazing and contains few trees,
rare plants or endangered animals. These could easily be mitigated. The finished project
on the site would look almost exactly as it does now with a few feet of topsoil mixed into
its barren slope. This approach avoids all the cost and complication of offsite disposal
and will ultimately result in an improved Nature Preserve. I believe the council could
easily justify this approach by finding that the imported soil will serve as a soil
amendment to the on -site soil, thereby saving a huge cost for the project.
As a subset of the onsite disposal approach, some portion of the material could be placed
to fill in and level the large swale in the Park between the dog park and the Rotary Club
Pavilion. This could allow the creation of much needed playing fields in an unused area..
If the City Council chooses not to dispose of the material on city property, I suggest
consideration of a more difficult, more costly, but still viable alternative. During my last
term as Mayor, I contacted several key owners of property at the head of the lake to see if
they would be willing to accept dredged material from the lake. The Twisselmanns, a
representative of Beth David Synagogue and Dan Duvall all indicated their willingness to
work something out. This approach would be a lot more complicated than onsite disposal
but still cheaper than trucking material offsite.
Action
I believe the City Council should move ahead with this long delayed project. In the next
budget cycle, Council should fund and direct staff to prepare EIR determinations, plans,
specs and bid documents, and obtain necessary permits from the Corps of Engineers.
Staff should obtain consulting services from experts as needed.
A substantial portion of dredging cost relates to move -in and set -up, therefore the first
phase should include substantial work, with a usable lake depth on a major portion of the
lake. I suggest limits include that the portion of the lake from the outlet at Madonna Rd.
to well north of the inlet from Prefumo Creek (perhaps opposite the north end of the
peninsula on the other side).
Work should be scheduled to start in early spring when there is a maximum amount of
water in the lake for dredging operations, and a maximum opportunity for the dredged
material to dry out, be spread and worked into the native soil as a soil enhancement, and
seeded prior to fall rains. Staff should probably specify electric power (as opposed to
diesel) so as to reduce air pollution and allow 24 hour automated dredging operations
without disturbing the neighborhood.
Achievement of a vision
This project will provide a huge amenity to improve the Quality of Life of San Luis
Obispo. It will be a memorable achievement for the City Council that has the vision to
make it happen.