Debris tops construction in creek talk Alameda County discusses partial ban on work to keep stream waters clear
Nearly four dozen people met Tuesday to review a partial construction ban on and near creeks in unincorporated areas. The ban through May 4, 2007, could be extended by Alameda County supervisors for an extra year. The outcome of the two hour-plus meeting? Let's form a task force to come up with some long-term policies and solutions to preserve waterways in Castro Valley, Cherryland,Fairview and San Lorenzo that flow into San Francisco Bay. The meeting segued into an eye-opening glimpse of how a dozen creeks — plus canals and tributaries — continue to be aquatic versions of garbage dumps. From July 1, 2005 to May 30 of this year, Alameda County public works crews removed 4,000 cubic yards of debris from waterways in unincorporated areas. That's the equivalent of a two-inch-thick carpet of trash on two football fields, Rick Ruiz, deputy director for public works, told the largely residential crowd at Ashland Community Center. During the last year, the county has spent $260,000 maintaining the San Lorenzo Creek watershed, an intricate network of creeks meandering through the foothills and flatlands, many draining into San Lorenzo and Sulphur Creeks, which empty into San FranciscoBay. Debris removal included the ongoing recycling of appliances, batteries and metal. Ten homeless camps in these areas also were removed. The designation for "Worst illegal dumping site" was split between the east end of Crow Canyon Road, and Eden Canyon Road at mile marker 0.50, both in the Castro Valley area. County public works inspectors spent 450 hours scouting and cleaning the watershed area, as compared to 5,500 inspection hours countywide. Two full-time employees pick up trash daily. Speakers such as Diana Hanna of Castro Valley asked why the county can't install "no parking" signs next to the popular Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area. Or, she added, go through discarded garbage in creek areas to identify people who have dumped papers or envelopes with their names and addresses. The county also has been asked to install cameras at popular dumping sites, a suggestion which is cost-prohibitive, Ruiz said. Bulletproof camera installation would cost $35,000 per site, including a power source. Round-the-clock workers would be needed to check monitors with camera transmissions. Creeks and watersheds in unincorporated areas next will be discussed from 6 to 8 p.m. July 25 at the Ashland Community Center,1530 167th Ave., San Leandro. For information, contact Seth Kaplan. (510) 891-5588 or seth.kaplan@acgov.org; Shawn Wilson, (510) 272-6693 or shawn.wilson@acgov.org; or Alison Lewis, (510) 272-6692 or alison.lewis@acgov.org |