Friends of Ballona Wetlands' & CDFW Restoration False Premise
Channel: Tom McMahon
Date: 2022-06-08

This is a false premise for the so-called the Ballona Wetlands Alternative 1 "restoration" plan. This is not a valid scientific or civil engineering rationale for the EIR's Alt 1. The CDFW states in the video: “we call it the Ballona wetlands but only about 10% of it is functioning as a wetland and we stand a chance of losing that with sea level rise if we don't start planning and implementing the restoration plan for that”.  However, it is this last 10% of functioning wetland in West Area B that will be *destroyed* by the 20.5’ high Levee, its footprint, and grading in Alternative 1 of the CDFW EIR.

It *is* correct that if the sea level rises the existing simple-minded float gates in the Ballona Creek South Levee will be closing most of the time at some unknown point 50+ years in the future.  So, don't "do nothing", do something: Replace them with computer-controlled gates exactly like those already deployed on the other side of MDR Main Channel that protect the Grand Canal and the entire Venice Canal system (including its wetland areas).  The engineering work is already done.  The LACFCD, LADPW, USACE, and the people of Venice (including its Neighborhood Council leaders) who live behind those gates and enjoy their sea-level-rise-resistant waterways and very large property investments are all aware of this.

Amazingly enough, the CDFW was one of the California State Reviewing Agencies on that project.

References:

Ballona Restoration DEIR Comments by Friends of Ballona Wetlands:

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5ac288137c932757f60f8e6a/t/5c9aaa0524a6949058bf8149/1553639949146/DEIR+Friends+of+Ballona+Wetlands+Comment+Letter.pdf

https://eng.lacity.org/grand-canal-restoration-project

https://ceqanet.opr.ca.gov/1985042422

Excerpted from: "This is a recording of Friends of Ballona Wetlands' Ballona Restoration Webinar on March 1st, 2021. The webinar provides an overview of the certified Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve Restoration Project and has a Q & A portion where attendees were able to ask questions about the project and get answers from Land Manager, Richard Brody, as well as FBW staff."  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PV04ND56nI