Orange County Grand Jury • 1999-2000

The Rainy Season’s “first Flush” Hits the Harbors of Orange County

Published: May 17, 2000 15 pages

View Original PDF

⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.

⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.

Findings and Recommendations 7 findings

Although the County does an admirable job of keeping the flood control channels clean throughout the year, there is still a substantial amount of macro-pollution that enters the 8 three harbors of the County from the County-maintained flood control channels and County-maintained storm drains, especially following the first rain storm of the year. A response to Finding 1 is required from the Board of Supervisors, and requested from the Public Facilities and Resources Department.

Related Recommendations (1)

The Public Facilities and Resources Department create an action plan that will be in place during the year 2000 that will include the following to reduce the macro-pollution that fouls the County’s harbors by 50 percent in 2004. · Additional debris-screening and collecting devices (such as the “trash rakes” at the Orange County Water District’s facility in Anaheim), be installed at locations in flood control channels as they enter the harbors in Newport Beach and Huntington Beach, and · The debris booms, the logboom of Newport Beach, and steel grates currently employed in the County receive a very thorough cleaning just prior to the anticipated first significant rain of the rainy season, rather than by the arbitrary date of October 15. A response to Recommendation 1 is required from the Board of Supervisors and is requested from the Public Facilities and Resources Department and the City of Huntington Beach and the City of Newport Beach.

In spite of the County’s strong emphasis on public education as required by the Drainage Area Management Plan (DAMP) of the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Order #96-31 WPDES #CAS618030, a significant amount of trash finds its way into the County-maintained flood control channels and County-maintained storm drains, rather than being disposed of properly. A response to Finding 2 is required from the Board of Supervisors and requested from the Public Facilities and Resources Department.

Related Recommendations (1)

A more extensive County public education campaign, including print and electronic media, signs, postings, and warnings in appropriate languages along flood control channels and County-maintained storm drains that would inform the public about the illegality as well as the negative environmental impact of disposing of debris in the flood control channels and County storm drains. A response from Recommendation 2 is required from the Board of Supervisors and the City Councils of Anaheim, Brea, Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Cypress, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Irvine, La Habra, La Palma, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, Los Alamitos, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Orange, Placentia, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, Stanton, Tustin, Villa Park, Westminster, Yorba Linda and requested from the Public Facilities and Resources Department. 10

There are many inadequately grated, screened, or filtered storm drains in the coastal cities or on County coastal property, other than new construction, that conduct storm water and its accompanying debris directly into the harbors of the County. A response to Finding 3 is required from the Board of Supervisors, and the City Councils of Dana Point, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, and requested from the Public Facilities and Resources Department.

Related Recommendations (1)

An action plan that specifically details a retrofitting campaign to be completed by 2004 of placing grates, filters, or other small aperture devices over or within storm drains that empty directly to County harbor waters. A response to Recommendation 3 is required from the Board of Supervisors the City Councils of Dana Point, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach and requested from the Public Facilities and Resources Department.

There is no apparent goal-driven program by the cities, except for Dana Point, to retrofit older storm drains and catch basins with grates or similar straining or filtering devices. A response to Finding 4 is required from the City Councils of Anaheim, Brea, Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Cypress, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Irvine, La Habra, La Palma, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, Los Alamitos, Newport Beach, Orange, Placentia, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, Stanton, Tustin, Villa Park, Westminster, and Yorba Linda.

Related Recommendations (1)

All cities in the County, except for the City of Dana Point, create an action plan to be completed by 2004, to begin the installation of high-tech storm drains and catch-basin filtering devices. A response to Recommendation 4 is required from the City Councils of Anaheim, Brea, Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Cypress, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Irvine, La Habra, La Palma, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, Los Alamitos, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Orange, Placentia, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, Stanton, Tustin, Villa Park, Westminster, and Yorba Linda.

The amount of money the County provides the harbor cities for floating debris removal is insufficient. A response to Finding 5 is required from the Board of Supervisors and the City Councils of Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, and Seal Beach.

Related Recommendations (1)

The County increase the amount of dollars by $25,000 each to Dana Point, Newport Beach, and Huntington Beach each year for three years, beginning in 2000, for harbor debris clean-up. A response to Recommendation 5 is required from the Board of Supervisors.

The contract that Huntington Beach has with a private company for harbor debris removal does not include debris removal for the entire harbor. A response to Finding 6 is required from the City Council of Huntington Beach. 9

Related Recommendations (1)

Huntington Beach, Seal Beach, and the County contract jointly for the debris removal in all waterways of Huntington Harbour. A response to Recommendation 6 is required from the Board of Supervisors and from the City Councils of Huntington Beach and Seal Beach.

Trash, consisting of a significant amount of plastic and Styrofoam, makes up most of the macro-pollution in the County’s harbors. A response to Finding 7 is required from the Board of Supervisors and the City Councils of Dana Point, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, and Seal Beach.

Related Recommendations (1)

The County initiate a procedure that will, by 2004, prohibit the use of disposable plastics and Styrofoam in eating establishments operated by and for the County. A response to Recommendation 7 is required from the Board of Supervisors.

Additional Recommendations 1

These recommendations are not explicitly linked to specific findings.

R8

The cities institute a procedure that strongly encourages businesses within its city limits to substantially reduce the use and sale of disposable plastics and Styrofoam, and increasingly participate in the growing plastic- and Styrofoam-recycling industry. A response to Recommendation 8 is required from the City Councils of Anaheim, Brea, Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Cypress, Dana Point, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Irvine, La Habra, La Palma, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, Los Alamitos, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Orange, Placentia, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, Stanton, Tustin, Villa Park, Westminster, and Yorba Linda. 11

Commendations 1

CM1

The Grand Jury commends the following for their invaluable help and advice in providing information and direction for the background of this report. Recognition is also due them for their constant dedication to enhancing all water quality of the County. The Grand Jury commends the City Manager and Directors of the City of Dana Point for providing leadership in implementing the first citywide storm drain retrofitting program. The Grand Jury commends the Harbor Patrol Officers of the Orange County Sheriff- Coroner Department for their cooperation and generosity in sharing invaluable materials and information. The Grand Jury commends officials of the City of Huntington Beach for their cooperation and generosity in sharing invaluable materials. The Grand Jury commends the managers and directors of the Public Facilities and Resources Department for the proactive efforts at water quality management, their guidance and support of the 1999-2000 Grand Jury’s efforts, and the generous supply of invaluable materials. The Grand Jury commends the managers and directors of the City of Newport Beach for their efforts at determining exactly which specific organisms are contributing to fecal pollution in their harbor waters. The Grand Jury commends the Board of Supervisors for demonstrating proactive leadership to improve water quality as evidenced by their grant approval action of January 11, 2000. 12 An example of a floating debris island days after the “first flush.” ACCUMULATED TRASH PRIOR TO THE “FIRST FLUSH” AT A DEBRIS BOOM NEAR A JUNCTION OF A FLOOD CONTROL CHANNEL AND A HARBOR IN ORANGE COUNTY 13 ACCUMULATED TRASH PRIOR TO THE “FIRST FLUSH” AT A NON-COUNTY OWNED AND MAINTAINED debris boom near a junction of a flood control channel and a harbor in Orange County. Debris wedged between a boat and a dock several days after the “first flush” in one of Orange County’s harbors. 14 Debris washed up on one of the County’s beaches after the “first flush.” One of the County’s harbors after the “first flush.” 15

Agency Responses 3

Government agencies' official responses to this report's findings and recommendations. Click on a response to see the structured breakdown.

Orange County Is No Camelot for Emancipated Youth 2/09/00, 280K

February 09, 2000 • 26 pages View Details ▾

PDF

"Testing The Waters": The Orange County Health Care Agency 6/20/00, 484K

June 20, 2000 • 11 pages • 10 responses View Details ▾

PDF

10 responses to findings and recommendations

Response: Unknown Score: 0

is required from the Board of Supervisors and requested from the Orange County Health Care Agency. 2. There is no staff time available at the Orange County Public Health Lab to establish a source-tracking database of the fecal-indicator bacteria of local warm-blooded hosts in Orange County. County officials are hampered in their ability to respond effectively during pollution events. A

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

is required from the Board of Supervisors and requested from the Orange County Health Care Agency. 2. An experienced microbiologist be added to the staff at the Orange County Public Health Lab to develop a source-tracking database of fecal-isolates common to the Orange County population of warm-blooded animals, to enable public-health officials to more quickly identify the sources of water pollution. A

Response: Unknown Score: 0

is required from the Board of Supervisors and requested from the Orange County Health Care Agency. 3. Raw test-data from the Orange County Public Health Lab and from the three sanitation districts is transmitted by fax to the Health Care Agency/Environmental Health Division, where the data is typed into a series of spreadsheets. There is no on-staff analyst to help with the analysis of test data and thus to facilitate health officers' decisions whether to post or close or re-open County beaches. A

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

is required from the Board of Supervisors and requested from the Orange County Health Care Agency. 3. An analyst be added to the staff of the Environmental Health Division to help analyze ocean-water test data emanating from the Public Health Lab and the sanitation districts. A

Response: Unknown Score: 0

is required from the Board of Supervisors and requested from the Orange County Health Care Agency. 4. Existing information systems linking the Public Health Lab and the Health Care Agency are outmoded. A

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

is required from the Board of Supervisors and requested from the Orange County Health Care Agency. 4. The appropriate information systems (data-handling and statistical-analysis technology) be installed in the Public Health Lab and the Environmental Health Division of the Health Care Agency in order that health officials are better able to evaluate and act decisively during future pollution events. A

Response: Unknown Score: 0

is required from the Board of Supervisors and requested from the Orange County Health Care Agency. 5. Information systems that the Health Care Agency uses to advise the public are inadequate, so information regarding beach postings and closures and beach re-openings is not easily accessible on the Agency's website. Information available to the public is not always current or accurate. A

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

is required from the Board of Supervisors and requested from the Orange County Health Care Agency. 5. Up-do-date information systems be added to the Health Care Agency's Information Technology Division to help ensure that the Agency's website provides the most current beach closure, posting, and beach re-opening information available. A

Response: Unknown Score: 0

is required from the Board of Supervisors and requested from the Orange County Health Care Agency. RECOMMENDATIONS In accordance with California Penal Code Sections 933 and 933.05, each recommendation must be responded to by the government entity to which it is addressed. These responses are submitted to the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court. Based on the findings, the 1999-2000 Orange County Grand Jury recommends that: 1. An additional lead microbiologist experienced in program development, management, and research evaluation be added to the staff at the Orange County Publi...

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

is required from the Board of Supervisors and requested from the Orange County Health Care Agency. COMMENDATIONS To the Orange County Public Health Lab for its "testing of the waters" under pressured conditions of new state legislation. To Public Health and Environmental Health staff for their dutiful adherence to the law on beach advisories, in the face of immense pressures. To the Orange County Sanitation District for its cooperative leadership during the "Event" of summer 1999. To Dr. Jack and his wife Nancy Skinner for their long devotion to water-quality issues in Orange Co...

We Can Do Better... Improving Animal Care in Orange County 6/5/00, 216K

May 01, 2000 • 8 pages View Details ▾

PDF

No Responses Found 1

Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.

Orange County County