PROPOSED PROJECT

The proposed project is located within Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park and spans an approximately five-mile length of Aliso Creek. This is the most natural and habitat-rich section of Aliso Creek, with numerous sensitive, threatened and endangered wildlife. The northernmost boundary of the project is near Pacific Park Drive in Aliso Viejo and the southernmost boundary is near The Ranch at Laguna Beach golf course.
The Army Corps has identified creek instability, utility line protection, floodplain hydrology and riparian habitat as its rationale for its proposal. The project proposes to use heavy machinery to excavate, grade and recontour five miles of creek bed and creek banks. Excavation, grading and recontouring would be followed by installation of engineered structures (grouted and ungrouted rock riffles and bank armoring) to control creek flows and raise the creek bed.

MAJOR PROJECT COMPONENTS
• 566,900 cubic yards excavated (equivalent to 28,345 tractor trailers of dirt)
• Five-miles of sensitive habitat/wildlife removed for excavation and grading
• 47 engineered rock rip rap/riffle structures between 9-inches and 6-feet height
• Rock and steel piling armoring along several sections of creek bank
• 300,000 cubic yards of dirt and debris dumped inside Wilderness Park
• Widening of creek profile and flood plain

Aliso Creek - ariel map (google)

Aliso Creek and Aliso Creek Canyon are located in the Southern area of Laguna Beach CA. (click for google map)

Urban Impacts on the Creek

  • Urban development since 1960 created several new cities
    along Aliso Creek, including Aliso Viejo and Laguna Niguel.
  • Development outpaced BMPs for creek management and Aliso
    Creek became a Federally-impaired waterway.
  • Dramatic increases in urban runoff have created problematic
    scour, erosion and water quality along much of the creek.
  • Urbanization has also introduced a number of invasive species
    into Aliso Creek, including pampas grass, mustard, hemlock
    and extremely large populations of Arundo donax.
  • Restoration of Aliso Creek has been a decades-long priority for
    local government, State/Federal wildlife agencies & the public

SPECIFIC CONCERNS
Large-Scale Habitat and Wildlife Removal. The proposed project would remove an enormous amount of habitat and wildlife in the most sensitive area of Aliso Creek within Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park. Dozens of species would be affected.
Scenic Degradation. This segment of Aliso Creek is enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of annual Wilderness Park visitors. The proposed project’s years of construction, bank armoring and other unsightly components would significantly reduce the scenic quality of this special area.
Taxpayer Cost. $100,000,000 is the massive estimated cost of the project, with additional delays and cost overruns likely. There are better uses of taxpayer funds.

Over-Engineered, Huge Scale. Local cities, hydrologist experts, environmental organizations, ecologists, residents and many others have expressed opposition to the unnecessary size and impact of the project. The issues the project claims to address can be remedied with a far more cost-effective and environmentally-responsible approach.

LET’S SUPPORT A MORE SENSIBLE ALTERNATIVE

  • A broad coalition of cities, community groups, environmental organizations, hydrologists and environmental scientists are joining together to oppose the
  • Army Corps project and propose a more responsible alternative based on the following tenets:
  • Reduce Overall Scale of Project, including Excavation, Grading and Disposal.
  • Limit Habitat and Wildlife Removal.
  • Protect Scenic Resources of Aliso Creek and the adjacent Wilderness Park.
  • Limit Creek Armoring, Rip Rap, Steel Pilings and Creek Bed Raising.
  • Provide Replacement/Mitigation of Temporary and Permanent Habitat Impacts.
  • Require Long Term Monitoring and Performance Guarantees.
  • Lower Cost to Taxpayers by Reducing Scale of Concept.

HOW TO HELP

We need your help! The Army Corps Environmental Impact Report needs certification from the Orange County Board of Supervisors in order to move forward. Please take a minute to call, email or write to your Supervisor and ask them not to certify the Army Corps EIR for Aliso Creek! Instead, they should support a locally preferred plan that is less expensive, preserves the environment, and protects necessary infrastructure!

Click here to see who your supervisor is, and for contact information

http://www.ocgov.com/gov/bos/

ALISO CREEK WATERSHED

PROJECT MAP – South Orange County
Aliso Creek Watershed — Invasive Species Removal and Habitat Restoration