Orange County pauses creek bed herbicide spraying after activist backlash

Orange County announced an indefinite halt to herbicide spraying in its creek beds Wednesday, yielding to months of pressure from a grassroots environmental group and a state investigation into the county's use of glyphosate in south county waterways.

The move marks a significant reversal for the county, which had previously written glyphosate use into its contractor agreements and resisted repeated community complaints. With state regulators now investigating, the pause signals growing accountability pressure on Orange County over chemical use in shared waterways.

Supervisor Katrina Foley announced the pause in a press release, saying Orange County Public Works would "observe the growth patterns of invasive species to evaluate the safest and most effective procedures for removal," according to the release. The county also launched a third-party review of its entire pest management program and will evaluate non-chemical alternatives, including mechanical vegetation removal, pending regulatory approvals.

The halt follows months of advocacy by Creek Team, a grassroots group that raised alarms about the county's use of glyphosate — the active ingredient in RoundUp — in south Orange County waterways including San Juan and Trabuco Creek channels and areas near Doheny Beach. "We've stopped the bleeding in Orange County. Now we say how do we prevent the cancer from coming back? It's a huge victory for the environment, public transparency, and a grassroots movement," Creek Team leader Brent Linas said in a Thursday interview, according to Voice of OC.

The announcement comes amid compounding regulatory scrutiny. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife launched a state-level investigation into the county's spraying practices in April 2026. A separate probe by the county Agricultural Commissioner in 2024 found that Orange County Public Works had failed to provide required public notice and documentation before applying herbicides, Voice of OC reported.

"Harmful toxins have no place in our waterways. I appreciate the Orange County Public Works team for responding to community concerns and pausing applications," Foley said in the press release. The supervisor had made a pledge to block herbicide use in county waterways during her March 2026 reelection campaign.

The county said supervisors will receive at least one week's advance notice if spraying is set to resume. Several south Orange County cities had previously enacted individual bans on herbicide and pesticide use, though enforcement had been inconsistent across jurisdictions.

The county said the pause will last "for the foreseeable future" but stopped short of a permanent ban. Officials said they will evaluate non-chemical alternatives before setting long-term pest management policy, with any resumption of spraying requiring advance notice to county supervisors.