OC creek clearing plan draws scrutiny from supervisors

Orange County Public Works plans to begin vegetation clearing Tuesday in the San Juan and Trabuco creek channels, drawing objections from creek activists and questions from county supervisors, according to Voice of OC.

The dispute comes after more than a year of activist pressure over herbicide practices and a recent county move to pause herbicide use and study alternatives for managing flood channels.

Voice of OC reported that the county notice schedules work from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. for 10 days beginning Tuesday, July 21. OC Public Works said the work is intended to keep the channels operating safely and effectively.

According to Voice of OC, the notice says crews will use landscaping tools to remove non-native plants and cut vegetation, including small trees, shrubs and brush, to ground level. The notice also says there will be no herbicide use or excavation, cut material will be hauled away and a biological monitor will be present each day.

The county said the work had been reviewed and approved by state and federal regulatory agencies, Voice of OC reported. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife was among the agencies referenced in the source article.

Creek Team founder Brent Linas criticized the plan, saying, "Public Works’ planned decimation of the San Juan Creek is motivated by one thing, spite towards the community that stood up to them," according to Voice of OC. Linas added, "There is no scientific basis for the removal of all vegetation in the creek, nor is this action consistent with the pilot study approved by the Board of Supervisors just one month ago,"

Supervisor Katrina Foley said her office found out when the public did. "We learned about simultaneously with the public notice," Foley wrote in an email, according to Voice of OC.

Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento said he thought county staff would first halt herbicide use and examine other options. "My understanding was that County Public Works staff would pause the use of herbicides, study and thereafter analyze the alternatives available to safely manage the flood channels," Sarmiento wrote in a Friday statement, according to Voice of OC.

Sarmiento added, "I was surprised to learn that staff would move forward with clearing the channels prior to conducting that analysis and sharing the findings with the Board," according to Voice of OC.