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# Coordination needed to protect bay from runoff
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/coordination-needed-to-protect-bay-from-runoff/
- Published: 2006-09-08T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T21:23:11.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Environment, Pier, #archive-import

eye and this has just been a huge improvement.”

The project is just one small piece in the county’s Integrated Regional Water Management Plan, which brings together more than 80 municipalities in a coordinated effort protect the bay from urban runoff and other pollutants that make their way to the ocean from storm drains. County officials said $20 million already has been spent on the diversion program, not to mention the millions of dollars City Hall has dedicated to local waste-water management systems.

“Over the last three years we have focused on 20 other locations in addition to (Will Rogers), diverting the flow of water to the sewer, where it can be treated before it reaches the ocean,”said Mark Pestrella,assistant deputy director for the Los Angeles County Flood Control District, a separate entity within the county’s Department of Public Works. “We’ve worked with the city of Santa Monica on projects there,including near the pier,in Venice and throughout the South Bay and we have seen a large improvement in water quality.”

Pestrella said the three days spent draining and filling in the pond cost the county about $20,000.

Will Rogers has been on the list of beaches that needed to be addressed, however, Pestrella said he was unable to obtain the permits necessary to do the work because of concern about access to the beach and the possible disruption of grunion, small silvery fish found along the coast that come completely out of the water to lay their eggs in the wet sand.

After conducting a biological study that found no grunion would be affected, and a little lobbying by Heal the Bay, Pestrella said the Coastal and Fish and Game commission issued the permits.

“There was some concern about access to the beach,” Pestrella said. “Normally the Coastal Commission doesn’t like to issue work permits during the summer months because of the crowds, but with Heal the Bay, we were able to get them to come around.”

Gold said it is important for the public to know that there are no native plants and no endangered species in the area.

“The pond has no natural resource value,” Gold said. “It is in no way shape or form comparable to the Topanga Lagoon or the Malibu Lagoon, where you have extensive bio-diversity. This is literally a pit of sand with polluted water.”

Pestrella said during the wet weather months, crews may need to return to the pond to drain it and fill it in with sand.

“This will be an ongoing maintenance routine,” Pestrella said. “When we get a serious storm, it could blow the whole thing out, or high flows could come down and knockout the berm we set up. We’re looking at ways to better manage this in the future.”

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 8, 2006.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/090806.pdf?ref=smdp.com)