featured – Page 15 – Worth A Dam

Martinez Beavers and Hydrology

Subcommittee member Igor Skaredoff summarizes the hydrology section of the report here for the website. In case you don’t already know, his name is synonymous with the stewardship of Alhambra Creek and he has been long honored for his tireless work and dedicated community spirit. Having watched him at close quarters these past three months, I would add praise for a cooperative and diplomatic personal style that allows him to find friends where others would only find argument. He writes:

The Martinez Beaver Committee’s report to the City Council contains a proposed solution to the Beaver coexistence/Flood protection issue.

This proposal leaves the dam in place and controls its height. It also provides some low (2ft tall) “seating walls” to fill in the gaps in the existing structures that help protect against flooding. Additionally, the proposal improves drainage at the Castro/Marina Vista intersection to allow a controlled overland flow to re-enter the Creek north of the Marina Vista Bridge. The floodplain would also be expanded in the section of Creek between the Escobar and Marina Street Bridges by excavating a terrace.

Taken together, these measures would provide flood protection that is equivalent or better when compared with the “pre-beaver” situation.

Additional enhancements, such as interpretive signs, habitat improvement by planting California Native Plants and enhancing the educational improvements are also included.

Several local and county groups and agencies are prepared to partner with the City to develop, execute and steward this project, and to help write grant applications for funding to supplement the City’s investment.

This proposal offers a way for the Martinez community to coexist with the beavers while protecting itself from flooding. The opportunities offered by successful coexistence for stimulating downtown visitation and enhancing education and habitat are also part of the proposal.

The proposed flood protection improvements are shown in the illustration below. For more detail, see the complete report available elsewhere on this webpage.

Igor Skaredoff

Thanks Igor for your hard work on this report and your calming influence on our beaver-passionate spirits!

Heidi P. Perryman, Ph.D.

In late 1999 Riverside County became concerned that a beaver colony was taking trees at their Lake Skinner Reservoir, which was part of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. The Department of Fish and Game was consulted and issued a depredation permit. They reported that this was necessary because destruction of habitat would negatively impact two songbirds on the Endangered Species List that were known to breed in the area. (The Bell’s Vireo & Southwestern Willow Flycatcher.)

A group of concerned locals (Friends of Lake Skinner) objected and sued the Department of Fish and Game, Riverside County Conservation Agency and the Metropolitan Water District, demanding that an Environmental Impact Report be obtained before the beavers were removed. They argued that under the regulations of the California Environmental Qualities Act an EIR was necessary. They lost this original suit and the matter was subsequently taken to appeal.

In December of 2000 the Fourth Appellate District overturned the original decision and ruled for the plaintiffs, stating that the decision to remove the beavers from the area was “discretionary” rather than “ministerial” and that because of this, there was a indeed a need for an Environmental Impact Report to meet the standards of CEQA. The matter was found for the plaintiffs and their entire costs were ordered to be paid by the defendants.

This lengthy proceeding lasted more than two years, involving three agencies and expensive expert testimony on both sides. This, ultimately, cost the defendants a great deal of money and public goodwill. A journal article was later developed regarding this action and was recently published in the Journal of Environmental Management 2007[i]. A copy of the remittitur regarding the Appellate Decision can be read on the Riverside Open Access website. It is worth noting that the attorney who represented Friends of Lake Skinner has already written our mayor and been in regular contact with Worth a Dam.

First rule of politics: Choose your battles.

Heidi P. Perryman, Ph.D.

[i] Langcore, T. , Rich, C. & Müller-Schwarze, D. (2006) Management by Assertion: Beavers and Songbirds t Lake Skinner (Riverside County, California) Environmental Management Vol 39 (4).