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WETLAND RESTORATION Wetlands are a vital element of our ecosystem. A wetland acts like a filter, much like a kidney, to screen out impurities from water washing off the land, before it enters the ocean. A unique combination of soil, plants and water join together to process waste (called Pathogens, which are bacteria, toxins and heavy metals) out of the water. The Malibu Creek Wetland is impaired and dysfunctional because of landfill, buildings and parking lots placed on top of it. WHAT'S THE PROBLEM? During the 1930's, landfill from the construction of the Pacific Coast Highway was dumped onto the west bank of the Malibu Creek to block the creek flow from entering the center of the wetland, which impaired the natural filtration process. In the 1960's, landfill from the development of Century City covered up a large area of the wetland center, with ten to twenty feet of dirt, causing further impairment of the filtration process. More damage followed with the construction of the Cross Creek shopping centers and parking lots that were built dangerously close to the creek in the late 1960s. Since then, floods have caused sewage spills from restaurants in the these shopping centers, which flow directly into the creek and ocean; heavily contaminating all living species - especially surfers. Highly toxic oils, grease and anti-freeze left by cars on parking lots are carried off by car washes, hosing off side walks and parking lots, and rain going directly through storm drains, then into the creek and ocean. The Tapia sewage treatment plant in the upper watershed, Malibu Lake and Westlake release volumes of water into the creek that fills up the lagoon, backs up septic systems and bursts through the beach berm into the surfzone where hundreds of surfers are exposed. WHAT CAN BE DONE? 1) Expenses aside, in order to restore the ecosystem, the shopping centers and restaurants should be relocated to a less harmful areas such as in the uplands. 2) Remove all unnatural landfill and allow the wetland to reform. 3) Upgrade all on-site waste treatment systems to insure against any possible discharge into the creek or surrounding area. These upgraded systems must sustain a 100-year storm as is required by Malibu's General Plan. 4) Establish a national sanctuary with federal protective laws preserving the wetlands area. The historical wetland area is from the Malibu Lagoon to its west end at the base of the Malibu Villas. 5) Develop an eco-system educational center for visitors from around the world. 6) Short term: Tapia and the lake associations must be compelled to immediately notify all downstream stakeholders in the event of any planned discharge. 7) Officials must be allowed to test all septics in the area and any that are failing must be fixed. 8) Signs must be placed around the historic wetland informing the public of the sensitive nature of the area. Intro - History - Wetland Restoration - The Tapia Effect - Your Carbon Footprint - Video |
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