Escondido may face huge fines for dirty creek 
The San Diego Union - Tribune; San Diego, Calif.; Aug 25, 2000; Brian E. Clark; 

Abstract:
The water quality control board's warning followed a June 20 inspection of the creek, which flows
from Lake Wohlford northeast of Escondido through the city, eventually emptying into the San Elijo
Lagoon in Encinitas.

The 13 miles of creek in Escondido has been a concrete channel since the late 1960s. Critics say it is
littered with mattresses, barbecue grills, camper tops, plastic bags, foam cups and other garbage,
much of which ends up west of the city, where the creek is not channelized.

[Pat Thomas] said the city now patrols the creek, and has hired inmate work crews from the county's
Camp Westfork to pick up garbage. Thomas also said the city had installed a fabric "sea curtain"
across the flood-control channel to trap garbage.

Full Text:
Copyright SAN DIEGO UNION TRIBUNE PUBLISHING COMPANY Aug 25, 2000


ESCONDIDO -- The city is failing to keep Escondido Creek clean, and could soon be fined up to $25,000
a day for violating pollution laws, a state agency says.

In a letter from the state's Regional Water Quality Control Board this week, the city was warned that it has
until Sept. 22 to document what it is doing to keep garbage and other pollutants out of the waterway.

"It's about time," said Leonard Wittwer, president of a 10-year- old environmental group called the
Escondido Creek Conservancy. "That thing is a mess."

The water quality control board's warning followed a June 20 inspection of the creek, which flows from
Lake Wohlford northeast of Escondido through the city, eventually emptying into the San Elijo Lagoon in
Encinitas.

The inspection was prompted by complaints. The board's letter lists 17 questions that must be answered by
the city.

The 13 miles of creek in Escondido has been a concrete channel since the late 1960s. Critics say it is
littered with mattresses, barbecue grills, camper tops, plastic bags, foam cups and other garbage, much of
which ends up west of the city, where the creek is not channelized.

Wittwer said his group believes the city has long turned a blind eye to dumping.

"The city has been allowing trash and litter to flow from their flood control into the natural channel for
years," he said. "In fact, according to the board's letter, some of the pollution is coming from the city's own
maintenance yard."

But Pat Thomas, the city's public works director, said the garbage at the maintenance yard was not put
there by the city, but came from people dumping trash on the streets.

"We wish people wouldn't dump their stuff on the streets or in the creek," he said. "But frankly, we were
kind of surprised to get this letter. We have met with some of the groups that have come to us with
concerns about the creek. We thought we were on top of this.

"However, we will respond to the board's concerns and address all the letter's points. We are taking this
seriously."

Thomas said the city now patrols the creek, and has hired inmate work crews from the county's Camp
Westfork to pick up garbage. Thomas also said the city had installed a fabric "sea curtain" across the
flood-control channel to trap garbage.

"In addition, we are going to start construction this fall on a $2 million project to redo a section of the
creek downstream from Harmony Grove Bridge to clean it up and replant native vegetation," he said.

But Wittwer said the curtain is not well-maintained, and that the city should install several more of the
devices. He also said the city should install grates to keep trash from entering the creek.

Thomas, however, said grates often become clogged, causing localized flooding.

The water quality control board also noted that the city has allowed a carwash on Auto Park Way to
discharge polluted water into the channel. Thomas said his department would act quickly to stop the
discharges, which flow from the carwash in a concrete drain.

Art Coe, an assistant executive director with the water quality control board, said his agency issues about
100 warnings a year to suspected polluters.

"Usually the threat of a $25,000-a-day fine gets their attention," he said. "But we have had to fine some
people up to $10,000 a day, though I don't think that has ever happened in Escondido."

[Illustration]
1 PIC; Caption: Shopping carts, other trash are piled up along Escondido Creek, just outside the city limits. (B-7); Credit:
Eduardo Contreras / Union-Tribune

Credit: STAFF WRITER


Sub Title: 
               [1 7 Edition]
Start Page: 
               B-1
Dateline: 
               ESCONDIDO
Personal Names: 
               Wittwer, Leonard
               Thomas, Pat