Oceanside businesses bracing for more flooding
By: MARGA KELLOGG - Staff Writer
Agencies seeking solutions to Loma Alta Creek runoff | ∞
OCEANSIDE ---- Industry Street business owners met with representatives of the city and North County Transit District on Thursday morning to explore ways of keeping nearby Loma Alta Creek from flooding their businesses.
The meeting, and another planned for this morning with the transit district executive director and the city manager, come as the businesses brace themselves for three storms that are expected to drop at least 2 inches of rain in the coastal areas over the next three days.
The projected rainfall is as much or more than fell during a late November storm that left some businesses, including Weiland Siding, Doors and Windows Inc., standing in more than a foot of water. Business owners say Sprinter construction and other factors caused the mess.
"There doesn't seem to be any one solution, and unfortunately none of the solutions will help us in time for these storms," said Steve Donner, Weiland's general manager, after the Thursday morning meeting. "This weekend we're just kind of hunkering down."
Donner said after a weekend of cleanup in November, his company installed barricades to protect the property from future flooding.
"But if it backs up again like it did last time, they won't be enough," he said.
A variety of factors have caused the flooding, city and transit district officials have said:
- Two city runoff basins, one at El Camino Real and a second at Rancho del Oro Road, that were to be built in conjunction with the Sprinter light-rail line have not been constructed. The basins would hold and slowly release heavy volumes of rainwater so that flooding would not occur downstream.
- Sprinter tracks that have been built in the last few years are 5 feet above the creek's flood plain, causing water that normally would have spread to the south to funnel onto businesses in the north.
- Vegetation and dirt are clogging the creek channel.
City engineer Scott Smith said that a walk of the creek channel Thursday showed some areas could be cleared of vegetation and soil to improve the flow. He said that the city is working with a transit district biologist to analyze the vegetation before going to the Army Corps of Engineers and the state Department of Fish and Game for permits necessary to clear the area.
Smith said the city is offering sandbags to business owners to stave off flooding from this weekend's storms, but added that it was unlikely that any work would be done in the creek before the rain starts.
With regard to the runoff basins, Smith said that the transit district was expecting the basins to built at the same time the Sprinter tracks were finished but that complications with a wall built by the transit district were holding up construction.
He said the city anticipates the overflow basins being completed at the end of this year.
Tom Kelleher, a spokesman for the transit district, said the only long-term solution to the flooding is to get the detention basins built.
"I believe the city wants to have an engineer certify that the wall is sound enough for them to start the basin work," said Kelleher. "We're very happy with all the work that's been done, but if the city wants to have an engineer certify the wall, I have no problem with that."
Contact staff writer Marga Kellogg at (760) 901-4067 or mkellogg@nctimes.com.
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More excusses do not fix the problem, wrote on Jan 3, 2008 11:18 PM:Under Mayor Wood's watch it seem to be the excuse of the day; someone else needs to act before the City can fix the Loma Alta detention basins and the San Luis Rey River vegetation overgrowth. Come on Mayor show a little leadership, let get this stuff taken care of, we do not need any more excuses.
Not under the Mayor wrote on Jan 4, 2008 6:21 AM:This is not something the Mayor just regularly looks at. This is something the City Manager and Engineering have know for many many years. So here you go Oceanside, "Free Sand Bags". Wow, there is preventative maintenance. If Oceanside was a car it would be in the very back of Ecology Auto Wrecking completely picked apart and rusting. But hey, you don't seem to know who runs the City and the complete mismanagement. If Mr. Weiss couldn't even make sure that the citizens where safe from flooding, what gives him the qualification to be City Manager? Scary thought.
The Mayor is responsible: wrote on Jan 4, 2008 8:18 AM:I don't buy it, the Mayor is responsible, I did not vote for the City Manager or the engineer. And this is not an old problem it came with the Sprinter Line and happened within the last two years. I see our Mayor tripping to take credit for the good stuff, but now he will not take any responsibility for the need to fix problems. Unless he steps up this Mayor will not get my vote again.
The Mayor is not God! wrote on Jan 4, 2008 11:40 AM:I cannot believe that you actually beleive the mayor should have fixed the problems at the Loma Alta Creek. He is Mayor not God! The responsibility for the creek is the state and federal govenments and requires them to fund and approve. The beauracracy of the agencies required to do a permanent fix for these problems as well as the San Luis Rey River have eluded the mayors of Oceanside for decades. The person seeking to blame the mayor is just playing politics. He or she is probably supporting an opponent of the Mayor. Mayor Wood has worked hard on these problems and has gotten more done than other mayors. I live near the river and I know he has worked hard. Stop playing politics and support his efforts.
The Mayor is not responsible or accountable; wrote on Jan 4, 2008 2:25 PM:You are right; Mayor Wood takes no responsibility for anything. If you want the job of Mayor you need to take responsibility and hold others accountable for action. Before Mayor Wood, the City cleaned out the Loma Alta Channel every year prior to the rains, now we see more bureaucratic blamesmanship than action. My agenda is simple; let stop making excuses and fix these problems. And yes, I intent to continue to hold the Mayor accountable, he wanted the job, now he must do it!
Ted K. wrote on Jan 4, 2008 5:02 PM:The root problem is that City management over the last 10-15 years has allowed bumbler Peter Weiss to keep getting promoted up the ladder. This guy was way over his head 10 years ago ! This is a simple building/engineering department issue that was never dealt with properly. I hate to give Wood a pass but he ain't the bad boy on this one. (how about his buddy Jepperson, though?)
Lets fix this problem, wrote on Jan 4, 2008 6:32 PM:If we have time to go to San Francisco for a hotel hearing we have time to address Loma Alta Channel. The article states what has happened but it does not state what is going to happen. Will we continue to point fingers ala the San Luis Rey debacle, or will we take a proactive position on this one? I believe someone needs to take a leadership position here and it should be an elected official.
Stephen wrote on Jan 4, 2008 9:07 PM:All of this is just an Act of God. The businesses down there in the flood plain need to deal with it. Don't expect the government to bail you out.
Deja Vu all over again: wrote on Jan 5, 2008 12:54 AM:This is not about what happened in the past, it is all about what the City does now to address this problem. Many will be watching how the Mayor and the Council handle this one, hopefully it is not another San Luis Rey River.
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