San Diego Creek Channel pilot study and maintenance project takes effect 

OC Public Works (OCPW) will perform maintenance work on the San Diego Creek Channel between Campus Drive and MacArthur Boulevard from Sept. 30 to Nov. 5. As part of the San Diego Creek Channel Pilot Restoration project, officials aim to study local vegetation and flood mitigation at the channel.

OC Construction, a division of OCPW, will remove vegetation and sediment buildup from the channel. Work in the area is scheduled on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Due to maintenance activity, bike trails near the channel will be intermittently closed between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. University Drive will remain open with lane closures, according to a City of Irvine bulletin. Specific closures will be indicated by flag personnel and signs. 

The San Diego Creek Channel, part of the San Diego Creek, flows into upper Newport Bay and is approximately one mile west of UCI. The channel was established in 1968 after parts of the creek were channelized, or straightened, for flood mitigation purposes.

OCPW project manager for the pilot restoration Silver Sinang told New University that the project combines maintenance work and research as a pilot study on the role of vegetation, particularly native plants, in the ecosystem’s health. In the study, OCPW officials will monitor vegetation growth in two areas, each approximately 100 by 100 feet.

“For right now, we are just trying to get rid of the invasive vegetation, and then we are going to try to let it regenerate naturally,” Sinang said. “The regulatory team [is] going to monitor these sites, and if it doesn’t regenerate, we’ll use native plants that are in the area and use those cuttings and restake into them or broadcast native seeds.” 

According to Sinang, the OCPW team may plant mule fat, a type of flowering shrub native to California, by the channel. This plant can be planted to help restore riparian habitats, as it quickly grows after disturbances like floods and fires. 

As part of the project, OCPW teams will also remove sediment buildup by the channel as a maintenance effort to help reduce the risk of flooding. The sediments may include eroded soil and debris from driveways, roads and rain runoff. These materials can travel from land to bodies of water such as lakes and streams, eventually reaching water channels, which can flood and experience reduced water quality from the built-up sediments if not properly maintained. 

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, excessive sediment in water can also threaten marine life and disrupt ecosystems by altering habitats and biological functions. 

If the pilot study on vegetation is successful, county officials may use the results to develop a long-term strategy to improve local ecosystems, according to strategic communications officer for OCPW Shannon Widor. In partnership with local agencies, this strategy will aim to support habitat health and reduce the risk of flooding. 

While the maintenance work and study are underway, Widor spoke to the importance of “finding that balance” between the needs of the project and the surrounding community.

“The creek work is important, but what’s also important is the community, you know, [has] access,” Widor told New University. “When we are working on county property or the creek area, [we are] trying, to the greatest extent possible, to keep that access open for bicyclists and drivers in the area, especially by UC Irvine, where you have a lot of students and faculty coming in and out of that area. We understand that need.”  

More information on project updates can be found through the OCPW website or by contacting projectinfo@ocpw.ocgov.com. 

Katherine Nava is a News Staff Writer. She can be reached at navakl@uci.edu.

Edited by Beatrice Lee and Jaheem Conley 

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