Lake Merced Update, February 2004

To:  Friends and Stewards of Lake Merced

There’s quite a bit to report again this month, and much of that is good news!

Perhaps the big step forward: The Regional Water Quality Control Board has approved the Vista Grande Canal demonstration project.  Stormwater runoff from Daly City is collected and sent to the ocean through the Vista Grande Canal.  That canal runs along John Muir Boulevard across the street from South Lake Merced.  It is hoped that some of that water can be diverted into the lake as a fresh water resource.

Unfortunately, coliform bacteria have been found in the canal, and the source of those bacteria has not been found.  The proposed demonstration is intended to test the ability of the flora on the shoreline, together with the tules near the shore, to filter that coliform before it reaches the open lake.

The initial project plan was frankly not well prepared.  The Regional Board and I came up with quite similar criticisms; you will find a record of our exchange on the web site.  Fortunately, I was able to work with the project developers to prepare a revised proposal, and that has been accepted.  We are now able to go forward with this important project.

More good news!  The PUC is opening the way for greater community input.  For the first time ever I was invited to participate, as a community representative, in the initial brainstorming sessions for a new PUC project intended to evaluate GIS technology to improve our ability to manage and restore the Westside Basin aquifer.  Please let me know if this is a subject of interest to you, and you would like to participate in future planning sessions.

The gauge board used to measure water level in South Lake is broken, so the web record of lake level is not current.  We are trying to get the new data being collected on all three lakes, but need to figure out the conversion factors before we can compare this to our historical record.

The PUC has budgeted an additional $70,000 to pursue the study of water level impacts on various beneficial uses of the lake.  Our prime concern is habitat, and any actions that can be taken to maintain, or even to improve habitat as the lake rises.  Again, please let me know if you would like to participate in this effort.

The Lake Merced Task Force is working hard to develop a shared vision for Lake Merced.  We at Friends of Lake Merced have a few ideas that we'd like to share.  You’ll find these on our web site; go to http://www.lakemerced.org/Plans/CompPlan/Vision/Vision_for_Lake_Merced.html.  If you have any suggestions you’d like to add please send them in, with pictures if possible, and we’ll add them to the page.

That’s all for now.

John