Lake Merced Update

June 2004

 

Things have been relatively quiet at the lake, so it’s been a couple of months since our last update.  Things are picking up now, and it’s time for another report.

 

As many of you know, the storms of February 25 resulted in another major bank erosion around the South and Impound Lakes.  The Department of Public Works has published the first draft of their John Muir Drive/ Lake Merced Slope Restoration Project.   (http://www.lakemerced.org/Poliact/ErosionControl/errosion_report.pdf)  In this plan they propose "(O)ur current approach is to construct a large diameter rock apron to contain at the existing large erosion area and channel the flow of the water to the lake."  This stuff is also called 'riprap', and would produce an extremely undesirable visual and environmental intrusion on the lake.  A 60-foot wide swath of 3- to 4-foot diameter boulders is proposed as a waterway into the lake from the Vista Grande Canal.

 

Erosion Control Magazine reports, "In essence, the use of more natural material, such as trees and rootwads, provides a good alternative and is proving to be of greater benefit to the ecosystem than rock riprap is."  Mondy Lariz, the CalTrout delegate to the Lake Merced Task Force and their newly elected Chairman, proposed a ‘soft’ technique using willows and other natural vegetation.  To their credit, the DPW engineers have promised to look at new alternatives, and we sincerely hope that they will.  Visit the Erosion Control web site (http://www.forester.net/ecm_0201_stabilization.html) to learn more about alternative techniques.

 

Work is going forward toward redevelopment of the Boathouse.  The facilities management group at Rec & Park is soliciting proposals for the restoration of this location as a destination restaurant.  However, the bill for bringing the building up to code and standard for this use is estimated between $2 and $3 million.  There’s no public money available for this project, and private financing seems unlikely.  Meanwhile there is a growing interest in the community to return the Boathouse to its original purpose as a community/education/recreation center.  Let me know if you have an opinion.

 

The PUC is scheduling a pair of meetings to discuss their recent developments:

 

June 15, 3:30 – 5:30 P.M., 1145 Market, Room 401: review of revised EDAW Technical Reports #3 and #4.

 

June 24, 6:00 – 8:00 P.M., West Sunset Playground, 39th & Ortega, review of the recently (finally!) released (Draft) North Westside Basin Groundwater Management Plan.  Public comment on this plan will close July 15.

 

Please let Suzanne Gautier ([email protected]) know if you plan to attend either of these events so she’ll know how many places to set at the table.

 

The stormwater folks are also directing their attention to Lake Merced.  They also will have public meetings to discuss their program; time and place to be announced.  In the meantime, if you’d like to review the current status, and see an interesting map of the lake, visit their web site (http://sfwater.org/detail.cfm/MSC_ID/92/MTO_ID/NULL/MC_ID/4/C_ID/1425/holdSession/1).  It seems that there are currently some 20 storm drains pouring water of unknown quality into the lake.

 

Finally, the PUC has their eyes on the Pacific Rod and Gun Club grounds.  A (Draft) PR&GC Investigation Workplan will soon be released.  Check our web site (www.lakemerced.org); we’ll post it there as soon as it is available.

 

That’s a lot of reading, but somebody's got to do it!.

 

John