October 3, 2014

Santa Ana Regional Board Wetlands Restoration Opportunity

LOS CERRITOS WETLANDS, ORANGE COUNTY

Potential Opportunities in Orange County

Properties owned by

• State Lands Commission

• LCWA• Hellman Ranch• OCFCD Los

Alamitos Retarding Basin

Total of ~ 100 acres

Los Cerritos Water Quality Issues

The Hellman property in Orange County contains:• Some salt marsh habitat under tidal influence• Some areas of salt pannes or flats that received tidal

flows• Flows are from the tidally influenced San Gabriel River• Adverse impacts from fill material, contaminated soils,

non-native vegetation, restricted tidal connections, dumping of trash

• Currently no longer wetlands, but great potential to restore back to salt marsh habitat

Santa Ana Regional Board Efforts

Completed: Issuance of WDRs as part of multi-agency effort to expedite clean-up some Los Cerritos oil fields in Orange County.

On-going: Support for the Los Cerritos Wetlands Conceptual Restoration Plan and Hellman Property acquisition through Southern CA Wetlands Recovery Project.

On-going: 401 certifications issued for Los Cerritos restoration activities as needed.

Short-term: Partner with the Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority to consider mitigation credits in Hellman portion (currently, LCWA uses some limited mitigation credits)

Short-term: Regular coordination with LCWA on restoration efforts. Long-term: Encourage LCWA to establish an in lieu fee mitigation program Long-term: Oversee continuing cleanup of contaminated soils as necessary

similar to Santa Ana Board staff experience at the Bolsa Chica restoration project