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TIDINGS
NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES

October, 1999
VOLUME IV
ISSUE X

COASTAL CLEAN-UP DAY A SUCCESS
One hundred and forty volunteers gave up a Saturday morning to work at Lake Merritt on September 18th. When the dust had cleared, 39 bags of trash had been removed from the Estuary Channel between 12th Street and the Embarcadero, including an old tube style television set. In addition, an uncounted number of trash bags were removed from the Lake, and many native plants were planted in the ground at the Rotary Nature Center. Pablo Cepero of the Rotary Center ably coordinated activity at the Lake Merritt Site; Ron Mora of Adams Point once again helped out at the sign-in desk; David Coy drove one of the two boats providing rides across the Lake; and Liz Boroweic (an EPA employee assigned to Oakland for 6 months) kept everything running smoothly.

ALAMEDA CREEK ALLIANCE PROPOSES A STEELHEAD FESTIVAL IN FREMONT
According to "Up Your Creek" the Alameda Creek Alliance Newsletter, a steelhead festival is proposed in April. Modeled after such festivals as the garlic festival in Gilroy, the event would "celebrate the miracle of wild steelhead returning to over-developed Fremont, and create awareness of the watershed and its restoration potential." Sounds like what we are trying to do at Lake Merritt.

BAT RAYS AT THE CHANNEL
There they were. At least five of them, the biggest more than 4 feet across. We have heard reports that bat rays (they look a lot like sting rays) were spawning in the Estuary Channel, and now we were watching them swim around and feed. This is just one more example of the value of this channel to fish and wildlife, and one more reason for the City (and County) to more closely manage the natural resources here (especially if housing is proposed for the adjacent Laney College parking lot).

BIRD CIRCUS
There will be a reception for artist Kevin Woodson on October 9, from 3-5 pm at the Rotary Nature Center. His exhibit of watercolor paintings of the Lake's birds will be on display from 10/9-30.

ONCE AGAIN: HOW ABOUT A CITY DREDGE BOAT?
Several years ago the Institute proposed that Oakland purchase its own dredge boat, so that City employees could better maintain the Lake. The idea was rejected, and the badly needed dredging was done by an outside contract. The result? It cost the City / County 1.5 million dollars, the company went a million over budget and was going to sue. So, once again we say: Oakland should buy its own dredge boat. It would provide Union jobs, save money, and better maintain the Lake. Not only would the boat remove storm drain sediments that accumulate here every year, it could also deepen the areas around docks (which is badly needed) AND remove widgeon grass beds so that we won't have to put up with several acres of rotting, smelly plant growth each summer

WETLAND PROJECT ALIVE AND KICKING
Remember the wetlands that were proposed in the Lake Merritt Resource Enhancement Plan, and the hearings that said that such habitat restoration was high on the list of priorities? Well the project is moving along. City planner Kerry Jo Ricketts Ferris has submitted a grant proposal to the Coastal Conservancy, which may approve it this month! Hearings could be held as early as this winter or spring. Pat Kernighan of Councilman Russo's office is coordinating and providing help.

INSTITUTE CLEAN LAKE CONTRACT CANNOT BE RENEWED
At a recent meeting of the Adams Point Preservation Society, Claudette Ford, Director of the Oakland Public Works Agency, stated twice that the Institute's Clean Lake contract with the City could not be renewed next year. She has scheduled a review of the scope of work for January, 2000 with regard to the Union objections to volunteers cleaning the Lake. Note here that no Union employees lost their job when we began our work, and that we do a lot more than just clean the Lake. Our contract expires in May, and it includes: Trash removal from the Lake; conducting education about urban runoff (because an ounce of prevention [education] is worth a pound of cure [trash pick up]); and providing expertise to the City about many issues at Lake Merritt such as algae/widgeon grass control, oil spills, storm drain filters, the fishing resource, dredging and the wetland project. Expiration of the contract will leave the Institute without funding for fountain maintenance, bulletin board maintenance, salary, administration, insurance, taxes or any of our other obligations. If you are distressed by the prospect of the demise of LMI, contact Mayor Jerry Brown, City Manager Robert Bobb, and Claudette Ford.

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