Countywide : Jury Urges Halt to Flood-Control Flap

The Orange County grand jury has called on two government agencies to cease a bureaucratic tug of war that, though relatively minor, poses an unusual threat to public safety.

In a committee report issued Thursday, grand jurors state that vegetation growing wild in some Orange County flood-control channels could clog them in the event of a major storm or fuel fires if the areas become too dry.

The solution would seem simple enough: have the county Environmental Management Agency clear the channels. But the state Department of Fish and Game doesn’t always approve because, as the report notes, the same plants that pose flooding and fire hazards also offer nesting space for birds.

Though agreement is usually reached without much ado between the county and state agencies, the grand jury recommended a more comprehensive approach to make clearing simpler and to emphasize flood-control priorities over habitat preservation.

“Everybody has their own turf,” said Bill Gustafson, maintenance systems manager for the EMA. “Everybody has their own responsibilities, and the individuals involved are generally wary of giving up their responsibilities.”

Nevertheless, Gustafson added, the agencies are discussing the conflicting objectives.