SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO : Anticipating Rain, City OKs Creek Work
With the rainy season approaching, the City Council has authorized its staff to proceed with emergency repairs at San Juan Creek, despite having no guarantee that the Federal Emergency Management Agency will reimburse the city for the cost of the project.
Work on dredging the middle of the creek to prevent it from further eroding the bank was being done Thursday, said William Huber, San Juan Capistrano’s director of engineering and building.
The first phase of the project, which involves setting up a system of nets and poles along the creek’s weakened bank, will begin next week.
“To date, we have not received word from FEMA,” Huber said. “We don’t believe we have much choice. We need to proceed with this before the rainy season begins.”
The repairs are needed to protect a major city sewer line as well as to prevent further erosion of an embankment of Interstate 5 that was damaged by heavy storms last winter.
The council Tuesday approved the first phase of repairs, which will cost about $295,000. That money will come from the city’s sewer fund reserve, reducing it to about $200,000, Huber said.
The second phase of repairs, projected to cost about $240,000, is not set to begin until the spring.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
