Click on the graphic below to see FOCL's January email
Monday, January 21, 2013
Friday, November 16, 2012
New Nature Walks (for the over 50 Crowd!)
NEW!!
FRIENDS OF COLORADO LAGOON
(Last Sunday of the Month Nature
Walks)
NOVEMBER 25, 2012 8:30 – 10:30
AM
Meet at the
Wetlands & Marine Science Center on Appian Way
SPECIAL THANKSGIVING WALK
EASY PACED
NATURE AND BIRD WALK
(For the Over 50
Crowd)
The winter migration has begun and the ducks and
shorebirds have found Colorado Lagoon’s clean water to their liking. With the dredging completed, many more
creatures are making Colorado Lagoon their home. Find out more about the next restoration
phase as we view the pelicans, grebes, coots, ducks and shore birds. If we are lucky, perhaps we will see a hawk! Bring binoculars (available to borrow-call to
reserve a pair- if you have none), sunscreen, hat, water and comfy walking
shoes. No charge. Led by Harriet Bennish, FOCL volunteer. (562) 621-9734 alinkletter@yahoo.com Rain
cancels
Monday, October 22, 2012
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Tidal Influence and FOCL volunteers have been working on setting up the new Western Arm Reserve at Colorado Lagoon. Here is a short timelapse video of us building a split rail fence designed to separate the Little Rec Golf Course from the Lagoon.
And here is another timelapse video of us planting salt marsh habitat in the Western Arm. We had to get these plants in before the 7th tee reopened and bad golfers started bombing us with their shanks.
Our first big public restoration event in the Western Arm will be on Saturday October 13th from 10am-12pm. Come join us!
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Colorado Lagoon Grand Re-opening
Colorado Lagoon Grand Re-opening
Let’s Celebrate!
Please join the City of Long Beach and the Friends of
Colorado Lagoon (FOCL) to celebrate the reopening of Colorado Lagoon on
Saturday, August 25th! Approximately 63,000 cubic yards of mud later, we are
thrilled to be one step closer to a healthy lagoon with the completion of the
dredging. Details are below:
When: Saturday, August 25, 2012
Where: Colorado Lagoon, near the Wetland and Marine
Science Education Center on Apian Way
When: 10 am – 2 pm
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
The dredging of Colorado Lagoon is coming to a close, at last check more than 50,000 cubic yards of sediment has been hauled to the Port of Long Beach to be used in the Middle Harbor project (Big thanks to our friends at the LB Port!). This polluted sediment has built up in the lagoon (mainly from the stormdrains) over the last ~80 years, and its removal was mandated when the State Water Board (SWB) set strict new limits for pollutants in Colorado Lagoon. The sediment, while not classified as toxic, has lead and other pollutants above limits set by the SWB.
In addition to the sediment removal, 3 storm drain outfalls have been demolished and hauled away, including the infamous Termino Ave Drain, which was the trigger for tremendous community involvement at the lagoon. But the most noticeable change visitors see when peering through the tattered green fence is the land at the western end of the lagoon has been re-contoured to increase intertidal habitat. This area will be replanted by FOCL and the community over the next 18-24 months thanks to a grant from the Rivers and Mountains Conservancy (RMC). Stay tuned for more info on how you can get involved in this effort.
The contractor, AIS, is still measuring and touching up the bottom of the lagoon to make sure it meets the project specifications. This should be complete within a week or two and then the dredge equipment will be removed.
Next steps for AIS include removing the abandoned bathroom and the parking lot on the north shore, filling the hole left by the parking lot removal (using piles of clean dirt from the west lagoon re-contouring) and grading the site. When this is complete, most of the fences will come down and the lagoon will be open to visitors again. Originally scheduled for the end of July, it now looks like mid to late August for the re-opening.
The tide gates are still not completely opened yet, but the water clarity has improved dramatically in the last few weeks as the dredging has tapered off. We are very excited for the temporary tide gates to be removed and the tide to return to pre-project ranges, the water should look better than ever!
As we approach another milestone in the restoration of the lagoon, FOCL wishes to thank all of the lagoon's neighbors for their patience during this major construction project. Thanks for all your continued support!
 |
| Sediment from the lagoon, including an old car chassis, before being hauled away. |
 |
| View of the re-contoured western end of Colorado Lagoon - No more Termino Ave Drain! |
The contractor, AIS, is still measuring and touching up the bottom of the lagoon to make sure it meets the project specifications. This should be complete within a week or two and then the dredge equipment will be removed.
Next steps for AIS include removing the abandoned bathroom and the parking lot on the north shore, filling the hole left by the parking lot removal (using piles of clean dirt from the west lagoon re-contouring) and grading the site. When this is complete, most of the fences will come down and the lagoon will be open to visitors again. Originally scheduled for the end of July, it now looks like mid to late August for the re-opening.
 |
| Tough Commute - An excavator moves itself around the lagoon with its bucket |
As we approach another milestone in the restoration of the lagoon, FOCL wishes to thank all of the lagoon's neighbors for their patience during this major construction project. Thanks for all your continued support!
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
FOCL Updates
We here at FOCL are trying to sync all of our Social Media (Check out our Facebook Group page when you have a chance!) with our website (ColoradoLagoon.org) and our blog and Emails to our members. We will get it worked out so that you can be fully up to date on all FOCL happenings at the Lagoon. In the meantime, check out this update that we sent to members last week (it doesn't come out super clear so click on the pic)...
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