The first stage of restoring the lagoon inlet was completed on May 13. Work will continue in early June with heavy earth-moving equipment to remove more sand, including the piles that are there right now that could not be removed. The lagoon mouth has been closed for some time by a natural sand dam or “sill” formed via wave action.

The opening of the lagoon mouth is great news for all life in the lagoon threatened by eutrophication*—the nasty end result of what most of us would call stagnation.

Supervising Ranger Dylan Hardenbrook reports on a few details and FAQs:

“State Parks, the Los Peñasquitos Lagoon Foundation, City of San Diego, and County of San Diego Vector Control are doing everything we can. We have all permits in place. The opening will drain the lagoon but will not restore tidal flows very far upstream.

“No it’s not as simple as organizing a shovel brigade. The sill (blockage) is very large and has cobbles layered within. We have to use heavy equipment.

“We’re working with the City of San Diego to provide large-scale excavation to keep the lagoon through next winter. We’re hoping for this to commence in Early June.

“Mosquitos issues are being addressed. A bacterium that is harmful only to larval Mosquitos was applied to the Marsh last Thursday by County of San Diego Vector Control.”

* Eutrophication (Greek: eutrophia—healthy, adequate nutrition, development; German: Eutrophie) or more precisely hypertrophication, is the ecosystem response to the addition of artificial or natural substances, such as nitrates and phosphates, through fertilizers or sewage, to an aquatic system.[1] One example is the “bloom” or great increase of phytoplankton in a water body as a response to increased levels of nutrients. Negative environmental effects include hypoxia, the depletion of oxygen in the water, which induces reductions in specific fish and other animal populations. Other species (such as Nomura’s jellyfish in Japanese waters) may experience an increase in population that negatively affects other species. —Wikipedia