Mugu Lagoon

Steve Schwartz pauses on a cracking concrete dock on the Point Mugu Navy base, surveying the rising salt marsh and dry land around him. Sailors used to navigate 20-foot boats to the dock at the edge of Mugu Lagoon as late as the 1960s. But just recently, Schwartz and another Navy ecologist ventured out in a shallow-draft canoe; "we bottomed out," Schwartz said.

Recent media coverage has labeled people opposed to the Camarillo golf course / amphitheater project as "environmentalists." I urge everyone who might attend concerts and play golf there to go visit these parklands before deciding this issue. Many of you may become environmentalists when you see the El Nino-created lake and ponds that the developers want to destroy. One becomes an environmentalist when one's environment is threatened. Developers cry, "No, we'll manage the waters so they won't impact the environment."

Ventura County's largest marine wetlands and wildlife sanctuary at Point Mugu and its tributaries are targeted for state cleanup because of high levels of pesticides found in the water, according to state water authorities.

Millions of gallons of raw sewage continued to flow from a storm-damaged pipe into Conejo Creek on Wednesday, prompting concerns among environmentalists about the hazards posed by the spill. As much as 18 million gallons of effluent could be discharged by the time the spill is expected to be contained by noon Friday, according to officials. This would surpass a 10-million-gallon spill in 1995 from the same Hill Canyon Wastewater Treatment Plant pipe.

While the season's downpours have been a joy to drought-weary water users, they have been quietly killing Mugu Lagoon and endangering its plants and animals, environmentalists say. Ron Dow, head of Point Mugu Naval Air Station's environmental division, said heavy rains during the last two years have accelerated runoff into the streams and creeks that flow into the lagoon.

While the season's downpours have been a joy to drought fighters, they have been quietly killing Mugu Lagoon and endangering the plants and animals that depend on it for life, environmentalists say. Ron Dow, head of Point Mugu Naval Air Station's environmental division, said heavy rains during the last two years have accelerated runoff into the streams and creeks that flow into the lagoon, which is southwest of Pacific Coast Highway and Las Posas Road.

Steve Schwartz pauses on a cracking, concrete dock on the Point Mugu Navy base, surveying the rising salt marsh and dry land around him. Sailors used to navigate 20-foot boats to the dock, puttering around Mugu Lagoon as recently as the 1960s. More recently, Schwartz and another Navy ecologist ventured here in a shallow-draft canoe. "We bottomed out," he said.

The 200 harbor seals at Mugu Lagoon have lived a very private life until now. That's about to change: The seals are going public. Their beachfront lounge at the Point Mugu Navy base will soon become a regular stop on a tour route being plotted by the Navy and the National Park Service. So will the rare saltwater marsh that lies behind the base gates.

The efforts to "save" the Mugu Lagoon and to redirect Calleguas Creek ("Steering Committee," March 31) are admirable attempts to deal with short-term problems. However, nowhere is the real problem/opportunity even mentioned; this planning is misguided on the part of the environmentalists, and near-criminal by those in authority. Given that the consensus has been reached that the events known as "global warming" are real and will occur, problems with Calleguas Creek and the Mugu Lagoon can illustrate the kind of planning which will make mankind's transition to the new environment a triumph for civilization.

The Sammis Co. is proposing a massive housing and commercial project in Camarillo that would envelop Conejo Creek, a prime waterway emptying into Mugu Lagoon. Our environmental community has deep concerns about further degradation of this unique animal habitat if the project goes forward. In order to build this project, the creek would have to be channelized into a concrete ditch. This would increase water velocity with subsequent downstream erosion and silting of an already critical lagoon.

The efforts to "save" the Mugu Lagoon and to redirect Calleguas Creek ("Steering Committee," March 31) are admirable attempts to deal with short-term problems. However, nowhere is the real problem/opportunity even mentioned; this planning is misguided on the part of the environmentalists, and near-criminal by those in authority. Given that the consensus has been reached that the events known as "global warming" are real and will occur, problems with Calleguas Creek and the Mugu Lagoon can illustrate the kind of planning which will make mankind's transition to the new environment a triumph for civilization.

They used to call it ugly and hurl artillery shells at it. True, the 2,000 acres of land along Pacific Coast Highway is marshy and filled with insects. But it's a swamp with a view and a prime spot for bird-watching and marine birthing. And now Point Mugu wants to show it off. With the help of UCLA architecture graduate students and input from the National Park Service and Caltrans, the Navy hopes to construct a visitors center beside the ecologically sensitive wetland site.

The 200 harbor seals at Mugu Lagoon have lived a very private life until now. That's about to change: The seals are going public. Their beachfront lounge at the Point Mugu Navy base will soon become a regular stop on a tour route being plotted by the Navy and the National Park Service. So will the rare saltwater marsh that lies behind the base gates.

Steve Schwartz pauses on a cracking, concrete dock on the Point Mugu Navy base, surveying the rising salt marsh and dry land around him. Sailors used to navigate 20-foot boats to the dock, puttering around Mugu Lagoon as recently as the 1960s. More recently, Schwartz and another Navy ecologist ventured here in a shallow-draft canoe. "We bottomed out," he said.

Steve Schwartz pauses on a cracking concrete dock on the Point Mugu Navy base, surveying the rising salt marsh and dry land around him. Sailors used to navigate 20-foot boats to the dock at the edge of Mugu Lagoon as late as the 1960s. But just recently, Schwartz and another Navy ecologist ventured out in a shallow-draft canoe; "we bottomed out," Schwartz said.

While the season's downpours have been a joy to drought-weary water users, they have been quietly killing Mugu Lagoon and endangering its plants and animals, environmentalists say. Ron Dow, head of Point Mugu Naval Air Station's environmental division, said heavy rains during the last two years have accelerated runoff into the streams and creeks that flow into the lagoon.

Recent media coverage has labeled people opposed to the Camarillo golf course / amphitheater project as "environmentalists." I urge everyone who might attend concerts and play golf there to go visit these parklands before deciding this issue. Many of you may become environmentalists when you see the El Nino-created lake and ponds that the developers want to destroy. One becomes an environmentalist when one's environment is threatened. Developers cry, "No, we'll manage the waters so they won't impact the environment."

They used to call it ugly and hurl artillery shells at it. True, the 2,000 acres of land along Pacific Coast Highway is marshy and filled with insects. But it's a swamp with a view and a prime spot for bird-watching and marine birthing. And now Point Mugu wants to show it off. With the help of UCLA architecture graduate students and input from the National Park Service and Caltrans, the Navy hopes to construct a visitors center beside the ecologically sensitive wetland site.

While the season's downpours have been a joy to drought fighters, they have been quietly killing Mugu Lagoon and endangering the plants and animals that depend on it for life, environmentalists say. Ron Dow, head of Point Mugu Naval Air Station's environmental division, said heavy rains during the last two years have accelerated runoff into the streams and creeks that flow into the lagoon, which is southwest of Pacific Coast Highway and Las Posas Road.

The Sammis Co. is proposing a massive housing and commercial project in Camarillo that would envelop Conejo Creek, a prime waterway emptying into Mugu Lagoon. Our environmental community has deep concerns about further degradation of this unique animal habitat if the project goes forward. In order to build this project, the creek would have to be channelized into a concrete ditch. This would increase water velocity with subsequent downstream erosion and silting of an already critical lagoon.