Alleged Clean Water Act Violation: Playa Vista; CA Department of Fish & Wildlife; and, Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission's 2013 emails establish they knew of Illegal Drains that allowed contaminated Channel Water to flow into Ballona Wetlands.

Alleged Clean Water Act Violation: Leadership of Playa Vista; CA Department of Fish & Wildlife ; Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission (SMBRC) , Bay Foundation; Friends of Ballona emails (2013) establish they were all aware of the Illegal Drains allowing contaminated Ballona Channel water to flow into Ballona Wetlands. 
Leadership: Marc Huffman, Executive of Playa Vista; Michael Crehan, Psomas, contractor for Playa Vista and according to Mr. Crehan, also a consultant of CA Department of Fish & Wildlife (CDFW); Rick Mayfield, CA Department of Fish & Wildlife (CDFW); Shelly Luce, Karina Johnston, Diana Hurlbert—all are simultaneous leadership of both Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission and the Bay Foundation (SMBRC); and Lisa Fimiani, Friends of Ballona. 

SCREEN SHOT OF FIRST EMAIL IN THE CHAIN BELOW:

2. There is actually some tidal action that occasionally (at very high tides) occurs that brings some tidal flows to the few hundred square feet around these inlets.

3. Playa Vista is also looking at this. You might touch base with Marc Huffman. Mike

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FYI:

These inlets are intended to eliminate standing water immediately around them (holes in the sides); and, the top is set at an elevation slightly above the surrounding ground. Since the area around the drains are cut off from any flooding by surrounding roads and higher area, flooding cannot occur from any stormwater other than what falls directly on the area. So, it is intended for large storms only.

Three other points:

1. If these inlets were plugged, there would be no chance of any flooding ever reaching the adjacent roadways as the roads are about three feet higher than the surrounding grades. A three foot storm would be something on the order of the 1,000,000-year event (purely a guess, but you get the idea) and L.A. would not notice a little flooding here.
2. There is actually some tidal action that occasionally (at very high tides) occurs that brings some tidal flows to the few hundred square feet around these inlets.
3. Playa Vista is also looking at this. You might touch base with Marc Huffman. Mike

PSOMAS
Michael J. Crehan, P.E.
Vice President / Principal
555 South Flower Street, Suite 4300 Los Angeles, CA 90071
(213) 223-1400 mcrehan@psomas.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Diana Hurlbert [mailto:dhurlbert@santamonicabay.org]
Sent: Thursday, July 11, 2013 9:35 AM
To: Karina Johnston; Shelley Luce; Lisa Fimiani; Rick Mayfield (rmayfield@dfg.ca.gov) Cc: Mike Crehan
Subject: RE: Google Alert - Ballona Wetlands

The "device" is an part of the outflow structures for the freshwater marsh. It is in the area between Culver & Jefferson west of Lincoln. Rick Mayfield is aware of this and has already addressed the situation as much as is possible.

Diana Hurlbert
Restoration Project Coordinator
Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission dhurlbert@santamonicabay.org
Office - 310-216-9899
Cell - 831-241-3463 ________________________________________ From: Karina Johnston
Sent: Thursday, July 11, 2013 8:35 AM
To: Diana Hurlbert; Shelley Luce; Lisa Fimiani Subject: FW: Google Alert - Ballona Wetlands

Is this ("illegal drainage devices" article below) about the Freshwater Marsh? Here's the letter from the Coastal Commission:

http://media.heraldonline.com/smedia/2013/07/10/23/24/o9YXG.So.55.pdf#st...

From: Google Alerts [mailto:googlealerts-noreply@google.com] Sent: Wednesday, July 10, 2013 11:06 PM
To: Karina Johnston
Subject: Google Alert - Ballona Wetlands

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