Friends of Del Cerro: Alvarado Creek restoration project continues to improve area

Recently, several board members of the Friends of Del Cerro attended a presentation by Julie Lambert, the program director of the Soil Ecology and Restoration Group (SERG).

In cooperation with San Diego State University, her organization is working on an extensive restoration project of the Alvarado Creek on the SDSU property adjacent to the Smoke Tree Condominium complex just west of Adobe Falls. This extensive project is being funded by the San Diego River Park Conservancy.

The restoration project began in 2016 and to date they have restored nine acres. We knew the palm trees along Alvarado Creek were a fire hazard because they act like a torch in a fire. We did not realize the impact the palm trees have on the environment itself. Each palm tree consumes 66 gallons of water per day and amount to 200 tons of water a year per tree.

In January, her staff will begin planting a total of 1,500 native plants and trees. Willows are one of the main types of tree to be planted and they have grown them from cuttings.

Lambert mentioned that since the initiation of the restoration project, you can now hear croaking frogs. They concern is which type of frogs they are and hopefully they are not the evasive bullfrog. Another group is going to conduct a survey of the frog population.

The photos we saw of the before and after are remarkable. Significant portions of the Alvarado Creek are definitely returning to the natural environment. This effort is making a positive impact on the Adobe Falls area and certainly lessening the area as a fire hazard.

Lambert commented there are plans to seek additional funding to continue working east along the Alvarado Creek including the four acres owned by the City of San Diego, San Diego State and CalTrans.

SERG has also restored a portion of Alvarado Creek east of College Avenue and south of Interstate 8.

We know a major concern is the proposed 114, six story mixed-use complex across the street from Windmill Farms and the adjacent retail stores.

Sandi Crumpacker, who lives directly behind this proposed monolith, is heading up a community group to investigate any and all possibilities of what our community can do to impact the project in a more positive manner. If you are interested in becoming involved with this organization, send an email to RHFDelCerro@gmail.com (Responsible Housing for Del Cerro).

Since the state and local legislation will allow similar projects to be built in virtually any community, a concerted effort involving community councils, planning groups and business districts may be able to impact future legislation.

The City of San Diego’s Planning Commission recently met to hear the proposal to expand the Transit Priority Area and they were concerned with the number of people attending who are against the expansion. They temporarily pulled several elements of the expanded Transit Priority Area including the Complete Communities section. More to come.

For more information about the Friends of Del Cerro, visit our website at: friendsofdelcerro.org.

Photo credit: Soil Ecology and Restoration Group.

– Jay Wilson is a board member with Friends of Del Cerro.

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