Re: Blog #24: More current events

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/news/2009/sep/21/n94698214119-following-flow-pollutants/

Excerpt from Union Tribune:
"Dozens of scientists, engineers and volunteers in wet suits and immersed in 67-degree water are setting up sensitive equipment along Imperial Beach's shoreline to better understand water pollution.
The work is part of a $1.5 million experiment that may help manage beach closures along the entire California coast.
Scientists with UCSD's Scripps Institution of Oceanography say the goal of the Imperial Beach Pollutant Transport and Dilution Experiment is to track how pollutants are moved by waves, currents and tides.
Yesterday, investigators dropped floating devices called drifters, which move like dye, into the Pacific Ocean. Dye testing is set to begin Monday.
Drifters and dye both simulate pollution. However, drifters provide better data for how fast pollutants spread along the shore while dye better monitors cross-shore movement.
The drifters and nontoxic dye will be released from the Tijuana River to just north of the Imperial Beach city limit, depending on the swell and other conditions. "

The issue for this story is that scientists are studying the flow of pollution from the Tijuana river to north of Imperial Beach. They took trackers and put them in the water to see where they end up in a certain amount of time. To find out more information, we could research and follow up the Union Tribune's articles that feature San Diego's water pollution.
The story relates to our class because of pollution, investigating the water, and writing an article on it. It could tie into our project if anyone does a topic on water pollution.

http://www.fws.gov/Endangered/bulletin/95/coastal.html

Southern California attracts even more people and provides habitat for more listed species than the Texas Coast. The "River of Birds" along the Pacific flyway has lost most of its native, undisturbed habitat for nesting, resting, and feeding. A partnership with the San Diego County Parks Department, State agencies, and local conservation groups is attempting to reverse the trend by restoring tidal flow to a degraded coastal lagoon. Restoration of the San Elijo Lagoon will likely benefit three endangered species, the California least tern (Sterna antillarum browni), light-footed clapper rail (Rallus longirostris levipes), and tidewater goby (Eucyclogobius newberryi); two threatened species, the western snowy plover (Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus) and coastal California gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica californica); and Belding's savannah sparrow (Passerculus sandwhichensis beldingi), a species of concern.

This story featured more places to it, but one that stood out to me was the one on Southern California. It featured how San Diego and some state agencies are working to protect some of their native species of birds and fish. This relates to my topic completely because my essential question is "How does San Diego protect it's animals in it's coastal ecosystem?"
Some information that could be featured is more info on San Diego County. I think that would benefit my project a ton. I also think that they should say where those three endangered species live or where the San Eligo Lagoon is.
However, the most important information is that there is work being done to help animals!

Hold Onto Your Butt (Thanks to Emilie's blog)

"An awareness event that was meant to educate people about how to dispose of cigarette safely and how the ones thrown on the ground can effect the ocean and wildlife."

*Cigarette butts are the most littered item in The United States and the world.
*They account for nearly one in every three items collected during Surfrider cleanups

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j-aGrkBDdWp1rUIvhI2EQ_taAn1wD9BV4I5G0

"The seals can stay and play at a La Jolla swimming cove.

A judge ruled Friday that harbor seals that have colonized the cove in La Jolla for more than a decade can remain there. That overruled an earlier decision to have the city remove the seals because their waste bacteria was dangerous for humans.

San Diego County Superior Court Judge Timothy Taylor ruled that a state law signed by the governor in July will allow the cove to be designated as a marine park starting Jan. 1, and that there is no reason to evict the animals before then. The move finalized a tentative ruling Taylor made Thursday."

This article was published 3 days ago and explains the current situation on the La Jolla Seals controversy. It says that they can stay.


http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2009/nov/13/hodges-spill-could-bring-big-penalty/

"San Diego faces one of its largest water-quality fines in recent years for spilling nearly 400,000 gallons of untreated sewage into a tributary of Lake Hodges in 2007."

This article describes what happened when San Diego spilt chemicals and polluted Lake Hodges two years ago. It explains their penalties now.