CIWMB Press Room Archives

State Agencies Work Together for Border Cleanup Project: Trash and tires from Mexico blocking California wetlands and estuary

Trash, tires and debris clog the upper sediment basin bordering the wetlands in Border Field State Park near San Diego. Select image to view larger photo. Map

SACRAMENTO--The California Integrated Waste Management Board has approved a $1.6 million grant for a cooperative project with California State Parks to remove and separate tons of debris, tires, and trash along the California-Mexico border.

The affected area is in the Tijuana River Valley and Goat Canyon Estuary in Border Field State Park, 15 miles south of San Diego. It is located entirely within the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve, an important wildlife habitat managed by the California Department of Parks and Recreation.

“The health of the Tijuana River Valley and estuary, one of the few remaining tidal wetlands in Southern California, is being threatened by upstream debris," said Board Chair Margo Reid Brown. "We are pleased to be working in partnership with California State Parks to resolve this problem and to help restore the pristine beauty of this environmentally sensitive area."

The Tijuana River runs for approximately 120 miles, primarily in Mexico, and crosses the U.S.-Mexico border at Tijuana. Large quantities of trash, tires, sediment, and other debris are transported by storm water from Mexico into the U.S., Tijuana River Valley and estuary, adversely impacting the area. To abate the storm water discharges and impacts to both the park and the estuary, California State Parks constructed sediment basins at the mouth of Goat Canyon in spring 2005.

In January 2009 the Board approved a $250,000 grant to install a previously purchased boom capture system. The booms are large plastic tubes that direct the floating trash and debris to the sides of the basin for easier removal and disposal. However, State budget constraints prevented the completion of the project in a timely manner.

Today's action, in partnership with the California State Parks, will allow the Board’s contractor access to the site for a one-time cleanout of the basins by removing an estimated 60,000 cubic yards of sediment, tires, trash, and debris. The material taken from the basins will be processed to separate the tires, trash, and debris from the sediment.

The tires, trash, and debris, along with similar debris stockpiled from previous processing operations, will be transported for proper disposal or recycling. California State Parks has indicated that the screened sediment may remain on the processing pad for future use, such as beach sand replenishment or other off-site mitigation projects.

California State Parks will provide site access and will be responsible for long-term operation and maintenance of the system.

Once the Board managed cleanup and removal project is completed, California State Parks will work closely with other State and local agencies, as well as nonprofit groups to ensure that the sand dunes and salt marshes that give refuge to critically threatened endangered birds will continue to be a viable environmental resource.

The grants awarded today come from the Board's Solid Waste Disposal and Codisposal Grant Program, which funds the cleanup of sites when a responsible party cannot be identified or is unable or unwilling to pay cleanup costs. The grants accelerate timely cleanup of dump sites that pose a risk to public health or the environment.

The Tijuana River estuary cleanup is one of several efforts under way in California to address pollution flowing across the state’s southern border. In August, Linda S. Adams, secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency, announced a commitment of State and federal funds to begin addressing pollution flowing from the New River, which flows from Mexicali in Baja California, across the U.S.-Mexico border, through Calexico, and into the Salton Sea:

• Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger approved $800,000 from Proposition 84, a $5.4 billion water bond passed by California voters in November 2006, to help fund the New River Improvement Project.
• The State funds will be combined with a $4 million federal grant to begin identifying solutions along the heavily polluted New River.

“This funding will support developing a strategy that will involve all stakeholders in working toward improving the quality of the New River,” said Adams. “This is part of the Governor’s larger commitment to the promotion of a cleaner, greener, and healthier environment for us all.”

The California Integrated Waste Management Board is the state's leading authority on recycling and waste reduction. It promotes reducing waste whenever possible, managing all materials to their highest and best use, and protecting public health and safety and the environment.

The California Integrated Waste Management Board is one of six boards, departments, and offices within the California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA).

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