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Batiquitos Lagoon Sewage Spill 2012 & Impacts Almost Back To Normal!
Update as on October 22, 2012

As you have seen in the media, Batiquitos Lagoon Ecological Reserve suffered a
sewage spill near the City of Carlsbad’s Water District’s pump station east of our
Nature Center. While the exact location of the sewer line break is still being
investigated, the City of Carlsbad onsite event team, including representatives from California Department of Fish and Game, San Diego Environmental Health, Aviara Master (Homeowners) Association, the Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation (BLF), and others, responded and worked to contain the spill and associated environmental impacts and damage. The City of Carlsbad successfully installed a temporary bypass system that allowed for restarting the sewage pumps and resuming the sewage handling operation. The sewage spill is estimated at 32,000+ gallons, with the final figure possibly being larger. The lagoon impacts, based on water monitoring, has been negligible to date, with tidal flushing being able to handle the spill. With an eye for caution, the spill area and lagoon inlet has been posted with warnings.

 

Now the clean-up begins! As of Tuesday morning, October 9, work began to: identify exactly where the break occurred; remove contaminated soil; repair the North Shore Trail in the spill area; repair damage caused by the equipment brought in to contain the spill; remove any damaged plant materials in and near the spill area; and other activities. As of today (October 21st), much of this work has already been completed!

 

We are pleased to report that we’re almost back to normal operations!

• The North Shore Trail is now open. There is ongoing work being done in the area, so please be careful!
• The Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation Nature Center at 7380 Gabbiano Lane is open again. Please bear with us as we ramp up our Nature Center hosting volunteers.
• Weed-whacking and Trail Maintenance events on the 1st and 3rd Saturday’s are again to meet at the Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation Nature Center, 7380 Gabbiano Lane, Carlsbad, CA 92011.
• Our school/group educational programs will again start at our Nature Center. Locations elsewhere will be coordinated as we have routinely done in the past.
• Our monthly Bird Counting on the 2nd Friday of every month will be as before and begin at the Gabbiano Lane Trail area, and with move to another location.

Finally, we would like to thank the many workers from the City of Carlsbad and others for their hard work and the long hours spent in responding to this spill and for working with the community to quickly remediate the damage!

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Buy a Batiquitos Lagoon T-shirt

As an entirely voluntary organization, we rely on our fundraising events,  corporate sponsorships, and your donations to continue our work. We thank you for helping to make a difference!

 

Show your support for the Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation with one of our t-shirts.  Short and long-sleeve options are available.

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Short Sleeve $12.00 USD Long Sleeve $16.00 USD

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Please contact us if you have any questions.

 

• Become a BLF Member
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• Buy a BLF T-shirt
• Charitable Gift Annuities
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• Corporate Sponsors

Corporate Sponsors

 

Become a Corporate Sponsor for the Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation (BLF) and partner with us to sustain our natural environment and educational programs for children, families, and school groups in our surrounding communities. The Batiquitos Lagoon represents the largest ecological reserve in Carlsbad and attracts over 10,000 visitors annually from the region and beyond. Your donation includes support for: trail maintenance, habitat restoration, educational programs and nature center and much more.

 

Annual Corporate Sponsorships will provide the resources to educate the public about the importance of preserving the environment for future generations and demonstrate to our audiences that your organization should be applauded for its Corporate Citizenship.

 

Learn more about different sponsorship and benefit levels.

 

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Map of Batiquitos Lagoon

 

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Invasive and Problem Plants

Since the soil in the areas in and along the trail has been disturbed (graded and used as a road) over the years, many destructive plants have been brought in. These are a few of the worst ones. Many non-natives included in the Upland Plants of Batiquitos page are also invasive or problematic plants.

Tumbleweed or Russian Thistle

 

Common Name: Tumbleweed

Scientific Name: Salsola pestifer (or australis)

Size/Location: Near trail (disturbed areas)

Comments: Red stems; many seeds; breaks loose when mature and dry and disperses seeds over wide area as it rolls around.

 

 

 

Pampas Grass

 

Common Name: Pampas Grass

Scientific Name: Cortaderia spp.

Size/Location: Grows in lowland, waste areas

Comments: Individual plants get wider and wider; sawtooth leaves; spread over wide areas by wind-carried seeds from plumes.

 

 

 

Date Palm

 

Common Name: Date Palm

Scientific Name:Phoenix dactylifera

Size/Location: Salt-intolerant; near trail; very wide

Comments: Inappropriate and encroaching on places more appropriate plants should be.

 

 

 

Giant Reed

 

 

Common Name: Giant Reed

Scientific Name:Arundo donax

Size/Location: Grows very tall (over 20 feet) and spreads rapidly

Comments: A state-wide problem, choking waterways. In the lagoon, choking out cattails and bulrushes in the water, as well as upland plants.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Upland Plants

In general, the trail and the areas near the trail have been “disturbed” for many years: graded as a road, dug and chewed up by vehicles, with plant seeds and pieces brought in from elsewhere. Therefore, the plants near the trail now are mostly fast-growing non-natives (that is, “weeds”), and the native plants that have survived are away from the trail. The upland natives being usually grow on the side of the trail that is farther from the water, that is, higher and drier.

Coyote Brush

Common Name: Coyote Brush

Scientific Name: Baccharis pilularis

Size/Location: 4 – 12 feet, often in previously disturbed areas (grows fast, for a native shrub that is)

Native? yes

Comments: Small toothed leaves that are aromatic and resinous. The separate male and female plants bloom in the late summer and early winter producing beautiful fluffy white female flowers and yellowish male flowers. Since they bloom late, these plants remain bright green when most others around them are brown and dead-looking.

Goldenbush

Common Name: Goldenbush

Scientific Name: Isocoma menziesii

Size/Location: Grows by side of trail; 2 – 3 feet tall

Native? yes

Comments: Blooms yellow late in summer, flowers similar to dandelion; in this picture there is an invader in the middle: Pampas Grass.

 

Mulefat

Common Name: Mulefat

Scientific Name:Baccharis salicifolia

Size/Location: Up to 12 feet tall. Grows in moist places (fresh water), especially to the northeast of the lagoon.

Native? yes

Comments: Often mistaken for willow.

 

 

 

 

California (or Coastal) Sagebrush

Common Name: Sagebrush

Scientific Name:Artemesia californica

Size/Location: Usually less than four feet tall. The most common chaparral bush/plant of the dry slopes around the Lagoon (coastal sage scrub) but not common along the disturbed edges of the trail.

Native? yes

Comments: The feathery gray-green leaves grow from the woody stems and have a strong pleasant sagelike smell. These plants turn brown and appear dead by midsummer, but the leaves reappear with the rains in winter and spring.

 

Deer Weed

Common Name: Deer Weed

Scientific Name:Lotus scoparius

Size/Location:About 3 feet tall. Not common near disturbed areas of trail.  A big clump above trail on upland side near the pump station.

Native? yes

Comments: Yellow, pea-like flowers which turn orange-red.

 

Lemonadeberry

Common Name: Lemonadeberry

Scientific Name:Rhus integrifolia

Size/Location: Fast growing shrub of coastal areas. Grows to 10 feet high but sprawls to 10 feet wide as well. Near trail in Aviara Cove.

Native? yes

Comments: Leathery evergreen leaves. Pink or white flowers. Fruits (see inset) have tart lemon-flavored coating. Provides rich green color on dry sage-scrub slopes. Valued by wildlife for food and cover -larger mammals as well as birds.

 

Wild Hyacinth or Blue Dicks

Common Name: Blue Dick

Scientific Name:Dichelostemma pulchellum

Size/Location: 1- or 2-foot stem with purple cluster flower in spring seen to upland side of trail. Abundant on open slopes, scrub, chaparral and burns.

Native? yes

Comments: Farmed by American Indians. The root bulbs have a sweet, nutty flavor and can be eaten raw. They can also be roasted or fried. They are considered more tasty than potatoes.

 

Coastal Boxthorn

Common Name: Coastal Boxthorn

Scientific Name:Lycium californicum

Size/Location: Spreading bush: 2-3 feet high and much wider.  On upland side of trail, especially cliffs.

Native? yes

Comments: Bare and dead-looking much of year since small leaves drop off in early summer.

 

 

Flat-top (or California) Buckwheat

Common Name: California Buckwheat

Scientific Name:Eriogonum fasciculatum

Size/Location: Low and spreading;  about 2′ tall and 2-3′ wide.  Especially on upland side of trail near East parking lot.

Native? yes

Comments: Flowers used by bees to make honey.

 

Mohave Yucca

Common Name: Mohave Yucca

Scientific Name:Yucca schidigera

Size/Location: High above trail on hillsides

Native? yes

Comments: Showy white spike bloom in early spring; leaves are made up of strong fibers which were used by Native Americans to make ropes and other things.

 

Bush Sunflower

Common Name: Bush Sunflower

Scientific Name:Encelia californica

Size/Location: 4-5 foot bushes on hillsides. Common in coastal sage brush.

Native? yes

Comments: Hillsides covered with yellow blooms in spring; dried out plants later in summer. May appear dead in cold months.

 

 

 

Mission Cactus or Prickly Pear

Common Name: Prickly Pear

Scientific Name:Opuntia littoralis

Size/Location: Usually less than about eight feet but spreading. High above trail in drier soil.

Native? yes

Comments: Pads and fruit used for food.

 

 

 

 

Chalk-leafed Live-forever

 

Common Name:Chalked-leafed Live-forever

Scientific Name:Dudleya pulverulenta

Size/Location: Succulent. Prehistoric-looking low rosettes giving rise to tall stalks (about 2-1/2 feet) with colorful flowers.

Native? yes

Comments: Chalky surface of leaves, stems, and flowers.   Likes drier areas, especially up from trail near pump station

 

Arroyo Willow

Common Name: Arroyo Willow

Scientific Name:Salix lasiolepsis

Size/Location: Bushy small trees in several wet, low areas of the trail: new ones growing where water crosses trail at big Aviara desiltation basin

Native? yes

Comments: Willows have catkins, not normal flowers.

 

 

 

 

(Black) Mustard

Common Name: Black Mustard

Scientific Name:Brassica nigra

Size/Location: Some species up to 6 feet.

Native? no

Comments: There are several species of mustard which look similar.  Probably planted by missionaries as feed for their draft animals.

 

 

Wild Radish

Common Name: Wild Radish

Scientific Name:Raphanus sativus

Size/Location: Up to 4 feet tall; all along trail

Native? no

Comments: Many-colored blooms (many lavender) in spring then seed pods. Not edible.

 

 

 

 

 

Poison Hemlock

Common Name: Poison Hemlock

Scientific Name:Conium maculatum

Size/Location: 6-8 feet; near trail at Aviara Cove.

Native? no

Comments: Often mistaken for wild fennel, but be careful!  All parts are poisonous!  Note purple blotches on stems.

 

 

 

 

 

Sweet Fennel

Common Name: Sweet Fennel

Scientific Name:Foeniculum vulgare

Size/Location: Up to about 6 feet. Many places along trail.

Native? no

Comments: Leaves, seeds, and stems smell and taste like licorice or anise. Fluffy leaves in spring then stalks with flowers and seeds in fall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common (or Crystalline) Iceplant

Common Name: Crystalline Iceplant

Scientific Name: Mesembryanthenum crystallinum

Size/Location: Very low but spreading.  Many places along trail.

Native? no

Comments:White flower open mid-day. Clear, shining droplets all over leaves and stems.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brass Buttons

Common Name: Brass Buttons

Scientific Name:Cotula coronopifolia

Size/Location: Low and spreading like the native wetland plants; found alongside wet spots in the trail.

Native? no

Comments:Yellow flowers

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tree Tobacco

Common Name: Tree Tobacco

Scientific Name:Nicotiana glauca

Size/Location: Up to about 15-20 feet.  There are many on the Lagoon side of the trail below the east parking lot (disturbed and high above the water)

Native? no

Comments:Yellow tube-shaped flowers attract Anna’s Hummingbirds.

 

 

 

 

 

Castor Bean

Common Name: Castor Bean

Scientific Name:Ricinus communis

Size/Location: Spreading big bush/little tree.  By trail near big settling basin and flow control structure.

Native? no

Comments:Attractive but poisonous seeds in pods.

 

 

 

 

 

Cocklebur

Common Name: Cocklebur

Scientific Name:Xanthium spinosum

Size/Location: 2-3′ plants, especially on west part of trail.

Native? no

Comments:Burs stick to clothes and fur because of their hooked ends, and so seeds inside are carried to other places.

 

 

 

Eucalyptus (or Gum) trees

Common Name: Eucalyptus

Scientific Name:Eucalyptus spp.

Size/Location: The only trees on the trail and the slopes above.

Native? no

Comments: Brittle wood so the limbs often break off. Regrowth from stumps and spreading roots.

 

 

 

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• Geology
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Marsh and Wetland Plants

In general, the plants that “belong” near the lagoon (in the wetlands) are low-growing and salt-tolerant, with floppy stems (not erect) and having special ways of growing in salty soil and of ridding themselves of excess salt.

The following plants are native except where indicated.

 

Pickleweed

Common Name: Pickleweed

Scientific Name: Sarcocornia pacifica

Size/Location: Usually less than a foot and a half tall; spreading

Comments: S. pacifica is a perennial but loses its fleshiness as the tips accumulate excess salt, turn red, and drop off when the plants turns brown and goes dormant in the winter.

 

 

Alkali Heath

 

Common Name: Alkali Heath

Scientific Name: Frankenia salina

Size/Location: Low-growing; abundant in coastal salt marshes.

Comments: A bushy perennial with small leaves and small but conspicuous fleshy, tubular pink flowers. It has a woody base and a mat-like appearance.

 

Saltgrass

Common Name: Saltgrass

Scientific Name: Distichlis spicata

Size/Location: Throughout; sprawling short stems with wiry stiff spikes for leaves; about 3-4 in  tall

Comments: Very common on or near the path (the upper marsh and not right in the water) because it doesn’t like to be wet too much (although it must have salty soil or water).

 

 

Alkali Weed

Common Name: Alakali Weed

Scientific Name:Cressa truxillensis

Size/Location: Small and low-growing in saline and alkaline soils.

Comments: Leaves and stems are gray-green, wooly and soft; hard to see. The white flowers are in the morning-glory family. Can be invasive.

 

 

 

Salty Susan

Common Name: Salty Susan

Scientific Name:Jaumea carnosa

Size/Location: Low (less than 6"), spreading perennial, in wet areas.

Comments: Shiny, fleshy leaves on very long stems; found on lagoon-side of the trail. It belongs to the sunflower family but has small inconspicuous flowers. Jaumea is only found in saline habitats.

 

 

Cat-tail

Common Name: Cat-tail

Scientific Name:Typha spp.

Size/Location: Fresh water edges; tall with narrow grass-like leaves

Comments: Characteristic red-brown cigar-shaped clumps (of female flowers) in late summer. Should not be found in a saltwater lagoon, but present at Batiquitos Lagoon where fresh water comes in. They survive in the lagoon because they can tolerate a little bit of salt and are usually found near the edge with their roots in water but stems and leaves dry.

 

California Bulrush

Common Name: California Bulrush

Scientific Name:Scirpus californicus

Size/Location: Brackish water edges; grows up to 13 feet. Common in coastal marshes.

Comments:. Stems more three-sided than cylindrical. May be confused with cat-tails. Seeds, roots and stems important food for mammals and birds. Do not tolerate seasonal flooding.

 

 

Spiny Rush

Common Name: Spiny Rush

Scientific Name:Juncus acutus

Size/Location:Very stiff, sharp 3-5′ stems from base; usually between trail and water, but above water level

Comments: Statewide endangered plant because that kind of habitat is so often destroyed.

 

 

Fat Hen

Common Name: Fat Hen

Scientific Name:Atriplex triangularis

Size/Location:With other marsh plants but taller (up to 3 feet)

Comments: Intolerant of prolonged flooding. The leaves are distinctly triangular and pointed and turn red in the late summer and fall. They are thin but feel mealy, not smooth. Non-native.

 

Australian Saltbush

Common Name: Australian saltbush

Scientific Name:Atriplex semibaccata

Size/Location:Forms low mats near (even on) the trail

Comments:Toothed, gray-green, mealy-feeling leaves and likes alkaline soils. Prostrate (low). Non-native; invasive.

 

Common Tule

(not pictured)

 

Common Name: Common Tule

Scientific Name:Scirpus acutus

Size/Location:Similar to California bulrush

Comments:Round stiff stems.

 

Bulrush or Scirpus

(not pictured)

 

Common Name: Bulrush or Scirpus

Scientific Name:Scirpus microcarpus

Size/Location:2-5 feet; wet parts of trail (freshwater)

Comments:Round stem with flat "spikelets" and "flower".

 

Cordgrass

(not pictured)

 

Common Name: Cordgrass

Scientific Name:Spartina foliosa

Size/Location:In water most of the time (not close to trail)

Comments:Recently planted far out on mudflats:  hoped to thrive and provide home for Clapper Rails.

 

 

 

• History
• Geology
• Plants
• Fish
• Birds
• Restoration Project
• Factsheets

Lagoon Factsheets

The Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation has produced a series of factsheets on the nature and history of the lagoon

 

Aquatic life at the bottom of the Lagoon

Birds

Butterflies

Fish

Geology

History Timeline

Insects (aquatic)

Insects (terrestrial)

Lagoon Dynamics

Native American presence at the Lagoon

Wetland Plants

Climate Change

Climate Change – Ocean of Islands v1

Climate Change John Hay 2011

Coast & Estuariy Economic Value Report

Tourism and Climate Change