Comments on: destroying smuggler’s gulch

By: Richard

Richard — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 17:07:05 +0000

Stop being dramatic. You do understand that this is called smugglers gulch not as much for the human traffic as for the drug traffic? And while you might say they’ll find another way in, doing nothing is like leaving the door not only unlocked but open to your house. This is at least closing the door, and turning off the big neon sign.

Also I’m sad they didn’t consult with you on all their projects so I have to hear your complaints on some website (people who commented above), but I have a feeling they didn’t just outlay that much money so they could watch it erode at the first rain.…oh wait they didn’t. I know you want to believe the government is just like Veruca Salt, but they do take a little more care in planning than you think.

also this:
http://voiceofsandiego.org/environment/article_49684726-19d2-11df-ba69-001cc4c002e0.html

By: badthings

badthings — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:09:10 +0000

And check out what they’re doing to the Tohono O’odham:
http://www.earthfirstjournal.org/article.php?id=204

By: [ Lost in the Landscape ] » world’s thorniest rose?

[ Lost in the Landscape ] » world’s thorniest rose? — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:50:35 +0000

[…] by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology shows. (I also did a brief post related to all this recently, on the destruction of Smuggler’s Gulch.) When the only know U.S. population of this plant is further isolated from its southern kin, it […]

By: GrokSurf

GrokSurf — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 00:16:17 +0000

Also, back in October, Rob Davis from Voice of San Diego wrote about the disaster waiting to happen:

http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/environment/article_13330282-1245-5e49-bd68-5a10237c9f44.html

By: GrokSurf

GrokSurf — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 23:59:03 +0000

Oops…make that “fence.”

By: GrokSurf

GrokSurf — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 23:58:04 +0000

Sure enough, the rains just started and Smuggler’s Gulch fense is already in the news:

http://www.kpbs.org/news/2009/dec/07/tijuana-river-valley-residents-say-border-fence-co/

By: susan morrison (garden-chick)

susan morrison (garden-chick) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 03:09:51 +0000

Sometimes I feel like the more I know, the more I wish I didn’t know it. I’m surprised at how often governments at all levels make ill-informed decisions that frankly aren’t rocket science. There are plenty of people who could have provided the input on this project to avoid a lot of the negative impacts you’re describing.

By: GrokSurf

GrokSurf — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 01:47:59 +0000

Good timing for this post Jim. From what I’ve read, the feds exempted themselves from environmental regs and didn’t properly establish groundcover on the dirt dam. As you noted, it wasn’t designed as a water storage dam so when heavy rains and flooding come there’s a good possibility of damage from water and debris backing up, seepage, and slope erosion.

By: ryan

ryan — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 02:20:06 +0000

Arg. On my ‘top ten most frustrating things our government is doing’ list. And I didn’t know they were doing it quite like this.

By: Town Mouse

Town Mouse — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 03:48:25 +0000

That is soooo stupid. Of course, right along with that are the people who made a huge (100 ft) peace sign in the hills around here — out of Pampas Grass!!!

On days like that, I have to work in the garden for a few hours, and then I calm down and feel better.