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TIDINGS
NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES

March, 2000
VOLUME V
ISSUE III

THE LAKE MERRITT ROUND-UP
On Wednesday, March 22 people will gather together to clean up trash from parking lots, sidewalks, storm drains, gutters etc. in the East 18th I Lake Merritt I Park Avenue area. The event is sponsored by the Service Delivery System Area 2, District 3, the Office of Public Works. the Lake Merritt Business Association, LM1, the Oakland High Leadership Academy and local schools. Educational material will be handed out in the hopes that people will continue cleaning up. If you can make it, join us from about 1 - 3 pm. Details will be posted on the E. 18th St. bulletin board.

THE OAKLAND STORM DRAINAGE TASK FORCE
After 18 months of evaluation, over $43 million worth of capital improvements to the City's drainage system were identified by this task force of citizens and city staff. Improvements cited are essential to prevent flooded homes, wrecked streets, landslides and increased litigation, and would be paid for by user charge of about $3-6 per month collected as part of the EBMUD billing. Broken and worn out facilities (50 - 70 years old) would be replaced, a master plan would be created, and who knows - maybe even storm drain filters would be installed. A fact sheet is available from the task force by calling 238-3437.

The Lake Merritt Institute urges you to support these badly needed improvements to our City. Many of the improvements are mandated by the Clean Water Act as enforced by Alameda County and the Regional Water Quality Control Board. Remember, urban runoff is the biggest source of water pollution today: Only by controlling it will we be able to protect the environment where we live.

NOT A GOOD MONTH FOR THE FOUNTAINS
Both the Glen Echo and Bandstand fountains were put back in operation on February 26th, but both failed to keep running. Further checking determined that the motors were drawing far too many amperes, a sign that the motors need replacing. Also, the control box at the bandstand needs to be raised higher (it flooded during a recent storm). These repairs will be done when funds are available, but since the December fund raiser fell $1,000 short of our goal and motors are expensive, it will be a while. The embarcadero fountain will be operating except for several days after trash is washed in by storms, and the lights will be turned on when new timers are installed.

BOATING CENTER / LMI TO GET 4 CYCLE MOTORS
Pollution from the old 2 cycle motors will be a thing of the past as the old gas I oil mix engines are phased out. One patrol boat already has a new motor installed, and the Institute boat should receive its new one in several weeks. Thanks City, for eliminating this source of pollution in Lake Merritt.

BIRD COUNT DATA SHOWS INTERESTING RESULTS
Since 1991 the third grade classes at St. Paul's School have been conducting bi-monthly counts of about 11 species of birds at Lake Merritt from October through April. The results are interesting. For example, double crested cormorant numbers are typically below 10 except during October - December, when over a hundred are here. In 1998, ring billed gull numbers fluctuated from 42 on October 14th to 215 on January 6th 1999. Coot numbers fluctuated from 110 on January 19th to 375 on February 23rd, 1999. These data point out that most of the waterfowl here are highly mobile, moving to and from other destinations in the bay area.

CATCH OF THE DAY
Recently removed from the Lake: A green tube of Olive Tablets (about the size of lip gloss) with a price of 30 cents. On the back it says something like: two tablets at night will make the bowels behave nicely in the morning. There is also an address without a zip code, further proof that this thing is old. How it got into Lake Merritt in such good shape is a mystery.

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