Freedom Lake - Problem or Challenge?

Freedom Lake is choking with an invasive plant, water hyacinth, writes Supervisor Ellen Pirie (Mid County Post, August 28).   Called Corralitos Lagoon by Google, here's what it looks like! (Zoom in, shift to left)


View Larger Map

Supervisor Pirie details the 5-year efforts, and frustrations, to obtain the funding  or grants for the clean-up.  But short of funds, the County staff has worked hard to investigate several  lower cost alternatives, which unfortunately are not suitable either,  as Pirie explains clearly.

She concludes:

"In summary, there are no quick, simple or cheap solutions to the water hyacinth problem at Freedom Lake.

The successful, long-term restoration of Freedom Lake will take several years, the combined effort of multiple agencies, and a lot of money."

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I am not a biologist and have never even seen the lake.   So ask this in the spirit of cooperation, not any kind of criticism, and for purpose of discussion and an illustration: 

Could one get in a boat and pull out some of the invasive plants?


What I am trying to suggest, again in a gingerly fashion, is that sometimes in this country there is a bias toward using equipment, technologies, consultants, even courts, i.e. capital expensive "solutions" to solve problems.  I have lived in a country which can get things done very quickly with little very limited capital.

If not this project, surely the Santa Cruz has 10 others than might be solved by pooling the creative talents of our citizens and communities to explore more possible solutions, albeit possibly resulting in a more labor-intensive solution.


Could Cabrillo/UCSC students take a closer look, with a faculty member?  Could we train several agricultural workers to manage the Lake (green jobs)?  Could a school adopt the Lake on an ongoing basis, with the understanding that the County should reimburse the school in another way.

With a name like Freedom Lake and all of 25 acres, we must take this challenge and succeed.

Here is the full article: 

Historical Background
http://www.corralitoshistory.com/five_mile.html

Sierra Group interest:
http://ventana.sierraclub.org/conservation/local/freedomLake.shtml