Goat Canyon (Tijuana River Valley)

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Coordinates: 32°32′12″N 117°05′58″W / 32.5367°N 117.0994°W / 32.5367; -117.0994
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For other uses, see Goat Canyon (disambiguation).

Goat Canyon
Cañón de los Laureles
Mexico–United States barrier[4]
Mexican Federal Highway 1D[5]

Goat Canyon (Spanish: Cañón de los Laureles)[6] also known as Cañón de los Laureles, begins in Tijuana, Mexico, and ends in the United States just north of the Mexico–U.S. border. The canyon is formed by Goat Canyon Creek,[7] which receives water and other runoff from areas south of the border.[1] Most of the canyon and its watershed lies within Baja California.[8]

The canyon originated during the Quaternary period;[9] it is bordered by Bunker Hill to its west and Spooner's Mesa to its east.[3] Part of the canyon contains coastal salt marshland and supports numerous sensitive and endangered species.[10][11]

Human activity in and around the canyon pre-dates

sewage to flow northward, a problem that persisted into the 21st century. [16]

Geography

Rocks that form the walls of Goat Canyon are relatively young, being no older than 10,000 years; they were formed in the Quaternary period.[9] The west wall of the canyon is about 5,000 m (16,000 ft) from the ocean.[17] The eastern wall of the canyon consists of a slope that leads to Spooner's Mesa,[18] which was named after a couple who had a homestead atop it.[19]

Flora and fauna

Numerous sensitive

maritime succulent scrub varieties; and endangered animals including least Bell's vireo, Belding's savannah sparrow, and California gnatcatcher are found within Goat Canyon.[9] Within the northern portion of the canyon is an environment categorized as southern coastal salt marsh, which supports some of these species.[10]

History

The earliest-known site of human activity in Goat Canyon is a prehistoric campsite with a

shell midden.[22][23] In the area surrounding the canyon, evidence of human activity relating to the San Dieguito and La Jollan prehistoric cultures has been found.[15][24] Within the canyon there is a San Dieguito-era quarry.[25] In 1769, the Portolá expedition's overland group, with which Junípero Serra was traveling, traversed Goat Canyon on their way to San Diego Bay.[13]

In the 1770s, Spaniards recorded that a Native American village, which they named "Milejo", was located at the mouth of the canyon.

Tijuana River Valley, of which Goat Canyon forms the southwestern portion, attacked the Mission San Diego de Alcalá, which Serra had helped found several years previously.[13] During the attack, Friar Luis Jayme was murdered;[15][28] he is considered to be the first Catholic martyr in Alta California.[29] During the period when the canyon was within Alta California, it was part of Rancho Tía Juana in 1829.[15] By 1833, the canyon was part of Rancho Melijo.[30]

Sometime after the end of the Mexican–American War in 1848 the land between Imperial Beach and Monument Mesa was owned by Elisha Babcock, who went on to develop Coronado.[31] The land was passed to James Crafton, one of the owners of the Agua Caliente Casino and Hotel, around the time of the Great Depression.[31] Prior to 1872, the original El Camino Real alignment ran north from Goat Canyon.[14] In the late 1880s, with the completion of the National City and Otay Railway between San Diego and Tijuana, a city was planned for the area north of the westernmost border monument but this plan was never implemented .[26][32]

In the early 20th century, a

alluvial deposits;[36] in 2002 it was recommended that this site be placed on the National Register of Historic Places.[37][38] There was also a pig farm in the canyon; in the 1940s it was run by a Mexican family.[39] The father of the family died during the construction of a well at the farm.[39] The ruins of the home at the pig farm still existed in 2001.[39]

United States government activity

airfield known as Border Field.[40][44][45] In 1943, on the south side of the base near the canyon, 35 buildings, including a trap house, were built close to Monument Road to support military operations at the airfield.[46]

In 1935, a survey of existing defenses led to planning for an expansion of

Fort Emory.[48] In 1951, a plane crashed at the airfield, leading to the end of its use as an aerial gunnery range.[52] In 1953, the United States Army transferred control of the Mexican Border Fire Control Station to the United States Navy, which placed it under the control of the airfield.[48] Border Field airfield was itself under the control of Naval Auxiliary Air Station Imperial Beach.[47]

Monument Road entrance to Border Field State Park, north of the mouth of Goat Canyon

In 1961, Border Field and Goat Canyon were given to the

Mexico–United States barrier.[4]

In late April 2018, some members of the

Central American migrant caravan were contacted by American authorities while illegally entering the United States in the canyon.[55] They were prosecuted, while three people from India who were also contacted by American authorities around that time were processed for asylum.[56]

Cañón de los Laureles development and impact

In 1960, Tijuana Ensenada highway was constructed through the canyon, just south of the Mexico–United States border.[5] The construction of the highway and a concrete channel in the canyon on the Mexican side led to people moving into Cañón de los Laureles in an unplanned manner.[5] In 1981, Goat Canyon was not a significant contributor to the 300,000 US gallons (1,100 kilolitres) of sewage flowing into the Tijuana River.[57] In 1983, due to sewage spills that originated in Goat Canyon, the installation of a pump was proposed.[58] Once installed, the pump, which handles flow from Smuggler's Gulch and Goat Canyon, was able to pump as much as 7,000,000 US gallons (26,000 kilolitres) a day.[59] In 1990, 110,000 US gallons (420 kilolitres) of sewage per day originated from the canyon and flowed into the Tijuana River.[60] By 1998, areas of low-income housing that were prone to damage during flash floods caused by seasonal rains had been built in the canyon.[8][61] In 2001, a pipeline intended to send sewage from the canyon to the International Boundary Wastewater Treatment Plant was installed.[62][63] Treated water from this plant is pumped to a location over 18,000 ft (5,500 m) offshore through a pipe that passes deeper than 100 ft (30 m) below the northern mouth of Goat Canyon.[62]

Sediment Basin located on the floor of Goat Canyon.

A sediment basin was constructed at the mouth of the canyon in 2005 because significant amounts of material originating from south of the border were deposited in the Tijuana River Estuary, leading to loss of habitat.[64] The yearly cost of emptying the sediment basin is between US$250,000 and over US$1,000,000.[65] By 2009, over 65,000 people lived in the Mexican portion of the canyon, part of which is Colonia San Bernardo.[66] By 2014, the population in the Mexican portion of the canyon had grown to 85,000; the housing was described as a "shanty town".[67] Even with the pipeline and later upgrades to the International Boundary Wastewater Treatment Plant, sewage still flows into Goat Canyon.[16]

In 2010, with the construction of the Mexico–United States barrier, diverts were installed to assist with the flow of water through the canyon;[68] in addition a 40 yards (37 m) long drainage culvert was installed underneath the barrier.[69] In 2012, labor-intensive trash nets were used to catch debris so it would not embed in the sediment.[65] Also in 2012, a $50,000 program to reduce erosion was conducted on the Mexican side of the canyon.[70] By 2014, environmentalists were able to create a recognized watershed council; this gave the area political representation with the aim of increasing the infrastructure within the Mexican portion of the canyon.[67]

In March 2017, black water flowed from the Mexican side of the canyon into the sediment basins; in previous month the water that came through was red.[71] Wastewater from upstream of the canyon was reported by United States Border Patrol agents in May 2017, leading to complaints about health concerns that joined bipartisan concerns from politicians such as Darrell Issa and Juan Vargas about wastewater from Mexico impacting the Tijuana River.[68] In 2017, funding for border wastewater projects was removed from the U.S. budget.[72] In October 2017, the amount of fecal indicator bacteria was found to be in above-average concentrations.[73] In February 2018, more than 50,000 US gallons (190 kilolitres) of waste—including sewage—flowed through the Goat Canyon pump station and spilled into the Tijuana River.[74] In May 2018, the Surfrider Foundation released a report about pollution in the Tijuana River, and Goat Canyon in particular, showing E. coli levels were significantly greater than standard levels;[75] the water that flows through Goat Canyon have been described as some of the worst that flow from Tijuana.[76] In January 2019, the catch basins were called a "success story of sorts".[77]

Notes

  1. special interest groups may also list a species as sensitive.[20] These sensitive species may include former endangered or threatened species.[21]

References

  1. ^ a b c Southwest Wetlands Interpretive Association 2001, p. 5-1.
  2. ^ Southwest Wetlands Interpretive Association 2001, p. 5-123.
  3. ^ a b c Southwest Wetlands Interpretive Association 2001, p. 5-273.
  4. ^ a b Graham, Marty (29 May 2014). "Land-grabbers pay up". San Diego Reader. Archived from the original on 17 April 2018. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
  5. ^ a b c d Southwest Wetlands Interpretive Association 2001, p. 5-29.
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  7. ^ Southwest Wetlands Interpretive Association 2001, p. 5-2.
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  9. ^ a b c Southwest Wetlands Interpretive Association 2001, p. 5-13.
  10. ^ a b Southwest Wetlands Interpretive Association 2001, p. 5-14.
  11. ^ Ponitius 2003, p. 3-30.
  12. ^ Ponitius 2003, pp. 3-54–3-58.
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  14. ^ a b "Historic Sites of Imperial Beach". South Bay Historical Society Bulletin (12). City of Chula Vista. April 2016. Archived from the original on 3 September 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
  15. ^ a b c d e D'Elgin, Tershia; Krautheim, Veronica; Leonard, Betsy; Ahmad, Marya; Warner-Lara, Lorena; Tipton, Anne Marie. "3. History" (PDF). High School Teacher's Guid. Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 March 2017. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
  16. ^ a b Dedina, Serge (7 February 2007). "The Other Border Sewage Contractor". Voice of San Diego. Archived from the original on 17 April 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
    Abcarian, Robin (13 March 2018). "If Trump really wants to fix our border problems, he should visit the sewage pools, not his silly walls". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 7 April 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  17. ^ Environmental Impact Statement For The Completion of the 14-Mile Border Infrastructure System San Diego, California. Immigration and Naturalization Service. January 2002. p. 23.
  18. ^ Fisher, Robert; Case, Ted (February 2000). Final Report on Herpetofauna Monitoring In The Tijuana Estuary National Estuarine Research Reserve (PDF) (Report). Tijuana Estuary National Estuarine Research Reserve. p. 8. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 August 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  19. ^ Barker, Lucy D. (20 February 2013). "More trails for Tijuana River Valley, but none to the mesas". San Diego Reader. Archived from the original on 17 April 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  20. ^ Southwest Wetlands Interpretive Association 2001, p. 5-167.
  21. ^ Gordon, Robert (16 April 2018). Correcting Falsely "Recovered" and Wrongly Listed Species and Increasing Accountability and Transparency in the Endangered Species Program (PDF) (Report). The Heritage Foundation. p. 4. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
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    Flanigan, Kathleen; Coons, Bruce (2007). "National City & Otay Railroad Depot". Sohosandiego.org. Save Our Heritage Organization. Archived from the original on 17 April 2018. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
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  34. ^ Norby 2001, p. cxix.
  35. ^ MacFarland, James W. (August 1981). Proposed Estuarine Sanctuary Grant Award to the State of California for a Tijuana River National Estuarine Sanctuary (Report). Government Printing Office. Archived from the original on 17 April 2018. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
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  37. ^ Southwest Wetlands Interpretive Association 2001, p. 5-347.
  38. ^ Norby 2001, p. cxcix.
  39. ^ a b c Norby 2001, pp. ixxxiii–xcix.
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  62. ^ a b Southwest Wetlands Interpretive Association 2001, p. 5-19.
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  67. ^ a b McGuirk, Justin (2 July 2014). "Here's What It's Like To Live In Tijuana—The Busiest Land Crossing In The World". Business Insider. United States. The Guardian. Archived from the original on 17 April 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  68. ^ a b Smith, Joshua Emerson (26 May 2017). "Border Patrol agents said Tijuana sewage problem worse now than in previous decades". San Diego Union Tribune. Archived from the original on 17 April 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  69. ^ "San Diego drain is Mexican port of entry for a day". Reading Eagle. Reading, Pennsylvania. The Associated Press. 4 June 2011. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  70. ^ "Erosion Control at the Cañón de los Laureles watershed with Permeable Pavement Technology". Projects. Border Environment Cooperation Commission. 2012. Archived from the original on 17 April 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  71. ^ Graham, Marty (2 March 2017). "Goat Canyon spills...black tea?". San Diego Reader. Archived from the original on 30 March 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  72. ^ Anderson, Erik (2 June 2017). "Tijuana's Sewage System Needs Major Upgrades". KPBS. San Diego. Archived from the original on 17 April 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  73. ^ "Contamination forces volunteer group out of Goat Canyon trash pickup". KFMB-TV. San Diego. 14 October 2017. Archived from the original on 17 April 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  74. ^ Nunez, Jose; Pruitt, scott (14 May 2018). 60-Day Notice of Intent to Sue for Violations of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act by the United States Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission; CW760862:cclemente (PDF) (Report). San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 May 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2018 – via Attorney General of the State of California.
  75. ^ Williams, Dana; Hammell, Adam (25 May 2018). The Impact of the Toxic Water Crisis on US Border Patrol (Report). Surfrider Foundation. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  76. ^ Velez, Jennifer (22 May 2019). "Immediate Solutions Needed for Dire Sewage and Immigrant Crises at Border". Coronado Times. Coronado, California. Retrieved 3 August 2019. Our border journey led us to places like Goat Canyon, where according to Craig the water is visibly the worst, manifesting black and neon green water polluted with chemicals from industry and manufacturing just south in Tijuana. There is also an indeterminate amount of sewage which can come from the multitude of homes just south of the border.
  77. ^ Anderson, Erik (17 January 2019). "Environmental Group Working To Fix San Diego's Cross-Border Pollution". KPBS. San Diego. Archived from the original on 7 February 2019. Retrieved 5 February 2019.

Further reading

External links

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