COMMUNITY NOTICE
(12/01/2023)
Community Incidents
- One of the telecommunications poles along Exultant snapped due to land movement pressure this past week. Frontier has been completing repairs on this and will be doing surveillance of other poles in the area.
- There was another pipe rupture along Dauntless before Thanksgiving. It was rapidly identified and repaired.
KCLAD Board Meeting
- Drainage pipe at the head of the canyon has been repaired/replaced. This is to divert water from the artesian springs away from draining into the canyon.
- A new path has been created along the canyon to locate and fill fissures along the canyon. KCLAD will be working with the City to determine which fissures to fill. Material for filling the fissures is shotcrete, a similar material to light weight concrete.
- Ultimately, would like to see lining of the floor of the canyon (Similar being considered for Altamira Canyon)
- Storm drains at the Beach have now been cleared.
- Pumps have been draining at a rate of about 85 Gal/Min
- Drilling has begun on a new well at the beach. Estimated 2 weeks to drill, another 1-2 weeks to prep well, hook up electricity, place pumps.
- Dauntless well will be done by same company. At present time will be more of a test well. Final determinations on pump installation TBD
- Topographic studies have been ordered to design a drainage system at the top of the slide.
- Cleanout of catch basins for water at the top of the slide are being looked at as they have not been cleared for a long time.
- Area to the NE of Yacht Harbor Drive is where the PB landslide is pushing up against Klondike Canyon Landslide. In the past removal of mass helped decompress this land movement. KCLAD is again moving dirt to help decompress the pressure.
Stakeholder Meeting
- Disaster management preparation continues. Some relief may be possible for PB community expenses due to land movement from the winter rains. Other funding opportunities are being explored. There will be regular meetings between disaster planning groups and ACLAD and KCLAD boards. Last Monday was a utility meeting to work on planning for any emergency interruption in services. This includes communications utilities.
- At the next City Council Meeting on 12/19, will revisit the emergency declaration. No new restrictions being proposed. Will be city geologist report
- Preserve conditions. There are many more trail closures. It was emphasized that there are dangerous conditions in the trails and all residents are asked to heed trail closures. Several trails to the beach areas are now closed. Alternative routes are being explored.
- SCE will be removing poles from the preserve. Coordination with Frontier who indicates no communication equipment on those poles. SCE will be checking with Cox also to be sure no equipment on those poles. There is a broken pole related to Frontier communications on Exultant. Replaced Monday night. Another on PV drive South that is being replaced this week. Tree trimming on Dauntless to mitigate pressure on the lines. Leaning power pole on Exultant. That repair is pending. Homeowner working with SCE to finalize repairs. SCE, Frontier coordinating.
- Ongoing gas line work in the PBC area. Question was asked about gas leaks in Seaview. It was asked when the next inspection cycle will be in Seaview. We will ask for an update at the next meeting.
- Meeting of the geologists occurred. There was a great deal of information and opinion sharing. Major takeaways:
- It is surface water that is the major priority as that is the issue that is causing land movement.
- The Portuguese Bend Landslide is affecting both Klondike Canyon and Abalone Cove movement.
- There are at least a half dozen major contributors to land movement and the impact of these is different in each of the land movement zones. The group will work to create an understandable explanation for the public. The group will work to assign priorities to projects based upon likely impact upon surface water runoff and clearance.
- Cal Water is proceeding with placement of pipes above ground along Dauntless per permit which is along the right of way for the involved properties. Will be done in about 10 days. There will then be sampling of water after pressurization which may extend this timeline. Their estimate at present is for completion by December 15th. They will then try to work on Admirable and Exultant at the same time in the next phase. City is still working to make decision whether to spend $95,000/year to use K-rails to protect piping. If piping is moved into the street, the final completion date may be delayed.
- KCLAD provided update. (See KCLAD Meeting update above). Key points. Drains have now been cleared. Plans for a new drain at the head of the canyon underway. New drilling has commenced for new wells (Cascade Drilling). The water table has not changed since rise that occurred last April. Still very high and not going down. Pump output has declined recently. Grading to relieve pressure between the landslides underway. Cascade will be doing the test well at Dauntless. A request was made to explore quickly putting in additional wells. There will be an investigation of possibility of FEMA reimbursement. No definitive answer provided.
- ACLAD. Well 2 pumping again. Putting in water level monitoring devices. Trialing these now in some of their wells.
- Rolling Hills’ new city manager is now attending these meetings and will be working with RPV leadership on their land movement and efforts to mitigate surface water impacts on land movement.