The writer of “Save the Beaches” from The Malibu Times Dec. 19 says, “Because the dam stopped the natural sediment flow, the beaches have eroded without being replenished as they normally would be.” This claim has not been true for the last 49 years, as the dam has been fully silted for almost five decades. Sediments have freely flowed over the dam on the way to the ocean since 1965. Sediments will continue to do so in future years without tearing down the dam.
Huge costs of removing the dam, damages or liability to downstream environment or properties, risks to the stability of Malibu Canyon Road, and the dam as a source of water for fire repression are reasons to leave this historic dam intact. It is the engineering marvel of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and probably a one-of-a-kind dam in the United States. It qualifies to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is directly tied to The Adamson House at Malibu Lagoon State Beach, already listed on the National Register.
Ronald L. Rindge