Since the great cost of removing the Rindge Dam in Malibu Canyon is a subject its advocates seldom acknowledge, here are some actual and potential benefits of leaving the Rindge Dam standing guard over this unique wilderness area:
1. Preservation of the dam protects a multimillion-dollar asset of the taxpayer and conserves $40 million or more of taxpayer funds anticipated to remove it; 2. Maintains the half-mile-long aquifer behind the dam holding 10 million gallons of water; 3. Dam and reservoir could be rehabilitated and serve as a back-up water supply to the City of Malibu, thereby maintaining historic water rights of Malibu; 4. Keeping the existing aquifer behind the dam would not lower the water table in the steep canyon walls, which could possibly upset the present geologic equilibrium causing a catastrophic collapse of Malibu Canyon Road; 5. Using the dam as a giant catch-basin to trap toxic chemical or sewage spills or tainted runoff from the upper watershed (note this use, Heal the Bay, Surfrider Foundation, et. al); 6. Maintain the wetland above the aquifer behind the dam and possibly enhance this wetland by simply adding flash boards where the spillway gates once existed; and, 7. Potential tapping of the aquifer behind the dam for fire repression or filling of fire department pumper tanks in the middle of the mountains rather than having to go to the coast or upper watershed to refill pumper tanks at time of recurring fire incidents.
Those wishing to tear down the dam give little credence to the above uses and do not want to talk about the dam as a guardian of a rich wilderness area now unfit for animal, aquatic or plant life. The dam is a formidable obstacle discouraging humans from traversing the canyon which has hazards such as snake bites, poison oak or slip and fall injuries sustained in this rugged area not amenable to quick rescue of injured hikers. More humans hiking in the canyon presents an awesome fire danger to hikers and downwind property owners if a hiker tosses a lit cigarette into the brush or fails to fully extinguish an illegal camp fire. Finally, to tear down the dam is to destroy this engineering marvel of the SMMNRA and violate laws protecting this historic property with ties to the landmark Adamson House at Malibu Lagoon.
Ronald L. Rindge