Local News in Brief : Countywide : Coastal Panel Approves Plans to Widen River

The state Coastal Commission approved plans Friday for widening about 50 miles of the Santa Ana River to reduce flooding in Orange and Riverside counties.

Meeting in Marina del Rey, the commission declared that the flood control project is consistent with the state Coastal Act.

The Santa Ana River project involves widening the river from 377 feet to 450 feet, said Jim McGrath, who directed the consistency review for the commission.

The project, directed by the Army Corps of Engineers, also involves improving the circulation of tidal waters and planting vegetation to make 84 acres of marsh healthier.

McGrath said the seven-year project adequately addressed all of the commission’s environmental concerns.

He said the commission had worried that slow-flowing streams would reduce the amount of sand deposited on the beaches. To resolve that problem, the federal agency promised to put at least 1.5-million cubic yards of sand on the beaches.

“The flood-control benefits are tremendous,” McGrath said. “The Santa Ana River has a potential to flood Orange and Riverside counties, which could cause a tremendous amount of property damage.”

McGrath said that although the river doesn’t flood very often, a major storm could occur that “would do millions of dollars’ worth of damage.”

The marsh restoration plan would enhance the habitat for two endangered California birds--the least tern and the light-footed clapper, he said.