Potrero Canyon — Drainage and Soil Slippage Updates
LEGEND:
RAP — RECREATION & PARKS DEPT.
BOE — BUREAU OF ENGINEERING
CD11 — OFFICE OF COUNCIL DISTRICT 11/COUNCILWOMAN TRACI PARK
5/1/24: The conditions described below (cracks and fissures in trails; overgrown brush blocking trails) have been remedied.
4/9/24: Large cracks and fissures have reappeared during the past few months in the Friends St. trail and other Park trails. Overgrown brush is also blocking trails. These conditions have arisen following storms in the past several months. RAP Maintenance Supervisor Robert Buenrostro advises that he has observed the conditions and has asked staff to work on the ruts and cracks throughout. He has also reached out to Kristin Ly of BOE, who states that she will have the landscaping contractor trim back the overgrown brush.
8/25/23: The recent fissures/cracks in Park trails have been largely remedied; RAP advises that it will address remaining “ruts” or depressions in the coming days.
8/23/23: We have detected and notified RAP about persistent fissures and cracks that have again developed in decomposed granite (DG) along Park trails (the Friends St. trail and the “east side” trail), following tropical storm Hilary. RAP Maintenance Supervisor Robert Buenrostro advises that these will be addressed as soon as possible.
8/11/23: See further entries under Landscaping (7/26, 7/30 , 8/4 and 8/11) regarding drainage and water on the main service road.
7/20/23: See entries under Landscaping (7/1, 7/7 and 7/20) regarding drainage and water on the main service road.
6/20/23: The fissures, cracks and holes in the Friends St. trail and other Park trails have now been remedied by the RAP contractor.
5/30/23: In response to ongoing questions about slope instability, drainage and the like, BOE’s Park project manager, Kristin Ly, has advised that geologists have reviewed the slopes and deemed them to be structurally sound, with some slippage occurring, which is currently being repaired by the BOE contractor for Park construction, Ford EC. We have been asked by BOE to communicate concerns through CD 11 and its field team as interlocutors.
RAP maintenance supervisor Robert Buenrostro has been responsive; he has advised that RAP will address the fissures, holes and cracks in the Park trails this week.
5/18/23: BOE advises that the major areas of soil slippage, specifically the slope areas along the main access road below the Friends St. trail, have been remediated. BOE has examined other areas of damage, such as cracks, holes and fissures along the Friends St. trail and other Park trails, and determined that these conditions do not involve structural damage. Going forward, an RAP landscape contractor (soon to be hired) will be responsible for remediation of these conditions along the trails. The PCOC* will continue to monitor.
4/18/23: The Park will be closed for public safety during remaining slope repairs, from 4/18-4/21 and 4/24-4/28, according to RAP notices posted on the entrance gates. The Park will be open for public use on the weekend.
4/14/23: “Advisory notice” signs have been posted at Park entrances, explaining that a portion of the main access road, from the Friends St. path to the PCH overlook, will be closed until May 10 for repairs to the slope in progress. The Friends St. and east side paths will remain open. Park visitors are asked to yield right-of-way to construction personnel and equipment.
4/11/23: The contractor is continuing to work on areas of slippage and erosion, including the slope at the Frontera entrance and the large “slide” below the main access road near the bottom of the Friends St. path (covered in plastic sheeting for several weeks). Part of the road is blocked temporarily while work is ongoing, but the east side path is open all the way to the PCH overlook at the bottom of the canyon.
4/4/23: RAP advises that a large sinkhole in the baseball field path is scheduled for repair and that the fencing blocking the pathway will be removed by Friday (4/07/23). Other repairs are planned and we are told contractors are waiting for the ground to dry in order to address other soil slippage. Damage at the Frontera entrance and along canyon slopes and trails remains a concern.
3/27/23: RAP advises that the Maintenance contractor will be clearing the Park’s rain channels/v-ditches (concrete channels) that run throughout the park to make sure they are clear of obstructions. Regarding the washout above the riparian area that is currently covered by plastic, BOE has advised RAP that they are waiting for the area to dry up enough to allow them to make the repair work. It is possible that they may start this work in about two weeks. The PCOC* will monitor.
3/23/23: In January-March, relevant City agencies (RAP, BOE and/or CD 11) were notified of damages from recent rains to the baseball field at the Recreation Center (sinkhole) and to trails in Potrero Canyon (soil slippage at Frontera entrance and other areas, resulting damage to trails, other sinkholes, slides, cracks and fissures). RAP advises that when the rains have stopped, damage assessment and geologic study will be undertaken by RAP Maintenance (baseball field sinkhole) and by BOE and/or its landscape contractor (Potrero Canyon slippage and trail damage). The PCOC* will monitor.
*Note: the prior PPCC Potrero Canyon Oversight Committee (PCOC) is no longer active as of July 2024; matters involving Potrero Canyon are regularly monitored by PPCC members.