SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — A giant storm hit the San Diego-Tijuana region on Jan. 22 and caused widespread flooding on both sides of the border, and one of the hardest-hit areas was the “sod farm” in the Tijuana River Valley.
Berms built to protect the property from the Tijuana River failed, sending tons of water onto the facility leased by West Coast Turf, a company that grows sod in the valley. The sod farm is on federal land leased to West Coast Turf.
The water also brought with it tons of trash and debris from the south side of the border.
Ten weeks later, the cleanup has finally begun.
“Normally, you would go, ‘Oh my God, why are they leaving these heaps of trash.’ But the fact that is, there is some care going on and there was actually some effort,” said Elizabeth Bagnas, an area resident.
Bagnas was happy to see crews moving and piling up the trash and debris.
“The fact you’re seeing all kinds of debris piled up like this — and it’s high — just kind of validates the feeling of, ‘Oh my god there was so much trash that had been swept in here.’”
Bagnas admitted she and her neighbors were wondering if the cleanup would ever occur.
The International Boundary and Water Commission is overseeing the work.
The federal agency says it won’t know the final cost of the cleanup effort until all the materials are hauled out.
Bagnas is just happy progress is being made.
“Looking at it every day was bad enough, but the main concern is what is in the air that we are breathing, what’s coming into our lungs,” she said. “What are the long-term effects? Asthma, ulcers, what kind of bacterial infection are people being exposed to, the people that are coming out, the people who are walking their dogs, biking?”
While it is paying for the cleanup, the IBWC tells Border Report it is not responsible for the berm that gave way.
“The berm is not maintained by IBWC; its repair is at the discretion of the lessee,” a spokesperson for the agency wrote.
