State Parks: Rain Welcome at Malibu Lagoon Project

California State Parks is ready, and even hopeful, for a chance of rain this week at the Malibu Lagoon project, where workers have been reintroducing 70,000 native plants.

The contractor, Ford E.C. Inc., and a subcontractor, Santa Barbara-based Growing Solutions, have planted about 50 percent of the plants since late September, according to Craig Sap, district supervisor for the California State Parks Los Angeles District.

California State Parks received a 15-day extension on a permit required to work in the wetlands area of the lagoon in order to allow more time for the plants to take root.

During Monday's council meeting at Malibu City Hall, Councilwoman Laura Zahn Rosenthal asked about the chance of rain in the forecast on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Sap said rain would not cause any delays because the soil is compacted.

"We're kind of hopeful that's going to happen because we've been working to get supplemental watering in to maintain those plants. That's why we wanted the extension to allow those plants to have a longer period of time before we opened up that area to the main channel. A little bit of rain would go a long way," Sap said.

He said the goal has been to keep the mortality rate of the plants at the low end of 10 percent.

"The more water we give those plants, the higher level of survival," he said.

Sap said a dike separating the main body of the Malibu Lagoon will likely be removed anytime between Oct. 15-17.

He said the dirt from the dike will likely be trucked off the site.