Potential Impacts to the Tijuana River Valley from Hurricane Norbert

As WILDCOAST watches Hurricane Norbert spin ferociously up the Baja California Peninsula, we decided to document sites in Tijuana River Valley that will be potentially impacted by the weather as it creeps north in the coming days.

Though the unexpected weather from Hurricane Norbert is definitely unusual, the amount of trash and waste tires that it may carry into the Pacific Ocean from the Tijuana River Valley is not.  The need for proper stewardship and agency support of this area in the short term (before the rainy season and possible El Nino weather) and the long term (in light of increasingly changing and erratic weather patterns) is all the more pertinent.  Thousands upon thousand of pounds of trash and tires, as well as untreated waste water, will be washed into the Pacific Ocean.

Thousands of tires lay trapped in the Tijuana River Valley as can be seen in this photo taken rear Effie May Trail. With winter (and tropical storm) rains, these tires can be washed into the Tijuana River Mouth Marine Protected Area and the Pacific Ocean.

WILDCOAST will continue to the engage the community to help mitigate trash impacts the River Valley through restoration initiatives such as Tijuana River Action Month, but it is up to government agencies and elected officials to do the right thing and take the next step in the stewardship of the Tijuana River Valley and to make responsible decisions that will prepare our communities for extreme weather events such as Hurricane Norbert.

Stay tuned for more updates and stay safe.