During a recent government meeting, concerns were raised regarding erosion in local waterways, specifically focusing on the Kehoe watercourse. A representative highlighted findings from a 2005 analysis conducted by Marlowe at Somis Associates, which indicated that a flow rate of just 2.3 cubic feet per second was sufficient to cause erosion in the area.

The speaker emphasized that the current assumption of a 4.5 cubic feet per second flow being reasonable is flawed. They pointed out that the region, once characterized by wide, shallow streams, has now been altered to feature entrenched ditches that exacerbate erosion risks. This transformation, they argued, contradicts the objectives of the Coastal Act, which aims to prevent erosion-inducing conditions.

Particular attention was drawn to the presence of liquefiable soils—those that are poorly consolidated and easily displaced. The combination of such soils with flowing water poses a significant threat of erosion, a reality the speaker claims to experience firsthand. The discussion underscores the need for a reevaluation of water flow assumptions and their implications for environmental stability in the region.