Petition For Preservation Of Lake Elsinore's Wetlands Draws Support, Response From Mayor

LAKE ELSINORE, CA — For years, the preservation of Lake Elsinore's historic wetlands has been a center of debate among residents, and a new petition circulating online is raising questions about who is responsible for cleaning up the habitat.

Luis Cruces, a lifelong resident of Lake Elsinore, started a Change.org petition, which has secured nearly 500 signatures in support as of Friday, July 24. Cruces said his residence is adjacent to the wetlands, and he has been "watching their deterioration firsthand," which he said was "devastating."

In the Change.org petition, Cruces said:

"It saddens me to see these wetlands neglected in city planning and development, despite the essential role they play in supporting local wildlife and maintaining the health of Lake Elsinore itself. Wetlands act as natural water filters, protect against flooding by absorbing excess rain, and provide habitat for countless species. Today, the area is instead filled with illegally dumped trash, food and liquor waste, and drug paraphernalia, alongside large-scale unmanaged encampments, creating serious environmental and public health hazards in a space that should be one of our town's greatest natural assets. Illegal fishing and off-road vehicles cutting through the terrain compound the damage, destroying fragile habitat that has taken decades to establish."

Cruces called on city officials to transform the wetlands into a "protected regional nature park," and added several requests to clean up and preserve the local wetlands.

The petition caught the attention of Mayor Bob Magee, who responded with a letter thanking the community for their concerns about the wetlands and noting the petition focuses only on the Four Corners of Lake Elsinore's vast wetlands.

The lake is more than 3,000 acres with 14 miles of shoreline that stretches into an unincorporated area. In addition, miles of that shoreline are adjacent to the incoming San Jacinto River and the outgoing Temescal Creek, he added.

"One of the many challenges we face is our vast expanses of vacant private property that invites trespassers down to the water's edge," he wrote. "We have implemented a very aggressive program where we request private property owners authorize us to remove trespassers from their property."

In his letter, Magee said the city has continuously prioritized the preservation of Lake Elsinore's wetlands. He pointed to the city council enacting an "aggressive" program to clear homeless campers, trespassers, and illegal dumpers out of public spaces. He said every year the city allocates more than $2 million to removing "hundreds of tons of trash, waste, inoperative vehicles, and debris from sensitive habitat areas."

Magee also noted that city leaders have met with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife officials more than a decade ago about the Four Corners region, which included four game wardens and three biologists. That meeting was organized and hosted by former state Senator Jeff Stone — the department would not respond to Magee's requests for a meeting, he said.

During that meeting, a time-lapse drone video was shown which documented the "dramatic" fluctuation of the lake's elevation before and after rainy weather, and pollutants going into the lake.

"The graphic result was shocking and undeniable," Magee wrote.

Magee also noted in his letter that Rep. Ken Calvert dedicated $8 million toward a new, larger Nanobubble, which is used to pump oxygen into the lake. Calvert also awarded the city an $11 million grant to purchase and protect nearly 1,000 acres in the North Peak area.

"We have county partners and federal partners, but we don't have a state partner. They chose to test our water routinely for contamination or threaten us with strict enforcement of government regulations without engaging in productive, solution-oriented discussions," Magee wrote.

"In his latest budget proposal, Governor Newsom recommended the elimination of 87 positions within the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Not what you'd expect from someone who wraps himself around a green flag as a champion for the environment," Magee continued.

Magee said the Change.org petition deserves to be on the governor's desk. In an email to Patch on July 15, Magee said he does not expect the petition to reach Gov. Newsom.

Gov. Newsom's office did not respond to multiple requests for comment on the mayor's concerns about the Lake Elsinore wetlands.

In an email to Patch on July 16, California Department of Fish and Wildlife officials said the department does not typically comment on statements made by local officials.

"CDFW serves as California's trustee for fish, wildlife and native plant resources, with responsibility for protecting and managing the state's species, habitats and ecosystems for the benefit of all Californians. The department also enforces California's Fish and Game Code and works with local, state and federal partners on conservation and resource management."

"...Responsibilities such as maintaining public facilities, managing parks and recreation, providing sanitation services, addressing homeless encampments and maintaining local infrastructure all those generally fall under the jurisdiction of the City of Lake Elsinore, Riverside County or other appropriate agencies. While CDFW may coordinate with local law enforcement and partner agencies when activities affect fish, wildlife or their habitats, those issues are generally outside the department's primary jurisdiction," they added.