Two South Coast beaches will be visited by truckloads of debris and sediment soon, as debris basins will need to be cleared out, and the debris deposited elsewhere.
In the wake of the deadly Montecito Debris Flow, officials are being careful about keeping debris basins from overflowing. Areas denuded of vegetation by wildfires are especially prone to mudslides and debris flows.
The Santa Barbara County Public Works Department says it does not have a permanent site for removed debris.
In the past, the department hauled it from Montecito, Santa Barbara, and the San Marcos Pass area to Santa Paula.
Other truckloads have gone to Goleta Beach and Carpinteria Beach, and those two locations are earmarked as sediment deposit locations in anticipation of the upcoming winter storms.
Some residents in both locations have been concerned about the amount of dirt and debris going into the ocean.
The county says that their tests show it will not be an environmental problem.
Still, the county will continue to do environmental testing during the dumping process, and the nonprofit group Channel Keeper will continue to check the water quality as well.
The county also says the sediment dumping in Goleta has actually expanded the beach.
