Click the words above “Drakes Estero Triptych – Cleanup continues” to see this entire post.
17 September is Coastal Cleanup Day in California (as well as many other places around the globe).
Drakes Estero is getting a much deserved sprucing up with the removal of 5 lineal miles of treated wood racks that have been there for many decades. Tons of live and dead oysters, clams, plastic tubes of various sizes, plastic bags, lumber and other detritus from the oyster farm still on the bottom of Drakes Estero will also be removed so that the Estero can return to a more natural, unencumbered part of the global ecosystem.
The piles of lumber seen below are from a little less than 10 racks that have been removed so far.
There are over 90 racks total to remove.
This wood is drying in the sun to reduce the weight to be hauled to special dump sites which allow toxic material.
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Click here to read more about the oyster farming operation that last farmed oysters in Drakes Estero.
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So good to see the clean up underway. There’s a lot to clean up still.
Those piers were likely treated with arsenic and chromium (chromated cooper arsenate), which is has been restricted from residential use since 2004, but is still allowed in piers and other exterior applications. Good news that they are finally being removed from the estuary.