Los Angeles, Calif. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District will host a public meeting Wednesday, July 17, 2002 to provide an update on the development of alternatives for the San Diego Creek Watershed Special Area Management Plan (SAMP). The meeting will be conducted in an open house format and will begin at 7 p.m. at the Irvine Ranch Water District Operations Center, 3512 Michelson Drive, Irvine, Calif.

The SAMP is a comprehensive aquatic resource plan developed under the regulatory authority of Section 404 of the Clean Water Act designed to achieve balance between aquatic resource protection and reasonable economic development.  Under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, the Corps regulates the discharge of fill or dredged materials into “waters of the United States, including wetlands.” The SAMP will evaluate existing aquatic resources; develop a set of actions to preserve, enhance and restore aquatic resources; allow reasonable economic development, construction and maintenance of public infrastructure facilities; and identify and evaluate alternative land development scenarios.

The San Diego Creek watershed encompasses 122 square miles in central Orange County and drains westerly into Upper Newport Bay. Urban areas in the study area include portions of Santa Ana, Tustin, Laguna Hills, Costa Mesa, Irvine and Lake Forest.

For more information, visit the Corps’ web site at http://www.spl.usace.army.mil/regulatory/samp/sd.html or contact the Los Angeles District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Public Affairs Office at 213-452-3921.