2004-2005 Ponding at Shea Parkside

Last updated October 23, 2005

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Summary

A record-breaking amount of October rainfall got this ponding season off to a GREAT start!  Then epic amounts of rain fell in January, creating a large lake in the middle of the agricultural area.  Just when you thought it couldn't get any better, record-smashing February rainfall arrived to put approximately 30-35 acres underwater.

The following map shows the most frequent ponding areas for this season.  Note that this map and the subsequent maps DO NOT show the results of the February storm event, since most ponds all merged together at that point.


OC RDMD Rainfall Data - Station 121, Santa Ana

Ponding sequences for the entire property have been highlighted in light blue.  Note that the county records rainfall totals at 8:00AM each day for the preceeding 24 hours.  Thus due to the county's time lag, they may report rainfall a day or two later than I do (I live 100 yds from the site and record my personal rainfall observations during the same calendar day that the rain actually fell).  Days flagged with an "R" indicate that rain fell on that day but was counted cumulatively on a subsequent day.

Day
 Jul
 Aug
 Sep
 Oct
 Nov
 Dec
 Jan
 Feb
 Mar
 Apr
 May
 Jun
 Day
1





0.06




1
2





0.89




2
3











3
4





0.60
0.02


4
5





0.47
0.16


5
6





0.09




6
7




0.42



0.21
7
8





R
 0.10

0.05
8
9



0.01
 0.08
 R




9
10





R




10
11





4.59




11
12





1.70
 0.55



12
13






1.46



13
14











14
15











15
16











16
17











17
18


1.00







18
19


0.17


0.38



19
20


0.15


0.88
 0.16


20
21


3.25


0.88
 0.04


21
22


0.73
 0.31

1.58



22
23






0.69



23
24







0.62


24
25








0.13

25
26







0.03
 0.05

26
27





0.04




27
28


2.20

0.02




28
29


0.24
 0.22
 0.48


0.88

29
30




1.53
 0.18

0.04

30
31




0.10





31
Day
 Jul
 Aug
 Sep
 Oct
 Nov
 Dec
 Jan
 Feb
 Mar
 Apr
 May
 Jun
 Day

0.00
 0.00
 0.00
 7.74
 0.54
 2.61
 8.64
 6.52
 1.03
 1.10
 0.26
 0.00

Panoramic Ponding

Click each thumbnail to display a very huge image that better shows the amount of the water in the center of the agricultural area.

January 11, 2005


January 15, 2005


January 18, 2005


February 23, 2005



City Parcel Adjacent to Graham Street

This is primarily an extended-duration mud zone, but can exhibit surface ponding after major rainstorms.



Ponding sequences for this area:

Day
 Jul
 Aug
 Sep
 Oct
 Nov
 Dec
 Jan
 Feb
 Mar
 Apr
 May
 Jun
 Day
1





0.06




1
2





0.89




2
3











3
4





0.60
0.02


4
5





0.47
0.16


5
6





0.09




6
7




0.42



0.21
7
8





R
 0.10

0.05
8
9



0.01
 0.08
 R




9
10





R




10
11





4.59




11
12





1.70
 0.55



12
13






1.46



13
14











14
15











15
16











16
17











17
18


1.00







18
19


0.17


0.38



19
20


0.15


0.88
 0.16


20
21


3.25


0.88
 0.04


21
22


0.73
 0.31

1.58



22
23






0.69



23
24







0.62


24
25








0.13

25
26







0.03
 0.05

26
27





0.04




27
28


2.20

0.02




28
29


0.24
 0.22
 0.48


0.88

29
30




1.53
 0.18

0.04

30
31




0.10





31
Day
 Jul
 Aug
 Sep
 Oct
 Nov
 Dec
 Jan
 Feb
 Mar
 Apr
 May
 Jun
 Day

0.00
 0.00
 0.00
 7.74
 0.54
 2.61
 8.64
 6.52
 1.03
 1.10
 0.26
 0.00

Initial Rainfall = October 16, 2004 / Consecutive Days of Ponding = 22

October 17, 2004 (rain) - consec. ponding day #2
 October 19, 2004 (rain) - consec. ponding day #4
October 21, 2004 (rain) - consec. ponding day #6
 October 23, 2004 - consec. ponding day #8
October 26, 2004 - consec. ponding day #11
 October 27, 2004 (rain) - consec. ponding day #12
October 30, 2004 - consec. ponding day #15
 November 2, 2004 - consec. ponding day #18
November 6, 2004 - consec. ponding day #22

Initial Rainfall = December 27, 2004 / Consecutive Days of Ponding = 20

December 29, 2004 (rain) - consec. ponding day #3
 December 31, 2004 (rain) - consec. ponding day #5
January 2, 2005 - consec. ponding day #7
 January 4, 2005 (rain) - consec. ponding day #9
January 6, 2005 - consec. ponding day #11
 January 11, 2005 (rain) - consec. ponding day #16
January 15, 2005 - consec. ponding day #20

Initial Rainfall = February 17, 2005 / Consecutive Days of Ponding = 10

February 23, 2005 (rain) - consec. ponding day #7
 February 26, 2005 - consec. ponding day #10

City Parcel Wintersburg Channel at Graham Street

The base of the north channel levee is generally pondy.  Besides the major pond, two areas near Graham St exhibit consistent ponding.



Ponding sequences for this area:

Day
 Jul
 Aug
 Sep
 Oct
 Nov
 Dec
 Jan
 Feb
 Mar
 Apr
 May
 Jun
 Day
1





0.06




1
2





0.89




2
3











3
4





0.60
0.02


4
5





0.47
0.16


5
6





0.09




6
7




0.42



0.21
7
8





R
 0.10

0.05
8
9



0.01
 0.08
 R




9
10





R




10
11





4.59




11
12





1.70
 0.55



12
13






1.46



13
14











14
15











15
16











16
17











17
18


1.00







18
19


0.17


0.38



19
20


0.15


0.88
 0.16


20
21


3.25


0.88
 0.04


21
22


0.73
 0.31

1.58



22
23






0.69



23
24







0.62


24
25








0.13

25
26







0.03
 0.05

26
27





0.04




27
28


2.20

0.02




28
29


0.24
 0.22
 0.48


0.88

29
30




1.53
 0.18

0.04

30
31




0.10





31
Day
 Jul
 Aug
 Sep
 Oct
 Nov
 Dec
 Jan
 Feb
 Mar
 Apr
 May
 Jun
 Day

0.00
 0.00
 0.00
 7.74
 0.54
 2.61
 8.64
 6.52
 1.03
 1.10
 0.26
 0.00

Initial Rainfall = October 16, 2004 / Consecutive Days of Ponding = 22

October 17, 2004 (rain) - consec. ponding day #2
 October 19, 2004 (rain) - consec. ponding day #4
October 21, 2004 (rain) - consec. ponding day #6
 October 23, 2004 - consec. ponding day #8
October 26, 2004 - consec. ponding day #11
 October 27, 2004 (rain) - consec. ponding day #12
October 30, 2004 - consec. ponding day #15
 November 2, 2004 - consec. ponding day #18
November 6, 2004 - consec. ponding day #22

Initial Rainfall = December 5, 2004 / Consecutive Days of Ponding = 7

December 6, 2004 (rain) - consec. ponding day #2
 December 11, 2004 - consec. ponding day #7

Initial Rainfall = December 27, 2004 / Consecutive Days of Ponding = 20

December 29, 2004 (rain) - consec. ponding day #3
 December 31, 2004 (rain) - consec. ponding day #5
January 2, 2005 - consec. ponding day #7
 January 4, 2005 (rain) - consec. ponding day #9
January 6, 2005 - consec. ponding day #11
 January 11, 2005 (rain) - consec. ponding day #16
January 15, 2005 - consec. ponding day #20

Initial Rainfall = February 17, 2005 / Consecutive Days of Ponding = 10

February 23, 2005 (rain) - consec. ponding day #7
 February 26, 2005 - consec. ponding day #10

City Parcel Adjacent to the Wintersburg Channel

A huge pond appeared in October 2004 north of the channel.  This pond is host to all sorts of shorebirds, and the general vicinity is host to all sorts of high-value wetland indicator vegetation such as the obligate (OBL) salt sandspurry.

Note the photo dated November 6, 2004.  The large pond has been plowed up in an attempt to destroy it.  This was the only location plowed, so there was no valid "farming" purpose to the action.  Instead this is about as blatant of a Coastal Act section 30233 violation (filling of wetlands) as you can get.


Ponding sequences for this area:

Day
 Jul
 Aug
 Sep
 Oct
 Nov
 Dec
 Jan
 Feb
 Mar
 Apr
 May
 Jun
 Day
1





0.06




1
2





0.89




2
3











3
4





0.60
0.02


4
5





0.47
0.16


5
6





0.09




6
7




0.42



0.21
7
8





R
 0.10

0.05
8
9



0.01
 0.08
 R




9
10





R




10
11





4.59




11
12





1.70
 0.55



12
13






1.46



13
14











14
15











15
16











16
17











17
18


1.00







18
19


0.17


0.38



19
20


0.15


0.88
 0.16


20
21


3.25


0.88
 0.04


21
22


0.73
 0.31

1.58



22
23






0.69