View of Carmel River mouth from “Inspiration Point”
When a coalition of state and private funders acquired the 10,000 acre Palo Corona Ranch in 2004, they created a protected wildland corridor reaching from the mouth of the Carmel River all the way to the Ventana Wilderness. Read the rest of this entry »
Leave a Comment » | 
Carmel River, Santa Lucias | 
Permalink
Posted by xasauan
As today is the 14th anniversary of the March 1995 floods, the largest Carmel River flow on record, we’ve reached into the archives to bring you an excerpt from a letter written just days after the event — Read the rest of this entry »
Leave a Comment » | Carmel River, Fire, Flood & Apocalypse | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
Back in May, we took a look at the misguided efforts of some nearby homeowners to exclude the public from a Monterey trail that’s been in use for longer than anyone can remember.
7 Comments | Courts, On Foot | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
San Clemente Dam is almost completely filled in with silt and is worthless for water storage – or any other purpose. It is also structurally unsafe and at risk of failure during earthquakes or high flows. This morning (when this picture was taken) the dam was spilling about 1,000 cubic feet per second. On March 10, 1995, the dam survived a 16,000cfs flow that overtopped it completely. Read the rest of this entry »
2 Comments | Carmel River, Water | Tagged: carmel river, dam safety, San Clemente Dam, Steelhead | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
11:00PM Monday March 2
As 24-hour rainfall totals are now above 5 inches at some Coast Ridge locations, there is obviously a potential for debris flows should significant additional rain arrive tonight. Already Highway 1 has been closed, at least temporarily, by a mudslide/debris flow between Fernwood and the State Park Entrance (the slide occurred about 10:30PM). At least one vehicle is reportedly trapped in the slide, which involves mud, rocks and trees and covers the entire roadway. CalTrans hopes to have the road reopened by around 2:00AM. We’re guessing that’s a bit optimistic.
Tuesday Morning Update
The slide was cleared by about 2:30AM and the Highway was fully reopened a few hours later. We just hope the people caught in the slide weren’t wearing their best shoes …
Leave a Comment » | Big Sur, Fire, Flood & Apocalypse | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
Moro Cojo Low-Income Housing Project Under Construction – California’s 6th District Court of Appeal has now ruled that low-income housing restrictions placed on these homes before they were sold are valid and enforceable. Read the rest of this entry »
Leave a Comment » | Courts | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
Running a civilized society and creating a climate in which private enterprise can thrive takes money. Sewage treatment plants, roads, power grids, water projects, firefighters, police, courts, prisons, control of infectious disease, schools, universities, job training programs, services for the destitute and the mentally ill, urban planning, control of air and water pollution, food and product safety inspections, and on and on and on, all take money. Money that very few people indeed would genuinely like to see California stop spending.
8 Comments | Politics | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
Clearing Storm
The storm the National Weather Service predicted would stall out over the Santa Lucia Sunday night, instead stalled out just off the coast. Read the rest of this entry »
1 Comment | Big Sur, Fire, Flood & Apocalypse, Santa Lucias | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
Rain may stop golf tournaments, but it doesn’t stop a bike race …
Crowds pack the streets of Santa Cruz for the finish of Stage 2 of the Tour of California. Not a bad turn-out for a day when sunshine kept alternating with hammering rain. Read the rest of this entry »
Leave a Comment » | Cycling | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
While we appreciate the boost the AT&T Pro-Am gives our local economy and are grateful for the money it raises for local charities, we generally do our best to avoid going anywhere near the actual golfing action. Today, however, we went for a walk on the beach and the PGA Tour brought the action to us … Read the rest of this entry »
Leave a Comment » | Coastal Development/Erosion | Tagged: AT&T Pro-Am, Carmel Beach, golf, Kelly Slater, PGA Tour | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
 | Chasing the Sun on A Visit to La Cueva Pinta… |
 | peter d niemi on Flashback! Spring Equinox Cele… |
 | danacarnazzo on Remembering the 1983 Big Sur… |
 | Kathy Tyacke on Flashback! Spring Equinox Cele… |
 | Jim on Wildflower of the Week: Silver… |
Xasáuan Today 