Opinion: Restore San Diego’s lakes through a collaborative, long-term vision

The San Vicente Reservoir in East County File photo courtesy of the San Diego County Water Authority Once upon a time San Diego s lakes were award-winning assets renowned for unparalleled fishing and boating Tourism from competitive engagements and visits for families from across the world supported the lakes that reflected the outdoor-oriented activity that is embedded in San Diego s lifestyle In the current era those lakes are still here They are still extraordinary city assets that backing recreation but the truth of the issue is that they are no longer the destinations they once were and are not supported as such Aging infrastructure at the lakes limited days of operation and operational changes are leaving their mark as the city grapples with myriad challenges Since the city has adopted cuts that restrict access to the lakes due to well-known budgetary challenges The fiscal year draft budget continues that practice and has proposed limiting the days these lakes and the surrounding property can be used across the board As a consequence the outcry has been fierce That outcry is no surprise to coalitions like ours that have come to fruition through authentic grass-roots concern over preserving the natural assets of the city The Friends of the San Diego Lakes was established in We represent families competitive anglers adjacent businesses and individuals who value the lakes and are committed to exploring solutions Tellingly our numbers have only grown What various might not realize is that these lakes generate money for the city Each time a boat hits the water or a line is dropped in looking for a bite a fee is assessed to that person or watercraft The lake operation is in fact paid for by the fees that it generates with El Capitan and San Vicente bringing in the majority revenue Unfortunately because of legal limitations the project cannot be fully funded which results in an on-going deficit So what are the solutions and is there a practical path in the at the moment dire budget scenario to re-imagine the solutions in which we preserve the recreational viability of these lakes There absolutely is First we have to have a critical evaluation of the current fees assessed to use the lakes and the protocol limitations to addressing structural shortfalls As Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera aptly stated in the budget review committee We re hearing that this is really an item of concern to the council and the locality If we could be creative and really put our thinking caps on and recover as much costs as manageable that might be helpful and close the gap Secondly a task force must be convened as fleetly as manageable to identify what fees could be charged to generate additional revenue to close the gap Is it as was mentioned in the budget review discussion charging the non-city residents Is it really collecting the fees for the visitors that are now passing through freely Thirdly that task force must be charged with visioning a larger role for recreation at the lakes The opportunities presented by fishing and the associated revenue advancement should be thoroughly vetted to understand the promising positive impact for the longer-term operation San Diego is known for its incredible outdoor amenities Indeed two of our lakes were recognized as award-winning fishing destinations this year Our lakes are still part of our local brand and part of what keeps folks living and visiting our region We don t have to close the doors to those opportunities what s more we shouldn t The bad news is that lake access truly is threatened in this budget The good news is that our coalition is ready to get to work to fund this not just for this year but for the generations of lake users of the subsequent day Join our effort by telling asking your councilmember and the mayor to enact long-term solutions Tom Lowery is the director of Friends of the San Diego Lakes