Roy’s Pools project needs safety investigation

From my perspective, the Roy’s Pools project in San Geronimo is fraught with safety problems.

It starts with the steel bridge installation some 20 feet above the boulder-filled creek bed.

The bridge has horizontal-bar guardrails, which could serve as a ladder to tempt users to climb the railing. In addition, building codes meant to prevent children from squeezing through the openings don’t appear to have been followed.

The county will be in a pickle regarding the boulder-based creek bed choice. It is a danger to the downstream bridge. It looks like water is already passing under the concrete bridge base from undermining. Inquiries on why the boulder design was chosen over others have not been answered. The county will be forced to address the dilemma at great cost soon.

Thirdly, project managers and health officials should test and deal with the huge quantities of nasty sulfur-smelling black sludge removed from behind the demolished decadesold dam. This material could be contaminated with E. coli from upstream failed septic systems. Online research shows the state has a record of multiple complaints requesting investigation of the sludge. To make matters worse, the suspected hazardous waste was not moved offsite, but spread around the former San Geronimo Golf Course property.

Removal of the fish barrier is a good thing, but decisions and conduct by county officials, the Salmon Protection and Watershed Network and the Trust for Public Lands need urgent investigation and immediate action for public safety.

— Michael McLennan,

San Rafael