No water crisis at Point Reyes Seashore

The IJ’s March 20 news story headlined “Point Reyes seashore water tests find high bacteria levels” gives the wrong impression.

There is nothing new about bacteria in Abbott’s Lagoon. The Point Reyes National Seashore website warns against swimming in the lagoon on its page about safety issues associated with beaches.

There is no reason to assume this bacteria comes from cattle. It’s more likely to be from elk or other wildlife — as the Seashore website reads, the lagoons are “collection areas for waste from deer, birds, and other wildlife that congregate there, as well as dog waste.”

There are tests that can determine the specific animals responsible for a given set of bacteria. There is no indication that this kind of testing was conducted here. Instead, these anti-ranch groups publicized their results together with the unfounded accusations that livestock is to blame.

Now that Point Reyes National Seashore is finally poised to provide ranchers with the 20-year permits they were promised years ago, the anti-ranch activists are extending their campaign to include the area. But there is no reason to blame the National Park Service for not testing the water. As mentioned toward the end of the IJ’s news story, it is the San Francisco Regional Water Quality Control Board that regulates water quality on the ranches. The ranches provide annual proof of their water stewardship.

There is no water crisis at Point Reyes.

— Sarah Rolph, Carlisle

(Massachusetts)