‘Disfigured’ history of the Teichert Ponds

Disfigured. This has double meaning. It accurately describes the Teichert Ponds. Plans for uses have come, gone, and been abandoned since excavated, resulting in disfigurement.

In the early 1970s, plans were to develop the area into a convention center requiring fill and building access to and a hotel. Another developer planned to fill and build houses. Fortunately, the plan was scrapped, when someone stole the huge dirt pile from the absentee owner.

Another development in the northeast corner of the plot was discarded for being a wetland and freeway noise polluted from the boxed-in area. Disfigured.

The city, with permission from the private owner, began discharging storm drain water from developments to the east and Chico Mall in 1980. This was a cost-saving move avoiding building a drainage canal to Little Chico Creek parallel to the freeway. This decision will prove more costly as the 24” diameter culvert to Little Chico Creek is consistently clogged with sludge, debris, beaver and now surrounding invasive cattails. Disfigured.

Purchase of the ponds in 1998 with state redevelopment funds and mitigation fee forgiveness to the developer was a bargain for water detention and potential nature preserve park. Study of the ponds and engineering followed between 2008 and 2010 at a cost of about $.5 million using state redevelopment funds. Since then funds have not been made available to do the redevelopment estimated at $ 2.6 million. Disfigured.

The ponds are in desperate need of maintenance and development. From where will funding come? You figure Chico.

— Dick Cory, Chico