Orange County Public Works employees open up the Santa Ana River berm to allow fresh salt water to enter the environmentally sensitive area, Oct. 9, 2021. They also installed a water pump at Santa Ana River marsh to help increase oxygen levels to protect wildlife. The estuary was bermed off to protect it from oil. After the immediate danger of an oil impact passed, the berm was removed to allow oxygen rich ocean water back into the estuary. Even though the sand berm has been opened up, it could take several days for oxygen levels in the marsh to return to normal levels.
