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<br />· Presence of mosquitoes and larvae <br />· Murky, clouded surface water with a gray to black coloration <br /> <br />In Zone I, the urbanized section of the river, researchers observed large quantities of <br />trash, including dead animals in various stages of decomposition. The trash piles <br />probably originated from local residential dwellers, and from industrial and commercial <br />firms. In this region, water quality was poor, with foul odors present. In certain areas <br />(near the Teran Teran Boulevard), access to the river was quite difficult due to the dense <br />riparian vegetation. In Zones 2 and 3, access to the river was also difficult. However, the <br />surface water did not demonstrate foul odors, nor was there the presence of large trash <br />piles. Cattle grazing in the area does pose a threat of bacterial and viral contamination to <br />surface and groundwater. <br /> <br />BorderLink researchers conducted water quality tests onsite with portable chemistry <br />test kits provided by the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve. Chemistry <br />faculty from UABC acknowledge that these test kits (which are utilized for elementary <br />and high school environmental education) are not optimal for accurate tests results. <br />Table 2 presents preliminary results of water quality tests. The water use survey <br />demonstrates that Alamar River surface and groundwater supplies are a viable source of <br />water for many services, such as household supplies, agriculture, recreation, and even <br />waterfowl habitat. However, preliminary water quality studies indicate that pollution will <br />diminish, even eliminate local, cost-effective clean water supplies provided within the <br />Alamar River Corridor. This lack of clean water, in turn, will reduce the services or <br />natural capital provided by the Alamar River, a topic that is discussed in the next section. <br /> <br />Clean Water as Natural Capital <br /> <br />A natural healthy environment provides services to the local economy, including <br />clean air and water, fertile soil, ocean productivity (fisheries), and recreational <br />opportunities. In addition, a healthy natural environment processes both human and <br />industrial waste. The services provided by a healthy environment are known as natural <br />capital (Hawken, Lovins and Lovins 1999). Natural capital includes all the familiar <br />resources used by the city and local economy, including trees, water, fish, soil, air, and <br />others. Conventional economic theories and city accounting systems do not place natural <br />capital on the balance sheet (Hawken, Lovins and Lovins 1999). <br /> <br />14 <br />