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Fall 2021 News & Events
from the Ventura River watershed
Friends of the Ventura River
Ventura River Parkway Trail
Ventura River Parkway Guide maps.
Parkway maps at the following locations: Patagonia retail store, Ventura Visitors Center, Real Cheap Sports, Open Air Bikes, The Ventura Bike Depot, the City of Ventura Parks & Recreation department, REI in Oxnard, and the Mob Shop in Ojai!
Get outdoors for exercise and stay healthy and safe.
Ventura River - Adjudication, a Physical Solution
A group consisting of some of the larger water users in the Ventura River watershed have proposed a "Physical Solution" to the water rights adjudication lawsuit currently underway.
According to California water law, a Physical Solution in theory "affords a means to introduce creativity and flexibility to improve basin management while maintaining consistency with water right priorities". "Regardless of how a physical solution is pled, the goal and elements of the doctrine remain unchanged: to provide coordinated management of the water supply and thereby maximize the beneficial use of the resource." (McGlothlin, 2016)
This proposed physical solution and settlement agreement was developed in partnership with: Ventura River Water District, Meiners Oaks Water District, Wood-Claeyssens Foundation (Taylor Ranch), Rancho Matilija Mutual Water Company and other large water users.
Read more about the proposal: https://www.venturariver.org/2021/10/adjudication-physical-solution.html
Matilija Dam Removal is the Solution
By Paul Jenkin
 Our water supply has reached a critical state, yet local agencies continue to evade the elephant in the room; unsustainable consumption threatens the future of our community.
If the past is any indication, the current drought may have only just begun. Evidence in tree-ring data reveals that the past century was perhaps the wettest in millennia, with dry periods lasting up to 70 years! The severe drought impacting the entire western United States makes clear that importing water from the dwindling Sierra snowpack will do nothing to enhance security.
Recognizing the need to adapt to a changing climate, state legislators passed the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act to require local water agencies to develop sustainable management practices. Yet many agencies see this as a threat, rather than an opportunity to protect our community. Seeking to subvert oversight, local agencies are now proposing a “Physical Solution” to the adjudication lawsuit, which will do nothing to maintain a sustainable water supply.
At least proponents are honest when they say, “The Physical Solution is needed now to reduce or prevent SWRCB pumping/diversion regulations.” Buried in hundreds of pages of jargon is a legal disclaimer for any accountability for responsible water management into the future. If adopted, the Physical Solution would exempt “Uncontrollable Conditions,” including “drought or natural catastrophe, including climate change” or “the need to provide an amount of reasonable and benefi cial consumptive use of water from the Watershed.”
The Physical Solution proposes a management plan to improve the condition of Southern California Steelhead similar to the Habitat Conservation Plan that was rejected by resource agencies 20 years ago. Management of this endangered species falls under the purview of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, whose recovery plans clearly identify the limiting factors for the species: migration barriers and decreased fl ows. Of course, the primary actions required for the Ventura River steelhead are the removal of the obsolete Matilija Dam and maintaining the instream fl ows necessary for their survival.
It is important to remember that the fi sh are merely an indicator of how well we are managing our resources. A dead river will threaten our ability to live in this coastal desert. We all need to work together to ensure that our precious local water supply is managed wisely to ensure a sustainable future. And if water managers want a “physical solution,” let’s hurry up and remove Matilija Dam.
— Paul Jenkin of Oak View is the coordinator of the Matilija Coalition, an alliance of community groups, businesses, and individuals committed to the environmental restoration of the Ventura River watershed. Starting with the removal of Matilija Dam, it is working for the recovery of the bioregion to bene t the recovery of the Southern Steelhead trout and to restore the natural sediment supply to the beaches of Ventura.
Ventura River - Groundwater Sustainability
 The next Board Meeting will be held on Monday, December 9, 2021 at 12:30 pm, on-line / teleconference. ***Please note: The UVRGA will consider adopting the GSP for the Upper Ventura River Basin following a GSP PUBLIC HEARING during this meeting.
The GSP Development team has carefully reviewed all comments received during the draft GSP public comment period. A detailed comment response table has been prepared and the draft GSP has been updated based on the comments. Click here to view the comment responses and GSP edits.
Join public meetings and visit https://uvrgroundwater.org/ for more information. UVRGA looks forward to your participation in the planning process.
Under the State Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), the local Upper Ventura River Groundwater Sustainability Agency (UVRGSA) has been formed to develop a plan to sustainably manage groundwater into the future.
Agency meetings are held on the 2nd Thursday of each month at 1 pm at Ventura River Water District, 409 Old Baldwin Road, Ojai, CA 93023. Public attendance is welcomed. Agendas with agenda packets are listed below 72 hours or more before the meeting.
If you would like to be placed on our email notification list, please send an email to bbondy@uvrgroundwater.org.
See venturariver.org for this & other other Ventura River Watershed topics.
Ventura Land Trust (VLT)
Group Beach Clean-up Days are back, but solo beach cleanups remain an option
Surfrider hosts group beach cleanups at two locations in Ventura County:
(1) California Street (C-Street), next to the Ventura Pier/Crowne Plaza:
- Hosted the 4th Saturday of each month, except for September which is Coastal Cleanup Month. In September, we are at this location on the 3rd Saturday of the month.
- Look for our blue tent on the promenade between Aloha Steakhouse and the Crowne Plaza Hotel
(2) Ormond Beach (4 Locations: end of Perkins Road, end of Arnold Road, Ormond Beach Dunes, and the Ormond Beach Lagoon), Oxnard:
- Dates are seasonal. These typically occur from October-February to avoid disturbing nesting shorebirds. Learn more about the nesting endangered shorebirds on Ormond Beach here
- To date, we have remove 47,747 lbs of trash with the help of 774+ volunteers
If you would like to perform a solo beach cleanup, that opportunity is still possible! It is crucial that we still log data to track pollution on our beaches even if it is not in a group setting. Please follow the directions in the guidelines. Questions? Email beachcleanups@ventura.surfrider.org.
It is crucial that we still log data to track pollution on our beaches, you can help us by doing a solo beach cleanup. Previously, we were having debris information from solo cleanups submitted to us using the Ocean Conservancy’s Clean Swell mobile application; however, we are now making the switch to a mobile application called Marine Debris Tracker. What’s awesome about Marine Debris Tracker is you can select the Surfrider Foundation US data card list and enter your trash data using Surfrider’s standardized trash categories. For instructions see: https://ventura.surfrider.org/switchin-it-up-for-solocleanups/
Questions? Email beachcleanups@ventura.surfrider.org.
Mail:
Surfrider Foundation
Ventura County Chapter
P.O. Box 1028
Ventura, CA 93002-1028
Ventura River Watershed Council
 The Ventura River Watershed Council meets 5 – 6 times a year, with one of those meetings held in the evening. Additionally, Subcommittee and Technical Advisory Committee meetings are held as needed. Meetings are public; your participation is welcome and encouraged.
The next VRWC General Assembly Meeting is scheduled for December 2, 2021, 9am-12pm and will be posted here: http://venturawatershed.org/ventura-river-watershed-council-meetings
Sign up for the Watershed Council newsletter
Water & Drought -- Lake Casitas Update
March 7, 2019 the lake level was 41.4%.
May 23, 2019 it was at 45%.
September 9, 2019 the lake level was at 42.9%.
December 17, 2019 the lake level is at 41.3%.
March 7, 2020 the lake level was at 41.4%.
May 31, 2020 the lake level was at 44.4%.
September 10, 2020 the lake level was at 43.8%
November 3, 2020 the lake level was at 40.3%
December 2, 2020 the lake level was at 39.7%
March 16, 2021 the lake level was at 38.9%.
June 28, 2021 the lake level was at 36.6%.
September 7, 2021 the lake level was at 34.2%.
As of November 23, 2021 the lake level is at 33.5%. https://www.casitaswater.org/
Ventura County must continue to conserve. Keep CONSERVING!
Conservation measures: https://www.casitaswater.org/for-customers/water-conservation
Ventura County Weather Precipitation Tracking
Ojai Valley Land Conservancy
OVLC Trails Update
Oso Trailhead at the Ventura River Preserve is open. Enjoy!
The preserve is open for movement recreation only.
What you can do:
Biking, horseback riding, and hiking are all welcome on the Ventura River Preserve.
What you can’t do:
Swimming, picnicking, and hanging out at the river. You may not bring blankets, chairs, coolers, floaties,
alcoholic beverages, BBQ’s, umbrellas, etc.
Read more trail instructions: https://ovlc.org/trails/
Explore OVLC Preserves: https://ovlc.org/preserves/
More News from OVLC: New benches at the Ventura River Preserve and new acreage acquisition (Parkway Preserve) along the Ventura River Parkway. https://ovlc.org/news/
See OVLC events calendar. Events & preserve rules will be adjusted to be consistent with local health orders: https://ovlc.org/category/events/
Thinking about joining the OVLC?
Find out about opportunities to volunteer with OVLC as circumstances change.
Ojai Valley Green Coalition
The Ojai Valley Green Coalition was founded in 2006 in response to the An Inconvenient Truth documentary. The devastating effects of climate change are being experienced around the world and right here in the Ojai Valley. So, it’s imperative that we individually and collectively do all that we can to protect our shared habitat. https://ojaivalleygreencoalition.org/about/mission/
See: Ojai Valley Green Coalition to learn more about how this organization is making a difference on climate change, active transportation & other projects.
GET INVOLVED!
Friends of the Ventura River is a coalition of community groups and individuals who recognize the need for the protection and enhancement of the Ventura River watershed to improve our quality of life and ensure our future sustainability.
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See VLT's website for opportunities to volunteer at Harmon Canyon, Big Rock and the Ventura River Estuary. VLT is now using signup.com for volunteer signups. 
SB Channelkeeper's advocacy for the health of the Ventura River: 
Please contact Channelkeeper to find out how their volunteer stream team sampling projects are organized during the pandemic.
Join Audubon's monthly meeting on December 14 at 7pm on Zoom to watch "The Condor's Shadow" Film and hear Joseph Brandt's presentation. 