Ventura River Steelhead Restoration and Recovery Plan
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VENTURA RIVER STEELHEAD RESTORATION AND RECOVERY PLAN Prepared for: Casitas Municipal Water District, City of San Buenaventura, Ventura County Flood Control District, Ventura County Transportation Department, Ventura County Solid Waste Management Department, Ojai Valley Sanitary District, Ventura River County Water District, Ojai Basin Ground Water Management Agency, Meiners Oaks County Water Districts, and Southern California Water Company Prepared by: ENTRIX, Inc. Walnut Creek, CA and Woodward Clyde Consultants Santa Barbara, CA Project No. 351001 December 1997 VENTURA RIVER STEELHEAD RESTORATION AND RECOVERY PLAN Prepared for: Casitas Municipal Water District, City of San Buenaventura, Ventura County Flood Control District, Ventura County Transportation Department, Ventura County Solid Waste Management Department, Ojai Valley Sanitary District, Ventura River County Water District, Ojai Basin Ground Water Management Agency, Meiners Oaks County Water Districts, and Southern California Water Company Prepared by: ENTRIX, Inc. 590 Ygnacio Valley Road, Suite 200 Walnut Creek, California 94596 Woodward Clyde Consultants 130 Robin Hill Road, Suite 100 Santa Barbara, California 93117 Project No. 351001 December 1997 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page List of Tables ..................................................................................................................... ix List of Figures.................................................................................................................... xi Executive Summary......................................................................................................... xiii 1.0 Introduction................................................................................................................1-1 1.1 Background.................................................................................................... 1-1 1.2 Objectives ...................................................................................................... 1-2 1.3 Regulatory requirements................................................................................ 1-2 1.4 Public Involvement ........................................................................................ 1-3 2.0 Hydrology .................................................................................................................. 2-1 2.1 Regional Context ........................................................................................... 2-1 2.2 Climate........................................................................................................... 2-1 2.3 Water Development Facilities ....................................................................... 2-3 2.3.1 Overview......................................................................................... 2-3 2.3.2 Foster Park Facilities ...................................................................... 2-3 2.3.3 Matilija Dam................................................................................... 2-4 2.3.4 Casitas Dam .................................................................................... 2-4 2.3.5 Robles Dam and Canal.................................................................... 2-4 2.3.6 Other Diversion Facilities............................................................... 2-5 2.4 Watershed Zones............................................................................................ 2-5 2.4.1 Mountainous Uplands ..................................................................... 2-5 2.4.2 Alluvial Valleys .............................................................................. 2-8 2.4.3 Lagoon .......................................................................................... 2-10 2.5 Streamflow Conditions ................................................................................ 2-11 ENTRIX/Woodward-Clyde Consultants i December 1997 2.5.1 Streamflow Data Sources.............................................................. 2-11 2.5.2 River and Tributary Runoff Production........................................ 2-14 2.5.3 High Flows and Flooding ............................................................. 2-20 2.5.4 Low Flows .................................................................................... 2-20 2.5.5 Migration Period Streamflows...................................................... 2-26 2.6 Ground Water............................................................................................... 2-29 2.6.1 Ground Water History................................................................... 2-29 2.6.2 Ground Water Trends ................................................................... 2-31 3.0 Steelhead Trout and Habitat Conditions.................................................................... 3-1 3.1 Life History and Habitat Requirements ......................................................... 3-1 3.2 Steelhead Regulatory Status .......................................................................... 3-3 3.3 Factors for Decline......................................................................................... 3-5 3.3.1 Ocean Survival................................................................................ 3-5 3.3.2 Drought ........................................................................................... 3-6 3.3.3 Floods.............................................................................................. 3-6 3.3.4 Dams (Passage Barriers)................................................................. 3-6 3.3.5 Water Diversions ............................................................................ 3-7 3.3.6 Land Use Activities ........................................................................ 3-7 3.3.7 Predation (Disease)......................................................................... 3-7 3.3.8 Hatchery Practices (Artificial Propagation).................................... 3-8 3.3.9 Harvest ............................................................................................ 3-8 3.4 Historical Run Sizes and Distribution in Ventura ......................................... 3-8 3.5 Steelhead Genetics......................................................................................... 3-9 3.6 Historical Stocking ...................................................................................... 3-11 3.7 Habitat Conditions ....................................................................................... 3-13 ENTRIX/Woodward-Clyde Consultants ii December 1997 3.7.1 Matilija Creek ............................................................................... 3-14 3.7.2 North Fork Matilija Creek ............................................................ 3-19 3.7.3 San Antonio Creek........................................................................ 3-19 3.7.4 Lion Creek .................................................................................... 3-20 3.7.5 Coyote Creek ................................................................................ 3-21 3.7.6 Canada Larga Creek...................................................................... 3-22 3.7.7 Canada Del Diablo........................................................................ 3-22 3.7.8 Ventura River................................................................................ 3-22 3.7.9 Lagoon .......................................................................................... 3-24 3.8 Distribution of Habitat and Fish Occurrence............................................... 3-24 3.9 Review of Potential Limiting Factors.......................................................... 3-24 3.9.1 Migration Barriers......................................................................... 3-28 3.9.2 Streamflows .................................................................................. 3-29 3.9.3 Habitat Conditions ........................................................................ 3-31 3.9.4 Water Quality................................................................................ 3-32 3.9.5 Lack of Adults/Loss of Genetic Diversity .................................... 3-34 3.10 Limiting Factors by Reach......................................................................... 3-34 4.0 Other Sensitive Aquatic and Riparian Vertebrate Species ........................................ 4-1 4.1 Sensitive Native Fish, Amphibians, Reptiles, and Birds ............................... 4-1 4.2 Fish, Amphibians, and Reptiles ..................................................................... 4-2 4.2.1 Tidewater Goby .............................................................................. 4-2 4.2.2 California Red-Legged Frog........................................................... 4-2 4.2.3 Southwestern Pond Turtle............................................................... 4-3 4.3 Sensitive Birds ............................................................................................... 4-3 4.3.1 California Least Tern...................................................................... 4-3 ENTRIX/Woodward-Clyde Consultants iii December 1997 4.3.2 Brown Pelican................................................................................. 4-4 4.3.3 Western Snowy Plover.................................................................... 4-4 4.3.4 Belding’s Savannah Sparrow.......................................................... 4-4 4.3.5 Least Bell’s Vireo ..........................................................................