10 May 2012 THE OSPREy • ISSUE NO. 72 Recovering Ventura River Steelhead

By Paul Jenkin — Surfrider Foundation —

Paul Jenkin is Ventura Campaign eries. The turning point for the Foundation, an organization focused on Coordinator for the Surfrider Ventura River was dam construction, protecting coastal resources, present - Foundation, a non-profit organization which resulted in the rapid decline of ed the case that was trap - focused on the protection and enjoy - anadromous steelhead runs. And we ping sediment destined for the beach - ment of the world’s oceans, waves and are finding today that undoing past es, local governments resolved to beaches. For more information visit mistakes is more difficult than one investigate the feasibility of dam their website at www.surfrider.org . might imagine. removal. There are two large dams hese days most people don’t on the Ventura River that associate Southern together block access to the with wild trout. majority of headwater Indeed, throughout much of streams. These headwaters the region the historically are critical, as that is where rTich rivers, floodplains, and estuaries cool perennial streams flow have been replaced with strip malls, through relatively pristine housing tracts, and hundreds of miles public lands. Matilija Dam of famously congested freeways. But was constructed in 1948 on for those in the know, small popula - in the Los tions of native fish may still be found Padres National Forest, 16 in the cool mountain streams on the miles from the Pacific fringes of this concrete jungle. And in Ocean. Then, almost a many of these watersheds, local stew - decade later, ards are working to protect and was built in 1956 creating a The Ventura River system once produced strong restore the once bountiful runs of large reservoir on Coyote steelhead runs. Photo courtesy Surfrider Foundation steelhead. Creek, a major tributary to In many ways, the Ventura River is the Ventura River. The initial planning for the removal ground zero for recovery of the endan - While Casitas reservoir still func - of Matilija Dam started out rapidly. gered southern steelhead. Just 60 tions as an important water supply, An appraisal investigation by the miles north of Los Angeles, this small Matilija Dam has long outlived its use - Bureau of Reclamation was competed 220 square-mile basin once supported ful purpose. In 1965, less than two in 1999, followed by a visit from the 4,000-5,000 returning steelhead, a run decades after its construction, struc - Secretary of the Interior, Bruce that attracted fishermen from tural concerns prompted lowering the Babbitt in 2000. Matilija was the throughout the region. Back in the crest of Matilija Dam from 200 feet to largest dam on Babbitt’s nationwide ‘good old days’ the local community in 165 feet. The decreased capacity, com - ‘dam busting’ tour, where he had to Ventura was well attuned to this boun - bined with the high sediment yield forgo his ceremonial sledgehammer ty, and all the hotels were filled during from the steep coastal mountains, has for a crane that was used to remove a a good steelhead season. Although now almost completely filled the 20-ton concrete block in a demonstra - today the region suffers from many of remaining reservoir with over six mil - tion of the outgoing administration’s the ills of the metropolis to the south, lion cubic yards of sand, gravel, cob - support for dam removal. these smaller communities have ble, and silt. With early cost estimates for dam fought hard to protect open space and Planning for the removal of the obso - removal ranged from $20 million up to a unique quality of life. But although lete structure has now been underway $200 million, the US Army Corps of suburban development has largely for almost 15 years. Interestingly, ini - Engineers was selected as lead agency been limited to existing urban bound - tial support for the ambitious effort for the next planning phase. This was aries, dams, flood control, water did not begin with fisheries in mind, based largely upon the perception that extraction, and runoff are constant but rather due to a growing need to they were the only agency capable of threats to the native riparian habitat. restore local beaches. Faced with a delivering the federal dollars neces - regional beach erosion problem, local sary to undertake a project of this Dam Removal policy makers were considering magnitude. With support from a expensive beach replenishment and unique multi-agency process, the As with all river systems, dams have other artificial means to widen the Corps completed a feasibility study in the most direct impact on native fish - beaches. When the Surfrider 2004. The feasibility plan called for a Continued on next page THE OSPREy • ISSUE NO. 72 May 2012 11

Continued from previous page for the eventual removal of Matilija downstream of the diversion. Dam. But the difference in climate and Historically, CMWD was only required complex sediment management politics combined with the current fis - to release 50 cfs downstream, while scheme and a host of downstream cal crisis creates an uncertain future. diversions could be as high as 500 cfs. improvements to flood control and It is clear that this would be the single The new NOAA requirement calls for water infrastructure. In 2007, most effective action for the restora - additional water to be released follow - Congress approved the $144.5 million tion of the Ventura River steelhead ing storms, to ensure that downstream project through the Water Resources population, but there are also other flows are adequate for steelhead and Development Act (WRDA 2007.) issues that could make or break the migration and more closely mimic the The complexity of the project was overall recovery of the river. natural hydrograph to prevent strand - largely driven by water supply con - ing. The water district, however, con - cerns. Any sediment released with the Water for Fish? tends that this water belonged to them, removal of the dam could potentially and is suing for ‘taking’ of property impact the Casitas Municipal Water The Ventura River is setting prece - worth up to $60 million, the retail value District (CMWD) surface water diver - dence for more than its dams. The of the potential water not diverted into sion downstream. The Robles diver - fight over water for fish has been the reservoir in the future. The case sion dam diverts up to 500 cubic feet brewing for years, and the battle is has been appealed to higher courts, the per second (cfs) from the main stem of steadily making its way ever higher most recent ruling that the case is not the Ventura River into Casitas through the courts. At issue is ‘ripe’ because CMWD has not yet suf - Reservoir whenever adequate flows whether the federal government can fered financial loss for released water. are present. With the ever-present require adequate instream flows for However, if the water district ulti - threat of drought, CMWD is sensitive fish migration, and the case has been mately prevails, this case could set a to any lost diversion opportunity. elevated to the higher courts in an era precedent that the federal government Therefore, plans for the removal of where, unfortunately, short-term would be required to compensate prop - Matilija Dam included dredging the human interests usually prevail. erty owners for any enforcement fine silt accumulated in the reservoir Since 1956, slightly less than half the under the Endangered Species Act. and transporting it downstream of the water storage in the Robles diversion using a slurry reservoir has been diverted from the How Many Fish are There? pipeline. This large volume of materi - main stem of the Ventura River al, amounting to two million cubic through the Robles diversion dam and Until the past decade, any estimates yards or about a third of the total sedi - a 5-mile long canal. This diversion has of steelhead populations on the ment accumulation, was to be stored not only blocked upstream migration Ventura River system, and indeed any - within the floodplain so that future of adult fish, but also diverted outmi - where in , have floods could carry it out to the Pacific grating steelhead smolts into Lake been little more than a guess. But with Ocean. Ultimately, it was the cost of Casitas. In 1999, CalTrout sued Casitas the potential for dam removal, and an this slurry scheme, along with disputes Water District to provide for fish pas - increased focus on the now-endan - over where and how to place this huge sage at Robles. gered Southern steelhead, resources mass of silt, which stalled the project. As a result, a complex fish passage became available for field studies. Now, in 2012, a Technical Advisory facility was completed in December of Initial studies were conducted in Committee has been appointed to 2004. The facility included a fish lad - 2002 as part of the Matilija Dam develop a scope of work for additional der and diversion screen. Migrating Ecosystem Restoration project. There studies to examine the feasibility of fish can now swim upstream as far as was a need to assess the habitat poten - alternative approaches to sediment Matilija Dam and the Ojai Quarry , and tial above the dam for the federal fea - management to reduce the overall pro - all downstream migrants are directed sibility study to evaluate baseline con - ject cost. This may include incremen - back into the river. The region has ditions for steelhead habitat and pre - tal notching of the dam to allow natur - since experienced several wet years, dict the benefits from opening up over al transport, as well as modification of and a camera installed in the fish lad - 16 miles of good-to-excellent perennial the Corps’ plan so as to provide for fine der has documented several adult creeks to anadromous steelhead trout. sediment to be incorporated in ocean-run steelhead. These studies are a critical part of the upstream sediment management. Of The operations of this fish passage Ecosystem Restoration project, since a course, any analysis will have to are the subject of a potentially prece - dam of this scale has not yet been include quantification and mitigation dent-setting case against the federal removed in the ‘drought and flood’ cli - of potential downstream impacts. And government (Casitas Municipal Water mate of southern California. all of this has to take into account the District v. .) At issue is This initial work was expanded to highly unpredictable flood-and- the NOAA Fisheries ‘Biological include population estimates in the drought climate of southern Opinion’ on the operations of the fish Ventura River and Matilija Creek California, where any year could bring ladder. This regulatory action (much basin. Fish counts were conducted record floods, or mark the beginning more than just an opinion, as the title through snorkel surveys of pools in the of a long-term drought! suggests) requires adequate releases lower, middle, and upper reaches of With the recent large dam removals of water to allow fish migration the main stem Ventura River, as well in the Pacific Northwest, there is hope through the mainstem Ventura River Continued on next page 12 May 2012 THE OSPREy • ISSUE NO. 72

Continued from previous page cal winds have aligned to raise over $6 Antonio Creek, as well as recent work as the main stem Matilija Creek. With million for these bridges, the most by private landowners in the lower funding from the California recent completed in March 2012. river above the estuary. Deptartment of Fish and Game (DFG) In 2011, the Ojai Valley Land Fisheries Restoration Grant Program Conservancy (OVLC) completed acqui - Water and Watershed Management through the NOAA Pacific Coastal sition of a historic ranch property near Salmon Recovery Fund , these studies the San Antonio Creek confluence to Beginning in 2007, the Ventura were expanded to include more com - create the new ‘Steelhead Preserve.’ County developed an Integrated prehensive surveys in 2006-2007, and This compliments the ‘Confluence Regional Water Management Plan have been continued on an annual Preserve’ to protect what has been (IRWMP), which has attracted funding basis. These annual surveys have termed the ‘live reach’ of the Ventura for watershed studies and projects. begun to reveal the dynamic nature of River. This 3-mile reach has year- These studies have advanced the this fish population, which is constant - round flows due to rising groundwater knowledge of the watershed, but there ly adapting to the extreme variability from subsurface bedrock layers, and is still a need for a truly integrated in rainfall from year to year. The provides some of the best spawning water management plan that can bal - Matilija Coalition has served as the and rearing habitat in the Ventura ance existing and future human needs local sponsor for this program since River. with the need to enhance riverine con - 2009, and has secured additional local The land conservancy also protects ditions for the steelhead and other support from Patagonia and local fly- over 1,600 acres and two miles of the threatened species. The Ventura River fishing groups. All of these studies are river below the Robles Diversion dam. Watershed Council recently hired a on the Matilija Coalition website . This ‘Ventura River Preserve’ has pro - watershed coordinator with state In addition to the population studies, vided much needed access to open grants and contributions from member NOAA Fisheries has been conducting space, and the network of trails and organizations with the goal of develop - bimonthly spawning surveys for the seasonal swimming pools provide ing a coordinated watershed plan. past three migration seasons. much enjoyment for the community. There is also a growing awareness of Although this data has not yet been All told, over five miles of the main- water and watershed issues within the published, it represents a huge step stem Ventura River in the Ojai Valley community. Although few understand forward in documenting spawning have been set aside for conservation, the extent of the changes over the past activity of both anadromous and resi - habitat restoration, and recreation. century, there is increasing concern dent trout. Furthermore, it has The younger counterpart in the lower for sustainable water use given the allowed NOAA biologists to become watershed, the Ventura Hillside potential stressors of climate change intimately familiar with the system, Conservancy (VHC), complements the and increasing population. The which will add value and credibility to work of the Ojai Valley Land Surfrider Foundation has developed future regulatory and policy actions. Conservancy. VHC recently acquired programs with creative titles like several floodplain parcels below “Ocean Friendly Gardens” and “Know Watershed Restoration Foster Park, and another parcel just Your H2O” aimed at enhancing com - above the Ventura River estuary. Both munity awareness and stewardship. A Increased attention and funding have of these organizations have built com - short film titled “Watershed been directed at restoration within the munity support for their ongoing Revolution” featuring community watershed. This is largely due to the acquisition and restoration efforts that activities in the Ventura River water - 1997 listing of the southern Steelhead benefit the recovery of native steel - shed aired nationwide on PBS in the under the Endangered Species Act, head. fall 2011. and subsequent funding through the As with most rivers today, the PCFFA and California Department of Ventura River has suffered from inva - Hope for the Future Fish and Game. The California Coastal sive species. Most prominent has been Conservancy has also invested over the giant reed, Arundo donax , with Although water management $15 million in watershed projects, Ventura County government taking the remains a contentious issue, there is including the Matilija Dam Ecosystem lead on grant-funded programs to reason for hope for the Ventura River Restoration Project, habitat acquisi - eradicate the invasive plant. Much of and its steelhead population. Growing tions, fish passage improvements, and this was funded as a first step in the community awareness and support for invasive plant removal. Matilija Dam ecosystem restoration land acquisitions and restoration pro - Because the upper watershed area project, which identified significant jects has led to incremental progress has been largely cut off to fish pas - arundo growth above and below the within the Ventura River. With two sage, considerable investment has dam that was deemed to impair ripari - large dams, water diversions and been made on San Antonio Creek, the an habitat value important to the steel - groundwater pumping, urban, agricul - major tributary to the Ventura River head. Work began in 2007, with signif - ture, and industrial interests, the that runs through the Ojai Valley. icant progress made in removing the Ventura River may be seen as a micro - Recently several bridges have been nonnative plant from the riparian cosm of the threats to native steelhead constructed to eliminate so-called areas in the upper reaches of the trout as well as the potential for recov - ‘ Crossings.’ Although these Ventura River and Matilija Creek. A ery in Southern California. are expensive investments, the politi - similar effort has begun on upper San