Appendix C Ventura River Watershed Section Submitted by the Ventura River Watershed Council Ventura River Watershed Ventura River Watershed Section of the Watersheds Coalition of Ventura County Integrated Water Management Plan Update, 2014 May, 2014 Photo by David Magney Note: This document has been excerpted from a draft of the Ventura River Watershed Management Plan, which is still a work in progress. Some sections of that plan have not yet been written; the apparent mistakes in section numbering in this document reflect those unwritten sections. In addition, there could be cross-references to context that has been omitted in this excerpted version. Ventura River Watershed Section Watersheds Coalition of Ventura County Integrated Regional Water Management Plan Update 2014 1 Part 1 - Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 4 1.2 Ventura River Watershed Council ...................................................................................................... 4 1.2.1 Participants .................................................................................................................................. 4 1.2.2 Council History, Structure & Governance ................................................................................... 5 1.2.3 Council Milestones .................................................................................................................... 18 1.2.4 Council Funding ......................................................................................................................... 20 Part 2 - Watershed Characterization .......................................................................................................... 21 2.1 Location and Quick Facts .................................................................................................................. 21 2.2 Physical Features .............................................................................................................................. 24 2.2.1 Climate....................................................................................................................................... 24 2.2.2 Geology ...................................................................................................................................... 32 2.2.3 Geomorphology and Sediment Transport ................................................................................. 41 2.3 Hydrology.......................................................................................................................................... 47 2.3.1 Surface Water Hydrology .......................................................................................................... 47 2.3.2 Flooding ..................................................................................................................................... 69 2.3.3 Groundwater Hydrology ............................................................................................................ 88 2.4 Water Supply and Demand ............................................................................................................. 101 2.4.1 Water Suppliers & Managers .................................................................................................. 101 2.4.2 Water Sources ......................................................................................................................... 106 2.5 Water Quality ................................................................................................................................. 110 2.5.1 Surface Water Quality ............................................................................................................. 110 2.5.2 Groundwater Quality ............................................................................................................... 132 2.5.3 Wastewater Quality................................................................................................................. 142 2.5.4 Near-Shore Water Quality ....................................................................................................... 154 2.5.5 Drinking Water Quality ............................................................................................................ 154 2.6 Ecosystems ..................................................................................................................................... 159 2.6.1 Habitats ................................................................................................................................... 159 2.6.2 Species ..................................................................................................................................... 159 2.6.3 Habitat Connectivity ................................................................................................................ 162 2.6.4 Matilija Dam ............................................................................................................................ 162 2.6.5 Access to Nature ...................................................................................................................... 166 2.7 Socioeconomics .............................................................................................................................. 168 2.7.1 Political Boundaries and Communities .................................................................................... 168 2.7.2 Demographics .......................................................................................................................... 170 2.7.3 Land Use and Management .................................................................................................... 175 Part 3 - Watershed Plan, Projects and Programs ..................................................................................... 182 3.1 Plan Guiding Framework ................................................................................................................ 182 3.2. Existing Projects, Programs, and Accomplishments ...................................................................... 187 3.3 Future Projects and Programs ........................................................................................................ 199 3.3.1 Project/Program List Development Process ........................................................................... 199 3.3.2 Priority Projects and Programs ................................................................................................ 200 Part 4 Short-Term Action Plan .................................................................................................................. 205 Ventura River Watershed Section Watersheds Coalition of Ventura County Integrated Regional Water Management Plan Update 2014 2 [Under development] ....................................................................................................................... 205 Part 5 References & Supporting Material ................................................................................................ 205 5.3 Other Local Water- and Watershed-Related Plans ........................................................................ 205 Public Access Plans ........................................................................................................................... 210 Hazard/Emergency Response Plans ................................................................................................. 210 5.5 References ...................................................................................................................................... 212 Ventura River Watershed Section Watersheds Coalition of Ventura County Integrated Regional Water Management Plan Update 2014 3 Part 1 - Introduction 1.2 Ventura River Watershed Council 1.2.1 Participants The Ventura River Watershed Council (Council) is a stakeholder group for watershed planning in the Ventura River watershed. It is an open group with active participation by local, state, and federal government agencies, water and sanitation districts, environmental and educational nonprofits, agricultural organizations, community volunteer groups, as well as engineers, biologists, businesses, students, and other private citizens. In addition to citizens, landowners, and consultants, the following organizations and businesses regularly participate in the Council: Aera Energy California Coastal Conservancy California Conservation Corps California Regional Water Quality Control Board Casitas Municipal Water District City of Ojai City of Ventura (Ventura Water) Farm Bureau of Ventura County Friends of the Ventura River Friends Ranch Meiners Oaks Water District Ojai Basin Groundwater Management Agency Ojai Valley Green Coalition Ojai Valley Land Conservancy Ojai Valley Sanitary District Santa Barbara Channelkeeper Surfrider Foundation University of California Santa Barbara Ventura Citizens for Hillside Preservation Ventura County Agricultural Irrigated Lands Group Ventura County Coalition of Labor, Agriculture and Business Ventura County Resource Conservation District Ventura County Supervisor Steve Bennett’s Office Ventura River Watershed Section Watersheds Coalition of Ventura County Integrated Regional Water Management Plan Update 2014 4 Ventura County Watershed Protection District Ventura Hillsides Conservancy Ventura River County Water District Watersheds Coalition