Making Progress: Restoration of the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Project Malibu Creek Watershed Executive Advisory Council Final Report January, 2001 Table of Contents Executive Summary.....................ES1 28. Water Imports and Discharge 29. Composting/Recycling/Conservation Malibu Creek Watershed 30. Public Education: Conservation Introduction...........................................................1 Land Use.................................................................59 Section I: Overview 31. Runoff Reduction · Implementation and Oversight Structure........... 5 32. Recreational Use Impacts · Watershed Impairments and Problematic Issues.......................................... 7 Habitat Protection...................................................63 · Effects on Human Health and Habitats ............10 33. Land Purchases · Watershed Studies and Projects....................11 34. Buffer Zones 35. Habitat Fragmentation Section II: Action Plan Update 36. Fish Barriers 37. Exotic Vegetation Overall Water Quality and Quantity Goals..........17 38. Wetlands 1. Protect Beneficial Uses 2. Protect Recreation Coordination and Outreach ................................... 71 3. Protect Ecosystem/Endangered Species 39. Coordinate on a Watershed Basis 4. Eliminate or Reduce Sources 40. Enforcement: General 5. Biological Standards 41. Enforcement: Camping 6. Monitor Pathogens 42. Public Education 7. Reduce Pathogens 43. Watershed Monitoring 8. Study Nutrients 44. Watershed Assessment 9. Reduce Nutrients 10. Reduce Accelerated Sedimentation Section III: Key Findings..............85 11. Fire Regulation-Erosion Control · Improve Water Quality to Protect 12. Temperature Beneficial Uses ...................................................87 13. Storm Drains · Reduce Excess Flows into Malibu Creek...............97 14. Mobile Car Washes · Improve Management of Solid Waste...................99 15. Illegal Drains · Improve Land Use Management 16. Septic Systems in the Watershed............................................. 101 17. Trash, Park Sanitation · Restore and Protect the Watershed’s 18. Confined Animal BMPs Habitats.......................................................... 105 19. Household Irrigation Runoff · Improve Coordination and Outreach Among Watershed Stakeholders ...................... 113 Malibu Lagoon and Surfzone Only ..................... 37 20. Restore/Enhance Malibu Lagoon Section IV: Moving Forward 21. Assess Sources/Characteristics Watershed Restoration 22. Illegal Drains Priorities.................................................... 117 23. Septic Systems 24. Lagoon Water Level/Breaching Glossary of Terms 25. Public Notices Acronyms, Definitions and References..................... 123 26. Malibu Lagoon Bridge Malibu Creek Watershed Watershed Solid Wastes and Other Wastes .......51 44 Action Items ....................... Appendix 1 27. Landfill List of Figures, Tables and Photographs Tables Table ES.1 pg. ES1 Making Progress: Restoration of the Malibu Creek Watershed report structure. Table ES.2 pg. ES3 Grade report card of major issues in the Malibu Creek watershed. Table ES.3 Summary of the Top Ten restoration priorities for the Malibu Creek Watershed. Table 1.1 pg. 5 Malibu Creek Watershed Executive Advisory Council members. Table 1.2 pg. 7 Watershed impairments and other problematic issues. Table 1.3 pg.12 Key watershed projects, studies, stakeholder groups and partnerships. Table 2.1 pg. 20 Summary of storm water ordinances for cities in the Malibu Creek watershed. Table 2.2 pg. 27 Nitrate and phosphate levels found in Malibu Creek and Tapia discharges. Table 2.3 pg. 37 Threatened and endangered species found in the Malibu Creek watershed. Table 2.4 pg. 67 Exotic plant species found in the Malibu Creek watershed. Table 3.1 pg. 84 Progress at a glance: Malibu Creek Watershed Action Plan. Table 3.2 pg. 85 “Top Ten” watershed restoration accomplishments. Table 4.1 pg. 117 “Top Ten” watershed restoration priorities. Table 4.2 pg. 118 Moving forward on watershed restoration priorities. Figures Figure 1 pg. 1 Past and projected land uses in the Malibu Creek Watershed. Figure 2 pg. 26 Annual nitrate and phosphate averages at 8-10 stations. Figure 3 pg. 42 Septic system flow diagram. Figure 4 pg. 81 Current monitoring stations in the Malibu Creek watershed. Photographs Page 2 pg. 1 A partial view of the Malibu Creek Watershed and the Pacific Ocean. Page 37 pg. 38 Malibu Lagoon. Page 46 pg. 48 Revised beach warning signs. Page 57 pg. 59 Riparian corridor in the Malibu Creek Watershed. Page 63 pg. 65 Rindge dam MALIBU CREEK WATERSHED Introduction The 109 mi2 Malibu Creek watershed is the second largest subwatershed within the larger 414 mi2 Santa Monica Bay watershed. It provides a wide variety of habitats for countless species (marine, animal and plant) and has long been a popular place for surfers, hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts. Surfrider Beach, famous for its surfing break and visited by 1.2 million people annually, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the area. The watershed is also home to two federally listed endangered species – the tidewater goby and steelhead trout. As one of the few remaining coastal wetlands in Southern California, Malibu Lagoon is a critical stop-over for migrating birds along the Pacific flyway. While open space predominates the region, residential and light commercial land uses, orchards, pastures, crops, natural areas and golf courses account for approximately 19% of the area. The watershed encompasses unincorporated portions of Ventura1 and Los Angeles Counties, and seven cities -- Malibu, Calabasas, Agoura Hills, Thousand Oaks and Westlake Village and small portions of Simi Valley and Hidden Hills. Combined, these communities are home to more than 90,000 residents. Population growth within this region increased at a significant rate during the 1980s (10%), but slowed somewhat during the 1990s (2%). The current growth trend is expected to continue (see Figure 1). Figure 1. Past and projected land uses in the Malibu Creek Watershed. 1 Ventura’s unincorporated communities include Oak Park, Lake Sherwood and Hidden Valley. 1/26/01. Final Report. Making Progress: Restoration of the Malibu Creek Watershed 1 In 1995, the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Project (SMBRP) completed the Bay Restoration Plan (BRP) which, among other elements, included a draft action plan for the Malibu Creek Watershed (MCW). The Malibu Creek Watershed Natural Resource Plan, released soon afterward by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, addressed watershed resources, water quality and quantity issues, and pollution reduction strategies. It also contained an appendix of 44 action items which paralleled the actions identified in the BRP. These 44 actions, consolidated down from an original list of 111 actions, were developed and A partial view of the Malibu Creek Watershed and the Pacific agreed upon by watershed Ocean. stakeholders through a consensus approach organized by the SMBRP. These 44 actions now provide the framework of guiding principles for restoration of the Malibu Creek watershed and comprise the Bay Restoration Plan’s Malibu Creek Watershed Action Plan. They focus on six key areas of concern: · Overall water quality and quantity · Malibu Lagoon and surfzone · Solid wastes and other wastes · Land use · Habitat protection and restoration · Coordination and outreach The entire process undertaken to guide restoration activities in the Malibu Creek watershed served as a subwatershed “pilot program” for Santa Monica Bay and could also serve as a model for other watersheds considering similar efforts. Key elements of this model include convening a stakeholder group, reaching consensus on the issues through stakeholder involvement, identifying the most significant pollutants of concern impacting the watershed’s habitats and resources, developing restoration/protection management options, securing funding and ultimately, taking action. The following report highlights the successes and challenges of this pilot program over the past six years, although some elements began before 1994. It contains four sections: 2 1/26/01. Final Report. Making Progress: Restoration of the Malibu Creek Watershed · Section One: Overview, highlights the structure of stakeholder involvement in the watershed and provides brief summaries on: 1) sources of impairments to water quality, 2) other problematic issues, 3) human health risks and habitat degradation and 4) watershed studies and projects. · Section Two: Action Plan Update, provides an in-depth update and assessment of the Natural Resource Plan’s 44 action items (BRP actions). · Section Three: Key Findings, summarizes the key findings of the data presented in Section Two. · Section Four: Moving Forward - Watershed Restoration Priorities, addresses future restoration priorities and objectives. 1/26/01. Final Report. Making Progress: Restoration of the Malibu Creek Watershed 3 4 1/26/01. Final Report. Making Progress: Restoration of the Malibu Creek Watershed SECTION I: OVERVIEW Implementation and Oversight Structure The Malibu Creek Watershed Advisory Board, now called the Executive Advisory Council, was established in the early 1990s to address watershed pollution and restoration issues. Members of the Council include representatives of several local and state agencies, five municipalities, various other organizations and stakeholders, and the public at large (see Table 1.1). Throughout its tenure, the role of this Council has been to oversee, instigate