Sustainable Water Use in the Ventura River Watershed

On April 23, 2013 the Ventura River Watershed Council received a presentation from the UCSB/Bren School team on the results of their year-long Masters project titled 'Sustainable Water Use in the Ventura River Watershed.'

Bren project website http://www2.bren.ucsb.edu/~venturariver/

The project objectives are:

1. Create a comprehensive watershed model
2. Evaluate the effects of climate change and land use change on the water budget
3. Identify actionable water resource management projects
4. Propose a set of recommendations relevant to securing Proposition 84 funding, increasing water availability, and improving ecosystem function

The team based its analysis on a comprehensive water supply and demand model utilizing local data and the established WEAP software.  The model provides the opportunity to assess water management scenarios watershed-wide.  Development of this model was no small task given the complexity of our system with its multiple jurisdictions, water districts, and water users. Two graduate students worked as interns over the summer to compile data and 'connect the dots' between supply and demand throughout the watershed.  

Description of the Ventura River WEAP model

Once all the data was input, the model was validated by comparing modeled and measured stream flows and reservoir levels over the planning period.  From this a general water budget could be estimated. (note that this was based on the 'average' over the 1990-2009 planning period)

Water Budget from the Ventura River WEAP model

 Water management strategies were evaluated based on six criteria: ability to decrease demand, ability to increase supply, cost-effectiveness, benefits to ecosystem health, benefits to water quality, and suitability for Proposition 84 funding.  Results from the analysis suggest that, while climate and land use change have the potential to severely impact water availability within the watershed, implementing water resource management strategies can offset the impacts. 

Results for the Ocean Friendly Gardens scenario from the Ventura River WEAP model

Conclusions:

Consumer-based strategies such as ocean friendly gardens and greywater systems in single family homes were shown to be very cost-effective options for reducing water demand and increasing water supply, benefiting riparian ecosystem health. Although they are less cost-effective than consumer-based strategies, infrastructure-based solutions such as decentralized infiltration basins were shown to be viable pathways towards increasing water supplies and improving water quality. Results further suggest that the most effective option for decreasing demand within the watershed is by increasing water rates, thereby incentivizing conservation.

Recommendations:

• Encourage widespread adoption of ocean friendly gardens and greywater systems
• Implement a program to install a decentralized infiltration basins to capture stormwater runoff
• Increase lowest water rates in the watershed to the state average

Two workshops have been scheduled (May 16 and May 23) to train watershed council members so that this model can continue to be developed and used in watershed planning efforts.  For more info contact Bill O'Brien: billo@ngeneng.com

References:

Bren Project:

http://www2.bren.ucsb.edu/~venturariver/

Bren Final Report: http://gallery.mailchimp.com/23ecb819d89925323a8b96d15/files/Ventura_River_Final_Report_sm.pdf

WEAP Home page: http://www.weap21.org/

WEAP Tutorial: http://www.weap21.org/downloads/WEAP_Tutorial.pdf

On this blog:  http://www.venturariver.org/2012/05/ucsb-bren-school-project.html

Ventura River Parkway guide map

The Friends of the Ventura River has released a printed guide map of the recreational opportunities along the Ventura River corridor from the river mouth to Matilija Dam.  The parkway features a 17 mile  'class 1' bike path which connects numerous parks, open space, and trails which provide a diversity of outdoor opportunities.

The best part?  It exists today!

The maps are now available at outdoor retailers, visitor centers, and local bike shops in Ventura and Ojai.  The map was designed with support from the National Park Service Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program, and printed by local Herald Printing with funding raised at last year's Salmon Run.

The Surfrider Foundation has been a sponsor and key organization in the Friends of the Ventura River coalition.

more info: FriendsofVenturaRiver.org

in the news:  http://www.vcstar.com/news/2013/feb/16/coalition-plans-to-release-trail-map-for-ventura/
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McGrath State Beach flooding

This year's drought combined with the constant artificial flow into the Santa Clara River estuary have resulted in a flooded campground at McGrath State Beach.  As documented by the ongoing studies, up to 9 million gallons per day currently discharged from the City of Ventura's wastewater treatment plant create artificially high water levels in the coastal lagoon.  Winter floods naturally breach the lagoon, which then takes months to re-fill, but without significant river flows the sand berm keeps the rivermouth closed.  In 2010 an artificial breach resulted in rapid draining of the lagoon and death of steelhead trout and other endangered species.  (see Estuary breach kills fish)

photo: VCStar.com

This is just one symptom of a complex water management issue that begins at the Ventura River - this year the river has dried up at Foster Park, one of the the city's primary water supplies.  This water is piped to homes and businesses in the city, used once, and discarded as 'wastewater' which is treated and discharged into the Santa Clara River.  We continue to advocate for 'Integrated Water Management' that would increase water use efficiency though conservation and decentralized re-use.

Surfrider submitted written comments on February 28, 2013 that included this statement:

The Surfrider Foundation’s national ‘Know Your H2O’ campaign recognizes the importance of integrated water management as a solution to coastal problems. Many municipalities are responding to the global water crisis through the implementation of water recycling to diversify their water supplies. The SCRE Phase 2 study does an excellent job of identifying opportunities for wastewater reuse throughout the City of Ventura, and has identified a number of projects that may become components of an integrated water management strategy.

As we have commented previously, it is important to recognize that, on average, two thirds of the water discharged into the Santa Clara River Estuary comes from the Ventura River. The report notes that the city’s water supply is stretched thin, and this is evidenced in the current drought that has dried up the Ventura River, including the City’s wellfield at Foster Park. Cumulative impacts within the Ventura River have resulted in a 303d impairment listing for pumping and diversion. Therefore, a watershed-based strategy designed to restore instream resources and protect groundwater basins is essential to addressing multiple regulatory pressures and to ensure the long-term viability of the city’s water supply.
We agree with the general consensus from the stakeholder workshop that implementing Indirect Potable Reuse (IPR) and Direct Potable Reuse (DPR) within the City of Ventura is the highest and best use of the city’s wastewater. As discussed in the report, the Ventura River provides higher quality water than the groundwater on the East side. Therefore there is some merit to keeping Ventura River water within that watershed as proposed with the North side decentralized treatment plant. We also recommend that an East side decentralized wastewater treatment plant remain as a possible alternative in this strategy. This plant should be included in planning for urban expansion on the east side because treating and reusing water nearer its source would provide other long-term benefits. For instance, the location of the existing treatment plant within the floodplain of the Santa Clara River and an area of potential sea level rise inundation makes it vulnerable to catastrophic events that may require its relocation within the 50- to 100-year time frame. A citywide decentralized water reclamation system would reduce this vulnerability and limit the potential impacts from future flooding while increasing overall water use efficiency. 

...To summarize, we strongly support an expanded water-recycling program within the City of Ventura, but disagree with the analysis of habitat enhancement from the wastewater discharge into the Santa Clara Estuary. We encourage the City to continue to develop an integrated water management plan that considers the broader long-term benefits of increased water use efficiency.



In the news:
     mcgrath-state-beach-campground-flooded-closed
     A no-win situation in the McGrath State Beach flooding

More info: SCRE Special Studies - http://www.cityofventura.net/rivers

On this blog: http://www.venturariver.org/search/label/wastewater

Surfrider comment letter:  https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/39386757/SCRE%20Studies%20Surfrider%20comments%20Feb-2013.pdf

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Ojai Biodigester progress

A public meeting on February 27, 2012  provided an update on the biodigester feasibility study due for completion this month.

The Ventura County Watershed Protection District (District), at the request of the Ventura River Watershed Council and in cooperation with local community organizations, served as the project manager of a State grant-funded feasibility study exploring an innovative solution. The concept includes using the horse waste to create energy and a useful soil amendment byproduct by means of a “Bio-Digester”. A “Bio-Digester” uses a series of processes in which microorganisms break down biodegradable material in the absence of oxygen; also known as anaerobic digestion. This process results in a digested material that can be used for farming and biogas that can be converted to energy. This approach provides benefits beyond removing contaminants from the watershed – including reducing greenhouse gas emissions, creating a local sustainable energy source, and reducing the amount of organic materials hauled to landfills.

More info:  venturawatershed.org/new

On this blog: http://www.venturariver.org/search/label/manure

Ventura River Cleanup short film

The "Big Ventura River Cleanup" was featured at this weekend's fourth annual Wild and Scenic Film Festival sponsored by the Ventura Hillsides Conservancy.  The film was produced by CAPS community television and is currently showing on CAPS cable TV in Ventura.

The locally produced 'Watershed Revolution' film was featured in this film festival in 2009.  (And was aired nationwide in 2010 on PBS http://www.naturalheroestv.org/season5/watershedrevolution.html)

The Big Ventura River Cleanup is evidence that our local Watershed Revolution is underway!

Petrochem cleanup

According to a recent article in the VC Reporter, the EPA-ordered cleanup of the Petrochem site on Highway 33 is due for completion by February 28, 2013.  The abandoned oil refinery is a familiar site to anyone driving between Ojai and Ventura, and has always been one of the big questions for those interested in the health of the Ventura River.  Shell Oil operated it as a urea plant prior to it being converted to the USA Petroleum oil refinery.  According to the article two above-ground storage tanks contained a total of 2,500 barrels of crude oil; six other storage tanks contained a total of 4,800 barrels of fuel oil, oily substances and refinery chemicals.  All contaminated material, soil, drainages, and equipment were to be removed from the site, except refinery equipment designated for resale.  

The big question is what will become of the site once it has been cleaned up. There have been many proposals for development over the past two decades, ranging from dense housing development to eco-industrial parks.  The City of Ventura investigated the potential for annexing the entire upper Ventura Avenue area and Canada Larga, all of which is currently under Ventura County jurisdiction.   Of particular concern is the fact that Petrochem is situated within the 100-year floodplain of the Ventura River as well as being vulnerable to flooding from Canada Larga creek.

In the news: 

EPA orders cleanup at USA Petrochem site: Long-awaited action in the Ventura River corridor begins  

Ojai FLOW - local control of water supplies

On January 29, 2013, the Casitas Municipal Water District board held a public meeting and the board voted to support a plan to buy out the Golden State Water Company's operations in Ojai.  This action is the result of a local campaign to generate support for community control of the water supply.
Currently Golden State Water, a for-profit company, charges the highest water rates in the area.


The following update is from the Ojai FLOW organizers:

On January 29, 2013, the Casitas board did exactly as we asked by voting unanimously to approve the goals to establish a Community Facilities District and to levy taxes (bonds) to buy the Golden State operations in Ojai. The board also approved a resolution to reimburse Casitas, from the bond, for all costs associated with the buyout so that NO CURRENT CASITAS RATEPAYER will have to pay anything for the buyout. The Casitas plan can be found on their website under Casitas Board Agendas for January 29th.

As part of the buyout procedure, Casitas has announced a public hearing for

Wednesday, March 13, 2013, 6 p.m. at Matilija auditorium.

This will be the only opportunity for public input for or against the buyout. After hearing what the public has to say, the Casitas board will vote at the meeting on whether or not to go forward with the buyout of the Golden State Water operations in Ojai. Golden State is mounting a massive PR campaign to get others outside the area to attend and say they want the board to vote no. They did this at the January meeting with very little advance notice, so we expect the non-Ojai attendees to be out in force at the March meeting. It’s very important for you to show up and let your voice be heard, and please also tell your neighbors to speak out at this crucial March 13 meeting.

Ojai FLOW is in the process of analyzing the Casitas buyout plan. So far, it looks very good, and our intention is to publish a position paper in the next couple of weeks. We’ll let you know as soon as it’s posted on our website.

With the generous cooperation of the Ojai Valley Inn, Ojai FLOW will be hosting an information meeting about the buyout plan on:

Thursday, March 7, 2013, 6 p.m. at the Ojai Valley Inn.

At this meeting, you and all other Ojai Golden State ratepayers can learn about the Casitas plan and ask questions in advance of the Casitas meeting. We anticipate that the Casitas General Manager will be there, too. Please pass this newsletter on to your friends and neighbors, as this is the community’s best opportunity to understand why it’s so important to Vote Yes to buy Golden State.  In the meantime, we encourage you to check out it our yourself as noted on our home page.

The Ojai Valley News has written several very balanced front-page articles about Golden State Water Company and the buyout effort. If you’re not already a subscriber, we encourage you to subscribe to get the most timely information and to show your support for their coverage. The latest issue of the Ojai & Ventura View also has a lot of good information about the buyout. Visit our news tab often to see fresh news items and the latest letters to the editors.

Keep your yard signs up, and pick up Vote Yes stickers to put on your mailbox door (it’s legal), your car window, your store window, the top right corner of your Ojai FLOW yard sign, or anywhere you feel it will show your support for the buyout of Golden State Water in Ojai.

We will see you at the March 13th Casitas meeting!


More info:  http://ojaiflow.com/