Santa Ana Bridge replacement awarded $13.4M grant

On May 13, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced a $13,426,938 funding award to Ventura County Watershed Protection District for the Santa Ana Bridge Replacement - a component of the Matilija Dam Ecosystem Restoration Project.  This is one of 38 projects statewide totaling $48.5 million to receive funding for multi-benefit ecosystem restoration and protection projects under its Proposition 1 and Proposition 68 grant programs.

The Santa Ana Bridge Project is the first major component of the Matilija Dam Ecosystem Restoration Project, which will remove the obsolete dam to restore habitat for the endangered Southern steelhead while allowing for natural transport of sand and cobble to Ventura County’s eroding beaches.   Dam removal will take advantage of high river flows to naturally remove the accumulated sediment that has rendered Matilija Dam obsolete. These renewed flows necessitate a number of downstream infrastructure components that must be completed prior to dam removal, including upgrades to flood control and water supply facilities, as well as the replacement of two bridges.  

The grant will fund replacement of the existing 210-foot long Santa Ana Bridge with a 350-foot bridge to open up a constricted section of the river in Oak View.   Widening the channel by 80 feet will improve water and sediment flows, facilitate natural ecosystem processes through restoration of natural sediment transport and deposition, and reduce the need for channel maintenance in the vicinity of the bridge following large storm events.  A new 6’ sidewalk and two 4’ shoulders on each side of the new bridge’s vehicle travel lanes will also facilitate safe passage for bicycles and pedestrians near the Santa Ana Boulevard crossing of the Ojai-Ventura River Trail.

The Ventura County Watershed Protection District has been planning this large scale ecosystem restoration project since 1999, and began restoration activities in 2008 with removal of giant reed (Arundo donax) and construction of a new trailhead at Baldwin Road.  Studies currently underway under another $3.3 million California Department of Fish and Wildlife Proposition 1 grant received by the county in May, 2017 will lead to design and construction of the other downstream improvements before dam removal.   


Components of Matilija Dam project are illustrated here 

All Matilija Dam technical documents are at matilijadam.org

Google image of Ventura River, Santa Ana Bridge in foreground

Floodplain analysis illustrates "choke point" in the Ventura River

the new bridge’s vehicle travel lanes will facilitate safe passage for bicycles and pedestrians
 near the Santa Ana Boulevard crossing of the Ojai-Ventura River Trail

Bridge replacement will reduce the need for channel maintenance -
accumulated sediment currently requires regular removal to provide adequate free board during floods

Santa Ana Bridge during high flows - "vanes" intended to
improve flows will be removed with bridge replacement