Ventura River - Instream Flow program

The Ventura River has been identified as one of five priority streams in the California Water Action Plan (WAP.)  The State Water Board and CDFW are currently working to identify potential actions that may be taken to enhance and establish instream flow for anadromous fish in these five priority streams.

http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/waterrights/water_issues/programs/instream_flows/cwap_enhancing/

The streams identified for the WAP effort are primarily coastal streams where the survival of salmon and steelhead (together referred to as salmonids) are of particular concern. Of the 22 distinct groups of anadromous salmon and steelhead in California, 13 (59%) are in danger of extinction and are in need of enhanced protection.

The Ventura River provides an opportunity to advance state water management policy by integrating groundwater and surface water management for the first time.  On March 28, 2016, a team representing the State and Regional Water Resources Control Board and California Department of Fish and Wildlife toured the watershed.

Instream flow team at Robles Diversion fish passage

More info:  State Water Resources Control Board
                   California Department of Fish and Wildlife

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

Matilija Dam stakeholders select local project

On March 17, 2016, the Matilija Dam "Design Oversight Group" met to determine consensus around one of the three alternatives in the AECOM/Stillwater reports and how to move the project forward.

Following a long discussion, the issue was put to a vote.  Printouts depicting the three project alternatives were hung on the wall, and each stakeholder was given a green "stickie dot" to indicate their preference.  (A yellow dot was provided for a "backup" 2nd choice, if they chose to do so.)

The result was almost unanimously (95%) in favor of Dam Removal Concept 2:

0  votes  (3 backup)     -       DRC-1 Containment berm with high flow bypass = $40M

18 votes (1 backup)     -       DRC-2 Uncontrolled orifices with optional gates  = $18.5/$20.4M

1  vote    (1 backup)     -      DRC-3 Temporary upstream storage                      = $50M

This outcome was not unexpected, given the discussion during the previous meeting last September.

However, this is a very significant decision in that marks a departure from almost 15 years of discussion in which sediment was seen as damaging to both local interests and the river, and in which the Corps of Engineers was perceived as the only path to funding the project.  This vote included the local water districts, the City of Ventura, resource agencies including NOAA, Fish and Wildlife Service, State Dept of Fish and Wildlife, Army Corps of Engineers, as well as Matilija Coalition member organizations.  This method of releasing sediment through a low level outlet was demonstrated on Condit Dam in 2011.

Project Funding and Completion

The meeting agenda included discussion of the alternatives developed in the final reports and the potential funding pathways to complete the project.

This chart was presented as an outline of the processes required to complete the project.  It is assumed that Alternative 2 would be pursued as a local project, depicted by the green path, as this dam removal concept is significantly different from that which was previously authorized through the Corps of Engineers. 

Process overview for project completion presented at March 17 Matilija Dam meeting

Much talk was centered around the difficulty in funding a Corps of Engineers project given the current political climate.  Congress has restricted "new starts," and the Office of Management and Budget has kept with its determination that, when it comes to a locally owned facility such as Matilija Dam, the federal interest is limited.  In hindsight it is clear that delays in the project resulted in a missed opportunity following authorization through WRDA 2007 (the Water Resources and Development Act is the mechanism for Congress to approve Corps of Engineers projects nationwide.)
 

Matt Stoecker (DamNation), Hans Cole (Patagonia Inc) and Paul Jenkin (Matilija Coalition) at the White House Council on Environmental Quality offices in Washington DC, March 3, 2016

This sentiment was confirmed in discussions with congressional representatives and appropriation staff during a recent trip to Washington sponsored by Patagonia as part of their DamNation campaign to gain support for the removal of "Deadbeat Dams."

The project selected is by far the most cost effective means to remove Matilija Dam, and is free from congressional roadblocks.  However, despite less than $20M cost for dam removal, the total price tag will likely include tens of millions more in downstream projects previously determined necessary to accommodate restored sediment flows down the river.

Next Steps:

The next step is to identify and secure funding to complete the necessary engineering and environmental permitting to get the project "shovel ready."  This work will likely take another couple of years.  In the mean time, Patagonia has been appointed to lead a funding subcommittee to help secure funding for project implementation. 


More info:
matilijadam.org: the final Dam Removal Concepts and Water Supply Mitigation Options reports are posted to the website.  They contain final changes to the reports, mostly in response to comments submitted by members of the Design Oversight Group.

On this blog:   http://venturaecosystem.blogspot.com/search/label/Matilija%20Dam

On the web:  Matilija-Coalition.org

In the News: 

Surfers Point Spring Workdays

 Sunday March 20, 2016

Surfrider volunteers weeding non-native plants in restored dunes at Surfers' Point 3-20-2016

 A small group of Surfrider volunteers completed a successful volunteer work day at Surfers' Point.


Lots of non-native sea rocket was removed from the dunes as well as Mediterranean barley, iceplant, cheeseweed, and sweetclover.  Volunteers also pruned large plants in the bioswale to open up sight lines between the parking lot and beach.

The Ventura County Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation continues the long-term commitment to the project, which serves as a great example of a volunteer managed site with a high level of public use.

The Spring 2016 workday schedule is March 20,  April 9 and May 1.

non-native Sea Rocket can overpower native dune plants

Cobble berm after the biggest winter since construction 3-20-2016

Groundwater Management for the Upper Ventura River

Formation of the "Upper Ventura River Groundwater Management Agency" began in 2015 in response to State legislation passed in response to the statewide water crisis.

• —Assembly Bill 1739 by Assemblymember Roger Dickinson (D-Sacramento)
• Senate Bill 1168 by Senator Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills)
• Senate Bill 1319 by Senator Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills)

"California will no longer be the only Western state that does not manage its groundwater. The cost of doing nothing is the biggest economic gamble. Thousands of homes and small farms cannot keep pace with the race to drill deeper and deeper wells. The bills take a balanced approach - they protect property rights and incentivze local control." 

- Senator Fran Pavley

 

The legislation allows local agencies to tailor sustainable groundwater plans to their regional economic and environmental needs. This will be accomplished through the Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) being formed by the local water districts.

A Groundwater Sustainability Agency has the following powers and authorities:

• Management of Groundwater Extractions
• Water Well Management
• Groundwater monitoring and reporting
•  Replenishment activities
•  Fees
•  Enforcement
• Ongoing data collection, analyses, and reporting

A primary goal will be to develop a Groundwater Sustainability Plan to achieve sustainability within 20 years.   This will include determination of Sustainable Yield ( maximum that can be extracted without causing undesirable result) and associated Groundwater Allocations and Alternative Supplies.

The boundaries of the groundwater basin were a major topic of discussion at the stakeholder meeting on Jan 28, 2016.  A presentation described a rationale for re-drawing the boundaries based on an updated geological interpretation as shown below.  The blue line marks the proposed change from the previously established red line boundary.

The committee that is working to form the Upper Ventura River Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) has launched a website, www.uvrgroundwater.org.

More information: 

www.uvrgroundwater.org

http://venturawatershed.org/uvrb-gsa

DWR Basin Boundary Modification Request website includes the documents and comments 

If you have questions regarding the new agency, or would like to be on an e-mail distribution list for future updates, call or e-mail Bert Rapp, general manager, Ventura River Water District at 805/646-3403, Bert@VenturaRiverWD.com


Implementing California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act

Matilija Coalition website update

We just completed a long overdue update to the Matilija Coalition website.  All of our work, compiled since 2000, has been migrated over into the new format which provides a modern graphical interface and new photos.

Thanks to Patagonia, Matt Stoecker, and Basket Art House.

Visit  Matilija-Coalition.org

River Parkway kiosk

December 14, 2015

The Ventura Hillside Conservancy in partnership with the Friends of the Ventura River installed an interpretive sign near the Main Street Bridge to promote the Ventura River Parkway.

The Ventura River Parkway is a long-term solution to ongoing threats to water quality and habitat in our local watershed.  The growing network of trails and parks will reconnect the community with the river and transform it into an asset for all to enjoy.

The sign includes 3 panels, shown below:

This project was made possible with funding from the Earth Island Institute and Tracey Warriner with support from the Southern California Wetlands Recovery Project, California Coastal Conservancy, the Wildlife Conservation Board.  Friends of the Ventura River sponsored the design and photography with support from Patagonia.

Surfers Point - first real test

Surfers Point Managed Retreat
Protective dunes
December 11, 2015

December 11, 2015 marked the first real test of the Surfers Point Managed Shoreline Retreat project.  Things have been relatively calm since the project was constructed in 2011.  But last week, the first sign of this year's much-publicized "El Nino" materialized, coinciding perfectly with the new moon and morning high tide.  The swell registered 25ft at 17 seconds from 295 degrees on Harvest buoy. Although the predicted tide was 6.2 ft above "mean sea level," sea level has been recorded up to 1 foot higher this year due to warm surface waters throughout the Pacific Ocean.  A tsunami gage recently installed at the Ventura Harbor recorded sea levels over 8.2 feet!  Storm surge combined with

phenomena termed "wave setup" and "wave runup," produced large surges of water causing unprecedented coastal flooding in Ventura.

Coastal Flooding, Hanover Lane, Pierpont Beach

Ventura CA   Dec 11, 2015

The Surfers Point Managed Shoreline Retreat project combines restoring adequate setback with an engineered cobble berm and vegetated dunes to enhance coastal resiliency.  This first test proves this concept quite dramatically.  (It is ironic that the dunes at Surfers Point were constructed with sand from dunes that were removed from Pierpont beach due to beachfront homeowners objections to losing their views and recreational space!)

The photo below shows that although the seaward edge of the dunes was eroded, overtopping was kept to a minimum.  The loss of the seaward edge of these dunes was expected, and they will grow back  during the summer months.  This illustrates the value of "retreat."  Allowing space for the beach, dunes, and cobble to come and go naturally is a welcome change from the crumbling asphalt and concrete that were removed from this site.

Surfers Point Managed Retreat
Foredune erosion and overtopping
December 11, 2015

The photos below are shown to illustrate the difference between the Managed Retreat project area and the parking lot that remains until Phase 2 is funded.  Although there was no damage to the bike path and parking lot this time, the entire area got wet with overtopping waves.

Surfers Point Managed Retreat
 overtopping downcoast of retreat zone
December 11, 2015

Surfers Point Managed Retreat
overtopping at phase 1 boundary
December 11, 2015

The following sequence illustrates the function of the buried cobble berm.  The summer waves bring  sand back to the beach every year, completely burying the exposed edge of the cobble berm.  Winter swells remove this sand and expose the cobble beneath.  The cobble naturally forms a berm which is very effective at absorbing wave energy.  Note that this site is on the Ventura River Delta where cobble is a feature of the natural beach.  Also note that the hard escarpment is a result of "sand" that was imported from an inland source during construction.  Despite engineering specifications that limited the percentage of fine sediment in this material, there was enough fine silt and clay to firmly cement this layer.  Erosion events like this will remove this fine material over time leaving a more natural sand and cobble beach.

Surfers Point Managed Retreat
Summer beach profile
Sept 18, 2015

Surfers Point Managed Retreat
Winter beach profile
December 2, 2015

Surfers Point Managed Retreat
Extreme event response
December 11, 2015

These next two photos show how much sand was removed during the large swell of December 11. Also compare the degree of overtopping during the high tide of December 2nd vs that of December 11.  (Remember that this cobble berm will once again be buried in sand next summer.)  The rocks in the right foreground are the "spur groin" on the end of the Ventura River levee.  This structure focuses wave energy onto the cobble berm, which was the cause of greatest erosion prior to construction of the managed retreat project.

Surfers Point Managed Retreat
Cobble berm from the west
December 2, 2015

Surfers Point Managed Retreat
Cobble berm from the west
December 11, 2015

It is also interesting to compare those areas with established dunes versus a flat beach.  Although the dunes were slightly overtopped or wetted in the low spots, large surges of seawater completely flooded the recreation area used by kite boarders.  (Note that this flat area was not part of the original plan, but was modified during construction.  While this actually enhances this "living laboratory" opportunity, it is clearly the weak link in the project.)  Also note the blown sand in the foreground of the second image:  this is the only location where sand is not captured by vegetation, often resulting in sand blown onto the bike path.

Surfers Point Managed Retreat
Dunes vs flat beach
December 11, 2015

Surfers Point Managed Retreat
Dunes vs flat beach
December 11, 2015

The Surfers Point Managed Shoreline Retreat project performed as designed during the first significant swell since construction.  We shall continue to maintain and monitor the site to demonstrate the advantages to this approach to coastal management compared to the hard structures of traditional coastal engineering.

Special thanks to all the partner agencies who made this project possible!

More on this blog:  Surfers Point

More project history:  SurfersPoint.org

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