Thanks to Patagonia and Yvon Chouinard for putting Matilija Dam in the national spotlight!
Patagonia is a founding member of the Matilija Coalition and has tirelessly supported the long battle to remove this defunct dam from the Ventura River.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Patagonia promotes Matilija Dam
This American Express commercial ran nationwide during last night's Oscar awards as part of their Take Part campaign.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Surfrider Europe
On Friday I was pleased to have the opportunity to host two staff members from Surfrider Europe, Nathalie VanDenBroek and Cendrine Templier, on a tour of the Ventura area. We visited Surfers Point, Sanjon drain, and Matilija Dam.
The Ventura River Ecosystem project is an example of many of the issues that Surfrider Foundation activists are dealing with around the world. Beach erosion and coastal management, water quality, and watershed issues are at the core of our work.
Surfrider Europe is working on similar campaigns. Their focus is on water quality, 'artificial coasts' (seawalls), and 'macro debris' (plastic in the ocean.)
Tsunami effects in Ventura
Tsunami is a Japanese word represented by two characters: "tsu" and "nami". The character "tsu" means harbor, while the character "nami" means wave. In the past, tsunamis were often referred to as "tidal waves" by many English speaking people. Although the term "tidal wave" is a misnomer, the onshore effect is similar to the tide rapidly rising and falling.
On Saturday February 27, a massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake hit the coast of Chile. This is the same fault that produced a 9.5 quake which killed 1,655 people and left 2 million homeless in 1920. ( Saturday’s quake matched a 1906 temblor off the Ecuadorean coast as the seventh-strongest ever recorded in the world.)
A Tsunami alert was issued for the entire Pacific Ocean. Although not as catastrophic as it could have been, the effect was seen throughout the Pacific rim.
I went down to the harbor to see if the effect was visible, and when I arrived I could see a strong current that was rapidly filling the harbor. By the time I got out to the end of the south jetty, the harbor was already draining back out. I filmed the out and in flow for about an hour, and it seemed like the amplitude had dropped. Later in the day I went back down to Marina Park, and the surge was still very strong.
Reports indicated that the initial waves were the greatest, having an amplitude of plus and minus 3 feet (6 feet total!) inside the harbor. The cycle seemed to have a period of around 20 minutes, which cooincided with many of the reports around the world, including Santa Barbara and San Diego. The tide gauges show that the tsunami continued for over 48 hours.
PAGO PAGO AS 0.70M / 2.3FT 12MIN
VANUATU 0.15M / 0.5FT 22MIN
KAWAIHAE HAWAII 0.52M / 1.7FT 24MIN
ACAPULCO MX 0.62M / 2.0FT 26MIN
SANTA MONICA CA 0.41M / 1.4FT 32MIN
SAN DIEGO CA 0.13M / 0.4FT 20MIN
SANTA BARBARA CA 0.53M / 1.7FT 20MIN
The Ventura Harbor seemed to have a physical response to this frequency. Harbors and bays are known to have a 'natural frequency,' which is a function of the length and volume of the body of water. It is possible that the Ventura Harbor was seiching, or experiencing a 'standing wave' phenomenon in response to the tsunami.
According to the Ventura County Star,
A tidal surge estimated at 3 feet rolled into Ventura Harbor about 1 p.m. and unmoored 14 residential docks in the Ventura Keys neighborhood... the Ventura Harbor Master’s Office said there was some erosion and navigational buoys came loose in the inner harbor area, but there were no major incidents. Officials said they focused on getting offshore boats into the harbor. A sailing regatta sponsored by the Pierpont Bay Yacht Club was returning to the harbor and needed assistance from the Harbor Patrol and U.S. Coast Guard to navigate the main channel.
This is video of the harbor entrance taken between 1pm and 2pm, and again after 5 pm.
Another video was posted on YouTube, and showed the effect inside the harbor at around the same time:
More information from NOAA: http://wcatwc.arh.noaa.gov/
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Cycle of Insanity film trailer
The Cycle of Insanity: The Real Story of Water
The H20 project is coming to fruition, thanks to a dedicated crew of creative Surfrider volunteers and staff. We recognize that our current water management systems are broken, and this 'Cycle of Insanity' is the root cause of many of our coastal problems.
This new short film dives into controversial problems and solutions related to water management and serves as a practical outline for citizens curious about water issues.
The film's public premiere will cooincide with World Water Day, Monday March 22, 2010. The San Diego Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation will sponsor an event at The Loft on the campus of UC San Diego.
The project was spearheaded by the San Diego Chapter and co-sponsored by Surfrider Chapters throughout California, including the Ventura County Chapter.
If you don't see the film here (and are seeing this on FB), click on "view original post."
The H20 project is coming to fruition, thanks to a dedicated crew of creative Surfrider volunteers and staff. We recognize that our current water management systems are broken, and this 'Cycle of Insanity' is the root cause of many of our coastal problems.
This new short film dives into controversial problems and solutions related to water management and serves as a practical outline for citizens curious about water issues.
The Cycle of Insanity: The Real Story of Water - TRAILER 1 from Surfrider Foundation San Diego C on Vimeo.
The film's public premiere will cooincide with World Water Day, Monday March 22, 2010. The San Diego Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation will sponsor an event at The Loft on the campus of UC San Diego.
The project was spearheaded by the San Diego Chapter and co-sponsored by Surfrider Chapters throughout California, including the Ventura County Chapter.
If you don't see the film here (and are seeing this on FB), click on "view original post."
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Ojai Creek Restoration
The Ojai Valley Green Coalition team was out today, 
continuing the effort to clean up and restore the creek in Libbey Park, downtown Ojai. This tributary to San Antonio Creek has been impacted by upstream urbanization, and overgrowth of non-native plants.
In addition to the thick groundcover that has been hand-removed by volunteer events, six huge palm trees were recently removed. The creek already feels so much more
open and unrestricted.
Today crews were weeding and planting - acorns and willow stakes were placed in appropriate locations, and it looked like everyone was having a great time!
To learn more and get involv
ed see:http://www.ojaivalleygreencoalition.org
continuing the effort to clean up and restore the creek in Libbey Park, downtown Ojai. This tributary to San Antonio Creek has been impacted by upstream urbanization, and overgrowth of non-native plants.In addition to the thick groundcover that has been hand-removed by volunteer events, six huge palm trees were recently removed. The creek already feels so much more
open and unrestricted.Today crews were weeding and planting - acorns and willow stakes were placed in appropriate locations, and it looked like everyone was having a great time!
To learn more and get involv
ed see:http://www.ojaivalleygreencoalition.org
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Matilija Coalition Position on Permanent Upstream Sediment Management
February 16, 2010
To: Darryl Buxton, Project Manager, US Army Corps of Engineers
Jeff Pratt, Director, Ventura County Public Works Agency
RE: Matilija Coalition Position on US Army Corps of Engineers Proposal to Permanently Sequester Fine Sediments in Matilija Canyon
The Matilija Coalition is a non-governmental organization comprised of local, state, and national organizations committed to the restoration of the Ventura River watershed through the removal of Matilija Dam. The Matilija Coalition has actively participated in the multiagency effort to remove Matilija Dam for the purpose of restoring the Ventura River ecosystem since the project’s inception.
The Matilija Dam Ecosystem Restoration Project has been delayed by the U.S Army Corps of Engineers (COE) lack of funding and difficulties associated with the management of approximately two million cubic yards of fine sediment (approximately one third of the total sediment) that has accumulated behind the dam since its construction in 1948. The Matilija Dam Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study completed in 2004 outlines a restoration plan that includes dam and sediment removal based upon the ‘Alternative Plan 4b’ for ‘short-term sediment stabilization.’ This plan was developed through a multi-year, multi-agency planning process with consensus of all stakeholders including Ventura County, the COE, and the California Coastal Conservancyas project sponsor. The Feasibility Plan underwent the extensive review processes outlined below, and ultimately gained Congressional approval through the passage of the Water Resources and Development Act of 2007 (WRDA07.)
To date, the COE and County project managers have been unable to complete the final design of the Feasibility Plan that specified a slurry system to transport fine sediment downstream of water supply facilities to temporary storage areas near Baldwin Road. Attempts to alter the consensus Alternative Plan 4b to permanently store the fine sediment in a 70-acre landfill within a popular public recreation area understandably met with community resistance. Therefore, project managers are now considering another alternative which would permanently store the fine sediments upstream of the current dam site within Matilija Canyon.
At the January 14, 2010 Matilija Dam Design Oversight Group Meeting, the COE and County project managers asked stakeholders to consider and respond to the following question:
• Can a constructable alternative be developed to permanently sequester the fine sediments upstream of the dam so as to reduce impact to Lake Casitas? If so, what would be the environmental impacts and cost?
The Matilija Coalition DOES NOT support the proposal to permanently store 2.1 million cubic yards of fine sediments in the Upstream Storage Areas (USA 1 and 2.)
The Matilija Coalition believes that the proposal to permanently sequester the fine sediments upstream of the dam in the manner described undermines the basic objectives of the Matilija Dam Ecosystem Restoration Project. Moreover, this will likely result in further delays to the project, which is already several years behind schedule. The upstream storage of fine sediments described by the COE will result in a permanent landfill and associated hardscape flood-control facilities within the high-energy floodplain of Matilija Creek: this proposal represents a significant departure from the consensus Alternative Plan 4b previously incorporated in the Feasibility Study and NEPA/CEQA environmental review, and raises significant concerns, including the environmental, procedural, and regulatory issues outlined below.
Issues raised by the Army Corps of Engineers proposal to permanently store approximately 2.1 million cubic yards of fine sediments within the Matilija Reservoir site:
1. The proposal is not fully consistent with the Matilija Dam Ecosystem Restoration Project objectives:
The proposal is inconsistent with the project description approved in the 2004 Feasibility Study. This plan underwent an extensive review processes including:
3. Hazard and Liability:
Construction of flood protection structures in the active floodplain raises the potential for future catastrophic failure and the need for ongoing maintenance. Specific concerns include:
4. Negative impact to ecosystem function:
The Federal interest in Matilija Dam is based upon a cost-benefit analysis that was determined in 2004 through a modified Habitat Evaluation Procedure (HEP.) Many of the assumptions in the HEP analysis may be invalidated with the Upstream Storage Area proposal:
The area upstream of Matilija Dam is the primary restoration site in the Matilija Dam Ecosystem Restoration Project, and the ultimate success of the project hinges on how this reach of Matilija Creek is restored and managed. In general, the proposed upstream USA storage sites do not reflect the considerations that led to the conceptual design for upstream sediment management described in the 2004 Feasibility Report.
The Feasibility Plan specifies temporary sediment storage areas that were carefully selected to minimize impacts to the existing habitat and provide for the restoration of a naturally meandering stream channel upstream of the current dam site capable of shifting its course in response to flow and sediment transport. This initially restored channel was intended to provide a starting point to provide for the natural evolution of the river within Matilija canyon following dam removal. Constricting this channel between permanent flood control structures protecting the permanent USA storage sites and Matilija Road in this reach of Matilija Creek will compromise this process, which is key to the ecosystem restoration objectives. The proposal is also inconsistent with re-establishing recreational opportunities within the restored Matilija Reservoir site.
The Matilija Coalition remains committed to the removal of Matilija Dam in the most cost effective manner that will attain the Matilija Dam Ecosystem Restoration objectives. We support analysis of restoration alternatives that are consistent with the consensus plan outlined in the 2004 Matilija Dam Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study. We also encourage COE and County project managers to re-engage the scientific and technical expertise that initially contributed to the planning process. Experts in the fields of river and habitat restoration, fluvial processes, and fisheries restoration, as well as the resource agencies responsible for the outcome of this project, should all be active participants in this process.
We look forward to moving this project forward in a positive manner toward an outcome that satisfies the concerns of all stakeholders and is consistent with the consensus plan approved in the 2004 Feasibility Study.
signed by representatives from the following organizations:
Matilija Coalition
Surfrider Foundation Ventura County Chapter
Environmental Coalition of Ventura County
California Trout
American Rivers
Friends of the River
Patagonia, Inc.
Environmental Defense Center
Santa Barbara ChannelKeeper
Download complete letter here: MC upstreamdisposal_letter_Feb2010.pdf
To: Darryl Buxton, Project Manager, US Army Corps of Engineers
Jeff Pratt, Director, Ventura County Public Works Agency
RE: Matilija Coalition Position on US Army Corps of Engineers Proposal to Permanently Sequester Fine Sediments in Matilija Canyon
The Matilija Coalition is a non-governmental organization comprised of local, state, and national organizations committed to the restoration of the Ventura River watershed through the removal of Matilija Dam. The Matilija Coalition has actively participated in the multiagency effort to remove Matilija Dam for the purpose of restoring the Ventura River ecosystem since the project’s inception.
The Matilija Dam Ecosystem Restoration Project has been delayed by the U.S Army Corps of Engineers (COE) lack of funding and difficulties associated with the management of approximately two million cubic yards of fine sediment (approximately one third of the total sediment) that has accumulated behind the dam since its construction in 1948. The Matilija Dam Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study completed in 2004 outlines a restoration plan that includes dam and sediment removal based upon the ‘Alternative Plan 4b’ for ‘short-term sediment stabilization.’ This plan was developed through a multi-year, multi-agency planning process with consensus of all stakeholders including Ventura County, the COE, and the California Coastal Conservancyas project sponsor. The Feasibility Plan underwent the extensive review processes outlined below, and ultimately gained Congressional approval through the passage of the Water Resources and Development Act of 2007 (WRDA07.)
To date, the COE and County project managers have been unable to complete the final design of the Feasibility Plan that specified a slurry system to transport fine sediment downstream of water supply facilities to temporary storage areas near Baldwin Road. Attempts to alter the consensus Alternative Plan 4b to permanently store the fine sediment in a 70-acre landfill within a popular public recreation area understandably met with community resistance. Therefore, project managers are now considering another alternative which would permanently store the fine sediments upstream of the current dam site within Matilija Canyon.
At the January 14, 2010 Matilija Dam Design Oversight Group Meeting, the COE and County project managers asked stakeholders to consider and respond to the following question:
• Can a constructable alternative be developed to permanently sequester the fine sediments upstream of the dam so as to reduce impact to Lake Casitas? If so, what would be the environmental impacts and cost?
The Matilija Coalition DOES NOT support the proposal to permanently store 2.1 million cubic yards of fine sediments in the Upstream Storage Areas (USA 1 and 2.)
The Matilija Coalition believes that the proposal to permanently sequester the fine sediments upstream of the dam in the manner described undermines the basic objectives of the Matilija Dam Ecosystem Restoration Project. Moreover, this will likely result in further delays to the project, which is already several years behind schedule. The upstream storage of fine sediments described by the COE will result in a permanent landfill and associated hardscape flood-control facilities within the high-energy floodplain of Matilija Creek: this proposal represents a significant departure from the consensus Alternative Plan 4b previously incorporated in the Feasibility Study and NEPA/CEQA environmental review, and raises significant concerns, including the environmental, procedural, and regulatory issues outlined below.
Issues raised by the Army Corps of Engineers proposal to permanently store approximately 2.1 million cubic yards of fine sediments within the Matilija Reservoir site:
1. The proposal is not fully consistent with the Matilija Dam Ecosystem Restoration Project objectives:
- Improve Aquatic And Terrestrial Habitat Along Matilija Creek And Ventura River
- Restore Fish Passage to Benefit the Endangered Southern Steelhead
- Restore Natural Processes To Support Beach Sand Replenishment
- Enhance Recreational Opportunities
The proposal is inconsistent with the project description approved in the 2004 Feasibility Study. This plan underwent an extensive review processes including:
- Stakeholder Consensus on Alternative Plan 4b for temporary stabilization of coarse sediment in Matilija Canyon and temporary storage of fine sediments near Baldwin Road (2003)
- Habitat evaluation (HEP) and associated federal cost-benefit analysis (2004)
- Environmental review (NEPA/CEQA) (2004)
- US Army Chief of Engineers Report (2004)
- USFWS Coordination Act Report (2004) and USFWS Biological Opinion (2005)
- NOAA Fisheries Biological Opinion (2007)
- Congressional authorization (Water Resources and Development Act (WRDA) 2007)
- Agreement for Transfer of Matilija Conduit and Continued Matilija Dam Operations, CMWD and VCWPD (2009)
3. Hazard and Liability:
Construction of flood protection structures in the active floodplain raises the potential for future catastrophic failure and the need for ongoing maintenance. Specific concerns include:
- Potential impacts to downstream infrastructure and water supply facilities.
- Safety of downstream residents.
- Need for ever-increasing flood-control armoring in order to maintain the flood protection structures in place.
- Cost to the VCWPD Zone 1 taxpayer to maintain the new flood protection structures in perpetuity.
4. Negative impact to ecosystem function:
The Federal interest in Matilija Dam is based upon a cost-benefit analysis that was determined in 2004 through a modified Habitat Evaluation Procedure (HEP.) Many of the assumptions in the HEP analysis may be invalidated with the Upstream Storage Area proposal:
- The location and extent of the USA fine sediment storage sites will reduce the active floodplain by raising the elevation of the sites above the level of flood flows, and by permanently armoring both banks of the channel in this reach.
- The permanent fill of the USA fine sediment sites will reduce the width of the active channel; this would alter the hydrology and hydraulics and increase the need for additional flood-control armoring hardening, both in the initial design of the pilot channel and following future high flow events.
- Channelization of the perennial stream section in the Matilija Reservoir area will reduce steelhead spawning and rearing habitat, reduce vegetative cover, and potentially reduce fish passage.
- The location and extent of the USA fine sediment storage sites will permanently bury riparian habitat and tributaries and springs, as well as the heritage oak grove identified in red with ‘Protect in Place’ in the 2004 Feasibility Plan.
- The USA fine sediment storage sites will reduce the area used in the HEP analysis to calculate the financial cost-benefit analysis.
- Reliance on permanent flood control structures will require ongoing maintenance, including maintenance of access roads, fences, and other infrastructure associated with flood control facilities. The impacts to habitat and the cost of 50-years of operations and maintenance were not considered in the cost-benefit analysis in the 2004 Feasibility Study.
The area upstream of Matilija Dam is the primary restoration site in the Matilija Dam Ecosystem Restoration Project, and the ultimate success of the project hinges on how this reach of Matilija Creek is restored and managed. In general, the proposed upstream USA storage sites do not reflect the considerations that led to the conceptual design for upstream sediment management described in the 2004 Feasibility Report.
The Feasibility Plan specifies temporary sediment storage areas that were carefully selected to minimize impacts to the existing habitat and provide for the restoration of a naturally meandering stream channel upstream of the current dam site capable of shifting its course in response to flow and sediment transport. This initially restored channel was intended to provide a starting point to provide for the natural evolution of the river within Matilija canyon following dam removal. Constricting this channel between permanent flood control structures protecting the permanent USA storage sites and Matilija Road in this reach of Matilija Creek will compromise this process, which is key to the ecosystem restoration objectives. The proposal is also inconsistent with re-establishing recreational opportunities within the restored Matilija Reservoir site.The Matilija Coalition remains committed to the removal of Matilija Dam in the most cost effective manner that will attain the Matilija Dam Ecosystem Restoration objectives. We support analysis of restoration alternatives that are consistent with the consensus plan outlined in the 2004 Matilija Dam Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study. We also encourage COE and County project managers to re-engage the scientific and technical expertise that initially contributed to the planning process. Experts in the fields of river and habitat restoration, fluvial processes, and fisheries restoration, as well as the resource agencies responsible for the outcome of this project, should all be active participants in this process.
We look forward to moving this project forward in a positive manner toward an outcome that satisfies the concerns of all stakeholders and is consistent with the consensus plan approved in the 2004 Feasibility Study.
signed by representatives from the following organizations:
Matilija Coalition
Surfrider Foundation Ventura County Chapter
Environmental Coalition of Ventura County
California Trout
American Rivers
Friends of the River
Patagonia, Inc.
Environmental Defense Center
Santa Barbara ChannelKeeper
Download complete letter here: MC upstreamdisposal_letter_Feb2010.pdf
Friday, February 12, 2010
Matilija Dam in the news
In today's Ojai Valley News:
Silt Wars: Casitas Municipal Water District’s rejection of disposal plan threatens dam’s removal
The Casitas Municipal Water District refused Wednesday to endorse in concept disposal of 2.1 million cubic yards of silt behind obsolete Matilija Dam to a storage area above the dam, an alternative favored by county and federal agencies.
This news follows last week's story in the VCStar:
Disagreement Could Delay Tearing Down Matilija
“The whole point was restoration of the river, which really requires that the natural processes are restored,” said Paul Jenkin, chairman of the Matilija Coalition. “I don’t think this plan is in keeping with that original plan. It is not clear to me what it is going to take to get the project back on track.”
Background:
The Matilija Dam Ecosystem Restoration Project has been delayed by lack of funding from the U.S Army Corps of Engineers (COE) and difficulties associated with the management of approximately two million cubic yards of fine sediment (approximately one third of the total sediment) that has accumulated behind the dam since its construction in 1948.
The Matilija Dam Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study completed in 2004 outlines a restoration plan that includes dam and sediment removal based upon the 'Alternative Plan 4b' for 'short-term sediment stabilization.' This plan was developed through a multi-year, multi-agency planning process with consensus of all stakeholders including Ventura County, the COE, and project sponsors. The Feasibility Plan underwent extensive review processes, and ultimately gained Congressional approval through the passage of the Water Resources and Development Act of 2007 (WRDA07.)
To date, the COE and County project managers have been unable to complete the final design of the Feasibility Plan that specified a slurry system to transport fine sediment downstream of water supply facilities to temporary storage areas near Baldwin Road.
Attempts to alter the consensus Alternative Plan 4b to permanently store the fine sediment in a 70-acre landfill within a popular public recreation area understandably met with community resistance.
Therefore, project managers are now considering the potential for permanently storing the fine sediments upstream of the current dam site within Matilija Canyon.
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