West Coast EBM 2010

This week the West Coast EBM Network held its annual meeting. This year the meeting was held in Monterrey, CA, selected for its proximity to the Elkhorn Slough, the site of one of the West Coast projects.

Part of the meeting was dedicated to getting updates from the various projects, and strategizing next steps for the network.

We also received presentations on the following:

• EBM Tools and Training
  
• NOAA National and Regional Developments Update
  
• National Ocean Policy Update
• WCGA Update
• West Coast Integrated Ecosystem Assessments (IEAs)
• COMPASS
• Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
• Green Fire Productions Ocean Film
• Surfrider Foundation

I took the opportunity to share the trailer for our 'Cycle of Insanity' film, which provides the 'big picture' of our misuse of fresh water resources and how we can fix the problem through 'Integrated Management' - or 'Ecosystem Based Management (EBM)' - which is basically the goal of Surfrider's Know Your H2O program.



We were also treated to a field tour of Elkhorn Slough by program managers Bryan Largay and Monique Fountain. Kayaks are the preferred vehicle for navigating the slough and observing wildlife - and we saw sea otters, sea lions, seals, pelicans, and plenty of shorebirds.

Bryan provided an overview of the problems facing the slough since the Army Corps constructed Moss Landing Harbor. The large entrance to the ocean greatly increased tidal currents in the slough. These currents subsequently caused erosion of the channels and banks, with loss of sediment out to the ocean. The changed hydrology resulted in changes in habitats, with the major loss of tidal salt marsh which makes up the foundation for this ecosystem.

The project is about to break ground on construction of a small 'sill,' or submerged weir in the back channels of the slough. The Parsons Slough Restoration Project is intended to begin a process to restore the historic tidal hydrology within the slough.

More info:

www.westcoastebm.org

Elkhorn Slough Tidal Wetland Project

Know Your H2O

Cycle of Insanity in Santa Barbara

Joe Geever, Surfrider Foundation Policy Coordinator and I made the trip up to Santa Barbara yesterday to present Cycle of Insanity - the Real Story of Water

The film was well received by the Santa Barbara Chapter, who are currently gearing up for Ocean Friendly Gardens... plus, they always throw a good party!

Know Your H2O: http://knowyourh2o.blogspot.com/

Cycle of Insanity: http://www.knowyourh2o.org/

Surfers Point cleanup

In what is probably the biggest "beach cleanup" in Ventura County history, contractors last week made progress on demolition work at Surfers' Point. Piles of concrete, asphalt, and rocks accumulated rapidly with the work of heavy machinery.

The rock 'rip-rap' revetment near the rivermouth was moved to the Fairgrounds parking lot.


(The revetment was constructed without permits in 1992 and now, 18 years later, it has finally been removed from the beach.)


A portion of the asphalt bike path was removed.




Much of this concrete and asphalt will be recycled and re-used in the new parking lot.


The design plans and more information about the history of the project are at surferspoint.org

Capps in Santa Barbara

Congresswoman Lois Capps held a press conference in Santa Barbara yesterday. The event was focused on Prop 23, a measure on the ballot that would reverse Prop 32, the California Climate Bill.

I was invited to speak and stressed Surfrider Foundation's 'Not the Answer' campaign - the title says it all - more offshore drilling is not the answer to our energy future, and threatens the sustainable management of our coasts and oceans. And as someone who has driven both electric and biodiesel vehicles over the past decade, I recognize the potential for California to become a world leader in the new technologies that will enable a sustainable energy future...


In the news: Capps_to_lead_environmental_rally_at_shoreline_park
KEYT news


More info: No on Prop 23
Not the Answer
Who Killed the Electric Car?
Sustainable Options

Recent news: Star probe turns up more about channel oil firms

Field trips

I received a stack of 'thank you' notes this weekend from a group of first and second graders who I had taken on a walk along the Ventura River estuary and out to the beach. I think they got it...

Blog action day - Water

Blog Action Day is an annual event held every October 15 that unites the world’s bloggers in posting about the same issue on the same day with the aim of sparking a global discussion and driving collective action. This year's topic is water.

Blog Action Day 2010: Water from Blog Action Day on Vimeo.

This Ventura River Ecosystem blog has been a means to communicate the complex issues that our community faces in stewardship of our watershed and coastal resources. It is increasingly clear that 'Ecosystem-based Management' is all about water. How we manage our fresh water directly impacts our coast and ocean. Water is the universal fluid that directly connects our actions on land with the sea that we all depend upon.



The Ventura River Watershed is a microcosm for water and watershed management. With an area of only 225 square miles, the Ventura River is small enough to provide an opportunity to develop a model of holistic management. Our watershed includes all the pieces of the puzzle: from highly urbanized areas to small rural communities; large dam removal to 'ocean friendly gardens;' a large surface reservoir to local aquifers. In this climate of flood and drought, we need to begin to coordinate our efforts in a sustainable manner. Because climate change adaptation is all about Water.

Although it seems we are currently stuck in the cycle of 'one step forward and two steps backward,' my hope is that this blog will help serve to raise the level of awareness in our community so that we may move forward with a common vision - one that will provide a sustainable future for our children and our children's children. Our lives depend on it.

Canada Larga moves forward

Regardless of the issues with annexing undeveloped Canada Larga canyon, it makes one wonder.

How did a developer con our decision-makers
into funding the EIR for his project,
while simultaneously providing a loophole
to our existing SOAR growth ordinance?

It makes for a good show - on Monday evening City Council was first serenaded by hundreds of their own employees protesting a request to 'chip in,' then over an hour of testimony on rezoning the failing auto mall to allow a poker club to move in. Then hours of testimony from concerned citizens destined to fall on deaf ears.

The mayor is concerned this may signal a return to the Bad Old Days "where developers engage in game-playing to try to get four votes, people on either side of an issue call each other names, and everything comes to a halt because it’s so contentious."

Too bad, because as a community, we aren't even asking the right questions yet. While our leaders use taxpayer funds to justify unlimited expansion, regional aquifers are failing and our 'wastewater' continues to be wasted.

Truly the Cycle of Insanity.