Thank you for another successful Watershed Council meeting last week. You can review the final approved Charter here.

Upper Ventura River Groundwater Agency Meeting Tomorrow

The second Upper Ventura River Groundwater Agency (Agency) meeting will be tomorrow, February 1, 2017 at 3pm in the Ojai City Council Chambers, Ojai City Hall, 401 South Ventura Street, Ojai CA.

The Agency will appoint an Environmental Stakeholder Director and an Agricultural Stakeholder Director to the Board, prepare comments on the Ojai Basin Groundwater Management Agency’s Alternative Submittal under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act and more.

You can find the full agenda packet for the meeting here.

Study Plan Released for Instream Flow

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife just released their Study Plan: Habitat and Instream Flow Evaluation for Steelhead in the Ventura River, Ventura County. The goal of the study is to develop streamflow versus habitat relationships in the Ventura River and San Antonio Creek.

The project objectives include:

• Identifying the relationships between streamflow and habitat using a combination of habitat and hydraulic modeling, and empirical approaches
• Identify flows for maintaining passage for steelhead in the mainstem Ventura River.
• Identifying steelhead spawning, rearing, and habitat maintenance flows, as well as productive riffle habitat flows in San Antonio Creek.

You can get more information about the California Instream Flow Program from their webstie: https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Watersheds/Instream-Flow

You can also get the full study plan here.

Rain Barrel and Compost Bin Sale

Ventura County’s Community for a Clean Watershed is holding a countywide rain barrel and compost bin truckload sale February 11. Rain barrels and compost bins must be pre-ordered by February 4th for pick up on February 11th.

More information and ordering can be found at rainbarrelprogram.org/venturacounty.

If you have any questions, please contact Lara Meeker.

Join the Stream Team in the Ventura River Watershed this Saturday

“Stream Team” is Channelkeeper’s volunteer-based creek water quality monitoring program. Once a month (typically during the first weekend of each month), volunteers visit established sites throughout the Ventura River to gather data on water quality while also getting better acquainted with their local creeks. We provide training to all new volunteers.

Volunteers test several water quality parameters in the field using hand-held portable meters, and also take samples that are later analyzed for bacteria and nutrients in our laboratory. New volunteers are always welcome. Contact jennad@sbck.org or call  (805) 563-3377 ext.5 if you have any questions.

Next Council Meeting and Arundo-Free Watershed Campaign Meeting

The Arundo-Free Watershed Campaign sub-committee will be meeting this Thursday at 9 am at camp comfort Camp Comfort 11969 North Creek Road, Ojai.

The next Ventura River Watershed Council Meeting will be on Thursday March 2 from 11am-1:30pm at the Bell Arts Factory.

California Naturalist Certification Course March 31- May 6, 2017

The California Naturalist training is an innovative program developed by the University of California Cooperative Extension to foster a committed corps of volunteer naturalists and citizen scientists trained and ready to take an active role in local natural resource conservation, education, and restoration. This course will have a combination of classroom work and field training from March 31 through May 6, 2017

You can find more information and register online through the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy website or contact Marti Reid at (805) 649-6852 ext. 2 or marti@ovlc.org.

Comments Due February 26, 2017: Ojai Basin Analysis of Basin Conditions                 

The Ojai Basin Groundwater Management Agency alternative to a Groundwater Sustainability Plan in now available for review and comment on the State Department of Water Resources website http://sgma.water.ca.gov/

Comments must be submitted to the state online using the SGMA Portal within 60 days of the date the alternative was submitted.

February 8 HLWA Meeting and Free Services Available

The Ventura County Resource Conservation District (VCRCD) has been awarded grant funds to assist horse and intensive livestock facility owners/operators in meeting water quality regulations approaching the Ventura River Watershed in 2018.
Horse and Livestock owners/operators are invited to take advantage of VCRCD’s FREE services: property visits, site-specific nutrient management plan development, and cost-share opportunities for Best Management Practices (BMP) installation. Please contact Lexi Everhart at: (805) 764-5135 or lexieverhart.vcrcd@gmail.com for more information.
The next Horse and Livestock Watershed Alliance (HLWA) meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, February 8, 2017 in Kent Hall at the Help of Ojai, 111 W Santa Ana St, Ojai, CA, 93023 from 5:30-7:30pm. The agenda will cover local water quality issues, anticipated regulations, BMP education, and VCRCD’s services.

Fisheries Funding (FRGP) Proposals Due March 16, 2017

The Fisheries Habitat Restoration 2017 Proposal Solicitation Notice (PSN) will be available online via California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Fisheries Restoration Grants Program Solicitation page, starting February 2, 2017. Proposals will be accepted February 2 – March 16, 2017.

Information about 2017 PSN workshops will also be available from the  Fisheries Restoration Grant Program page. All applicants are encouraged to attend a workshop as there have been changes to the 2017 PSN. For specific proposal questions, contact information is located in Appendix C of the 2017 PSN.

For general questions contact Patty Forbes at patty.forbes@wildlife.ca.gov.

 

Sincerely,
Zoë Carlson
Ventura River Watershed Coordinator
VenturaWatershed@gmail.com
805/308-8512
www.venturawatershed.org