WHERE: The Ventura River bioregion

WHAT: Community-based restoration and watershed-based management

STATE: The watershed is stressed from historic alteration and increasing urban pressures. Major issues include conflicts over water supply, precipitous declines in anadromous fish, flood damages, loss of habitat, beach erosion, and degraded water quality. Achieving comprehensive solutions to restoration has been impeded by a fragmented management structure.

STRATEGY: to develop, promote, and implement “on the ground” restoration projects to demonstrate the viability of ecosystem-based management (EBM).

GOALS:

Surfers’ Point Managed Shoreline Retreat:
Restore coastal ecosystem function by relocating damaged infrastructure and reestablishing the natural “erosion buffer zone,” dune and intertidal habitat.

Matilija Dam Ecosystem Restoration Project:
Restore ecosystem connectivity to benefit anadromous fish and coastal sediment supplies while enhancing water quality and reliability.

Urban Watershed:
Promote a plan for urban storm water management in a small coastal watershed and identify potential pilot project opportunities including parks, streetscapes, storm drain retrofits, and coastal wetlands restoration.

Watershed Restoration:
Restore and enhance ecosystem function to support water supply, water quality, habitat and recreation; and influence local policy and planning

Promote a shared vision through education and outreach; coordination and advocacy; and engaging the community and decision makers in EBM processes for the Ventura River watershed.

Support conceptual planning through research, integration, conceptual design, visualization, technical review, and stakeholder perspective.

Conduct monitoring through scientific, observational and policy scrutiny; policy review; agency communication/compliance; publicity; and legal action as needed.