Showing posts with label Matilija Dam. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Matilija Dam. Show all posts

Thursday, January 25, 2024

Watching the dams come out: Klamath River

Last year the removal of four dams on the Klamath River began.  This week the fourth dam, Copco No. 1, was breached setting the stage for the physical removal of all four dams this spring and summer.

Video of the drawdown demonstrates what is becoming one of the the standard dam removal methods, blasting a hole in the lower part of the dam to drain the reservoir and release the sediments trapped upstream.




In the news:



Monday, January 22, 2024

More Watershed Education

 Since 2021 the Merito Foundation has organized the Ventura River Action Network for 6th through 12th graders.  

https://www.meritofoundation.org/venturariveractionnetwork

 

The V-RAN program includes Professional Development (PD) outdoors in the field, PD webinars, Science Curricula, and stipends to science teachers of VUSD enrolled in the program. The teachers' students (~600-700 per school year) are participating in in-class science activities, virtual and in the field youth community science experiences at Ventura River Watershed, and project-based learning through the EECCOA Challenge (a green STEM competition) with cash and in-kind prizes for students, and funds to implement the most cost-effective proposal to reduce the carbon footprint of the school campus authored by the students. 

The program includes field trips to monitor the river and visit Matilija Dam.  Visit the Story Map to learn more:



https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/4d93e82e5977448996aa64ba1e3d18a2

 

Monday, December 18, 2023

Watershed Council Visits Dam

On December 14, 2023, the Ventura River Watershed Council featured the Matilija Dam Ecosystem Restoration Project (MDERP).  This is the biggest project currently underway in the watershed and regular updates have been provided in this public forum over the years.  The meeting included a short presentation and discussion in the Oak View Community Center followed by a guided tour of the dam and surrounds.  The presentation and past meetings can be found here: https://venturawatershed.org/past-meetings

Ventura County has initiated the CEQA environmental review process for the updated plan for dam removal.  Scoping comments are accepted until December 20 at the link above. This meeting gave people an opportunity to see the dam up close and ask questions about planning for the removal of this obsolete structure on the Ventura River.  


Project engineer Kirk Norman presents an overview of the project 

Ventura County biologist and CEQA lead Pam Lindsey discusses Matilija Dam

Ventura County biologist and CEQA lead Pam Lindsey discusses Matilija Dam

Matilija Coalition coordinator Paul Jenkin at Matilija Dam
















Friday, December 8, 2023

Watershed Education

 

OjaiValleyNews.com

For more than a decade, Once Upon a Watershed has provided environmental education to local schools.  The program introduces our watershed to hundreds of students every year both in the classroom and field trips along the river.  This originated from "Once upon a Wetland"  engaging students in hands-on restoration at the Ojai Meadows Preserve and featured in Watershed Revolution.  This locally produced film was aired nationwide on PBS. 

The current program is housed under The CREW, which has secured a permit from County government to take groups of students and others up to the obsolete Matilija Dam.

The tours also help demonstrate why the dam, located on 400 acres owned by the County of Ventura, needs to come down. “The single most important thing for the health of the Ventura River watershed is to remove Matilija Dam,” White said.

Despite the Ventura County Board of Supervisors approving the removal of the dam in 1998, said White, “the fact that we’re still here 25 years later looking at this big slab of concrete is somewhat frustrating.”

Not only does the dam block sediment from moving downstream and replenishing the beaches, it blocks passage of endangered southern steelhead, White told students.

What’s more, sediment backfilling the dam has tailed back so far that, in places, it’s actually made the creek higher than the access road into the canyon. “So whenever there is a flood the road gets taken out,” White said, “and that’s problematic for the people who are living in Matilija Canyon, because it’s one road in and out.” During January’s heavy downpours, residents had to be flown in and out of the canyon by helicopter.

Nearly all the public schools Once Upon a Watershed works with are Title 1 schools, “which indicates they’re in a disadvantaged or low income community,” said White, who takes fourth-, fifth- and six-graders to different places in the watershed. “We’re based in Ojai and so we run programs primarily in the Ventura River watershed.”

Once Upon a Watershed is funded by grants and operates on an annual budget of approximately $100,000, White said. OVS has been highly supportive of the program, he added.

“It’s such an important thing for young people to understand where our water comes from,” said sixth-grade teacher Ryan Lang, who grew up in Matilija Canyon and still resides there.


Once Upon a Watershed website features an interactive image map


Link to: 

Once Upon a Watershed mural

Watershed Revolution film 

Oak Grove School - Sixth Grade Trip to the Dam


On this Blog:

Watershed Revolution

Once Upon a Watershed

The Story of Our River

Salmon Run 2016

Ojai Meadows Preserve

Matilija Dam Student video - Merito Foundation program




In the News:

Lessons at the Dam, by Perry Van Houten, Ojai Valley News,  Nov 9, 2023 Updated Nov 13, 2023   

Monday, October 30, 2023

Matilija Dam Geology

A 2007 presentation for the annual meeting of the Association of Environmental and Engineering Geologists provides an overview of the geologic setting of Matilija Dam.  The presentation illustrates the presence of geologic faults and foundation problems with the dam.





The presentation also includes a description of the alkali aggregate reaction that compromised the strength of the concrete and led to the 1965 "notching" to lower the dam crest.


The complete talk may be downloaded here:

THE CASE FOR REMOVING MATILIJA DAM, J. David Rogers, Ph.D., P.E., P.G. University of Missouri-Rolla and G. Mattias Kondolf, Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley, Annual Meeting Association of Environmental and Engineering Geologists, Los Angeles, California September 28, 2007 


On this blog:

Grand Jury on Dam Safety

Matilija Reservoir Drained

Thursday, October 26, 2023

Earthquakes in the Ojai Valley

 



according to the Ojai Valley News;

A 5.1-magnitude earthquake struck 7 kilometers southeast of Ojai  in the Upper Ojai area near Sulphur Mountain Road at 2:41 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 20, in a huge jolt that shook houses, knocked pictures off walls and sent unsecured household items flying in the Upper Ojai area.

The largest 5.1-magnitude jolt was followed by multiple aftershocks, ranging from 3.7-magnitude to 2.5-magnitude.

At 4:52 p.m. Aug. 20, the Ventura County Sheriff's Office of Emergency Services reported online that the 5.1-magnitude quake occurred on the Sisar fault line southeast of Ojai.

Westridge Market Midtown was closed for about two hours as workers mopped up after bottles broke and spilled all over the floor.

The Sheriff's Office also reported:

— "Casitas and Matilija Dam have been visually inspected by the VC Aviation Unit, with no issues to report. Ongoing inspections by the respective dam operators are underway and will take some time to complete."


earthquake.usgs.gov

Aftershocks from the August 20 quake continued through August 24.  Another cluster occurred north of Ojai along Sespe Creek on October 15 with the initial shock measured at magnitude 3.7.

Another article published on March 4, 2022 provides more information:

The Feb. 28 and March 1 quakes followed a series of temblors that shook the Upper Ojai area Feb. 26, including a 4.0-magnitude jolt and 21 other small quakes that occurred in the same area Feb. 10 to 16. “Part of the reason that we see so many events now is we have a much better network of sensors out there,”

According to Cochran, there’s nothing to suggest the quakes are related to oil and gas activity in the area. “We would tend to see those be a lot shallower,” she said. USGS recorded the depths of the larger quakes at approximately 15 kilometers, or just over 9 miles. “Those are actually quite deep. They’re the deepest events we typically see in Southern California, in this region,”

The quakes are occurring along the Arroyo Parida Fault, an extension of the Mission Ridge Fault system, said Ed Keller, professor of geology at UC Santa Barbara. It’s uplift along this fault that divided the Ojai Valley into two sections. “The upper and lower Ojai valleys, probably 40,000 years ago, were one valley, and they’ve been separated by the Arroyo Parida Fault, which runs all the way to Santa Barbara,” he said. In the 1980s, Keller did extensive research on the geologic structure of the Ojai Valley. “The Ojai Valley is one of the most seismically active places in California,” he said, due to a high rate of uplift. “The rate of uplift in the mountains is greater here than almost anyplace else I know.” Keller said quakes in the 1.0 to 2.0 range happen fairly frequently, but when they occur in swarms it’s time to be wary. 

Edward Keller Ojai Valley faults map


References:

5.1-magnitude earthquake, followed by more, hit Ojai area at 2:41 p.m. Ojai Valley News, Aug 20, 2023 Updated Aug 22, 2023  

Quakes rattle Ojai Valley, Ojai Valley News  Mar 4, 2022




Friday, October 20, 2023

Elwha, Dam Removal Success Story

A decade after the removal of two high dams on the Elwha River, scientists are documenting the recovery of an entire ecosystem.  The science bodes well for the recovery of the Ventura River ecosystem with the removal of Matilija Dam.

This PBS documentary tells the story: 

Undamming a river, rebuilding a forest | WILD HOPE

"Ten years after the largest dam removal in history—on the Elwha River, in Washington State—scientists are chronicling an inspiring story of ecological rebirth. Recovering salmon populations are transferring critical nutrients from the ocean into the forests along the Elwha’s banks, enriching the entire ecosystem. The Elwha’s revival is encouraging advocates to push for the removal of many larger dams in the region, and in the rest of the world."






More on this blog:  Elwha



Friday, March 10, 2023

Santa Ana Bridge Replacement

On October 17, 2022 Ventura County Public Works Agency (VCPWA) hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the official opening of the new Santa Ana Boulevard Bridge.  This bridge is the first major infrastructure component of the Matilija Dam Ecosystem Restoration Project, and was deemed necessary due to existing deficiencies in the height and length of the bridge.  The new bridge is 50 percent longer than the old bridge, an increase that will partially restore the Ventura River’s natural channel capacity. 

The bridge was replaced to widen the river and eliminate the "bottleneck" at this location to better pass flood flows.  Widening the river at this location will improve natural sediment transport and migration habitat for the federally-endangered southern California steelhead and other species. 

The first test soon came with the flood of January 9, 2023.  Flood waters passed freely beneath the new bridge, while the old bridge may have backed up flows and potentially sustained damage.  

Santa Ana Bridge - the recently replaced bridge during the flood of Jan 9 2023
photo: Rich Reid


Santa Ana Bridge - the recently replaced bridge during the flood of Jan 9 2023
Photo: Ventura County


Diagram illustrates how the replacement Santa Ana Bridge widens the Ventura River

Overhead view of the new Santa Ana Bridge, Jan 2023



Aerial view looking upstream at Santa Ana Bridge during construction 10-9-21


The bridge replacement was planned to minimize disruption to local traffic by constructing the new bridge upstream before switching traffic and demolishing the old bridge.  Funding was provided through a grant from the CA Dept of Fish and Wildlife, and construction was completed on schedule before this historic wet winter.


The new Santa Ana Bridge following the flood of Jan 9, 2023





In the news:

Santa Ana Bridge expansion will help with dam removal, Ojai Valley News June 14, 2019


New bridge is one more step toward goal of dam removal, Ojai Valley News Oct 13, 2022


Aerial photos courtesy Rich Reid rich@richreidphoto.com
 


Friday, February 24, 2023

More funding for Matilija Dam

On February 16, 2023, the state Wildlife Conservation Board approved a $4.3 million grant to the Ventura County Watershed Protection District for a planning project that will complete final design plans for Matilija Dam removal.  Since 2016, the Matilija Coalition has assisted the County with successful grants totaling over $36 million for the project. Although there is much work to be done, including construction of downstream bridges, levees, and water supply infrastructure, this grant creates a path to be prepared for dam removal by 2030.

Meanwhile, this year’s significant winter floods have moved large quantities of sediment down Matilija Creek, almost completely filling the obsolete reservoir with sand destined for the beach.


Sedimentation in Matilija reservoir 2-11-2023


More info:


In the news:


On this Blog:



Monday, June 20, 2022

Matilija Dam Student video


This spring, Buena High School students created a video on the removal of Matilija Dam.  These students are participants in the ECCOA Program of the MERITO Foundation.  

EECCOA empowers students to address climate change and ocean acidification by providing them the tools to research, design and innovate Energy Efficiency or other sustainability models their schools can adopt, or develop Ocean Acidification (OA) awareness campaigns that inform their communities.

To bring awareness of the Matilija Dam and its removal, Breanna and Ixzel interviewed Paul Jenkin from the Surfrider Foundation at the Matilija Dam to get insight into why the dam should be removed and its history.  Their video production won first place in the annual ECCOA Award program.


 

Friday, March 18, 2022

Dams Out 2022

 

https://caltrout.org/campaigns/matilija-dam

Our friends at CalTrout have released a campaign to highlight the Top 5 California Dams to be taken out, including Matilija Dam "Infamous for the scissors  painted  on the dam  by graffiti artists  in 2011 that have become an iconic symbol for dam removal"

"In the 2022 Top 5 Dams Out report, CalTrout has identified 5 dams that are ripe for removal. The selection of these dams was informed by the review of past scientific studies, understanding of their impact on salmon and steelhead, awareness of their regulatory context, and sustained engagement with the communities in which of the dams are located. By strategically pursuing opportunities for dam removal where economic, social, and environmental interests strongly align, CalTrout offers a model for restoring the health of the state’s rivers for the benefit of fish and people."

Visit the Dams Out StoryMap for more information. 


American Rivers is also rooting for dam removal nationwide, and includes Matilija Dam in their list of 25 Dams to Watch in 2022:



Both of these organizations are partners in the Matilija Coalitionan alliance of community groups, businesses, and individuals committed to the environmental restoration of the Ventura River watershed. Starting with the removal of Matilija Dam, we are working for the recovery of the bioregion to benefit the recovery of the Southern Steelhead trout and to restore the natural sediment supply to the beaches of Ventura.


Thursday, June 10, 2021

Watershed mural website

 

https://www.onceuponawatershed.org/matilija-watershed-mural

The "Enlivening The Matilija Watershed" Mural now has an interactive website that contains information on all the plants and animals featured in the artwork installed on the side of a Ojai Unified School District building in Ojai. 

The 30’x14’ mural depicts the Matilija Creek in it’s regenerated state after the Matilija Dam has been removed. The waters flow clear, the wildlife abundant, the flora and fauna vibrant and renewed. The beaver is featured prominently as it is a keystone species whose presence affects the entire whole of the ecosystem. The mural emphasizes the restored watershed which feeds a beaver pond where deer, bear, mountain lion, heron and others come to eat and drink. Oaks, sycamores and willow provide shade and a steady perch for the flyers to come and rest. The steelhead move unimpeded upstream to spawn where once they numbered into the thousands. This pristine and rejuvenated landscape will be framed by the cobbled remains of the Matilija Dam which once held back the waters and marred the mouth of the canyon. It’s removal signifying the steady return of the natural cycles of life.

Visit the website here: https://www.onceuponawatershed.org/matilija-watershed-mural

more:

Enlivening The Matilija Watershed" Mural


Santa Ana Bridge replacement groundbreaking

Aerial overview of the existing Santa Ana Bridge
 looking upstream on the Ventura River

A ceremonial groundbreaking event was held on Monday June 7 to kick off the Santa Ana Bridge Replacement Project.  Project sponsors Sam Jenniches (California Coastal Conservancy) and Mary Larson (Ca Dept of Fish and Wildlife) were present along with Supervisor Matt LeVere and representatives from the Ventura County Watershed Protection District and Transportation Department and their contractors.  This is the first major project component of the Matilija Dam Ecosystem Restoration Project.

Design work was sponsored by the California Coastal Conservancy and construction is funded through a $13.4M grant from Ca Dept of Fish and Wildlife.  The project will replace the existing 210-foot long Santa Ana Bridge with a 350-foot bridge to open up a constricted section of the river in Oak View.   Widening the channel by 80 feet will improve water and sediment flows, facilitate natural ecosystem processes through restoration of natural sediment transport and deposition, and reduce the need for channel maintenance in the vicinity of the bridge following large storm events. 






L to R: Chris Hooke, Ventura County Transportation Dept; Mary Larson, CDFW; County Supervisor Matt LeVere; Glenn Shephard, VCPWA-WP; Sam Jenniches, Coastal Conservancy; Paul Jenkin, Matilija Coalition  




more info:

Santa Ana Bridge replacement awarded $13.4M grant

in the news:



New Ventura River bridge could help endangered trout, agencies-move-step-closer-tearing-down-matilija-dam-near-ojai, VCStar, June 5, 2021

Start of Santa Ana Bridge replacement project brings Ventura County one step closer to removing Matilija Dam, KEYT, June 6, 2021 

Bridge means end is nearer for dam, Ojai Valley News, June 11, 2021

Monday, April 12, 2021

Matilija Dam Project Update - Spring 2021

The biannual update meetings for the Matilija Dam Ecosystem Restoration Project were held on April 1, 2021.   Meetings continue to be held remotely on Zoom. 

Ventura County Public Works Agency - Watershed Protection and its technical consultants provided a series of detailed updates on the Project’s technical and design planning efforts at 1:30 pm.  Then at 6:00 pm, representatives of the Watershed Protection, Matilija Coalition and other Matilija Project partners updated community members and stakeholders on the Project’s technical studies, design and implementation plans, funding efforts, CEQA analyses and other recent developments. 

The evening meeting was hosted by the Ventura River Watershed Council.  Meeting agendas, minutes, and presentations may be downloaded here: General Assembly April 2021 Meeting


The big news is the Santa Ana Blvd Bridge Replacement Project scheduled to begin this month (April 2021) with construction to be completed during this calendar year. The existing bridge will remain in place until its removal next year once the new bridge is ready to accept traffic after the wet season.  This is the first of the major downstream infrastructure upgrades necessary before the dam can be removed.

Several grants have recently been submitted to advance the final design of the project components.  There is a total of approximately $6.7m pending/in progress as of 3/30/21, with a recent positive outcome from the California Coastal Conservancy ($740k) for Camino Cielo Bridge Design, and FEMA ($61k) for dam removal engineering.  A $6.2m proposal to the NRCS for the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP)  requests assistance for improvements to the Robles Diversion Dam and levees.  A list of the current and pending grant requests are here.

As of March 30, 2021, a total of over $24M has been raised in grant awards since 2017.  



The question is always "when does the dam come out?"  

An aggressive schedule targets the dam being ready for the sediment flush by 2028, plus another 1-2 years for dam removal.  However, a period of up to 3 years is possible waiting for a wet winter with a storm event adequate to transport the fine sediment downstream to the ocean.  But of course there's a lot of uncertainty with the work to be done downstream first...




The new www.MatilijaDam.org website provides information on all aspects of the project.  Details on each of the project components, progress on funding, etc will be updated as more information becomes available.


 

In the news:

Progress continues toward Matilija Dam removal, Ojai Valley News,  Friday, 09 April 2021


Links:

www.MatilijaDam.org

General Assembly April 2021 Meeting, Ventura River Watershed Council

Progress continues toward Matilija Dam removal, Ojai Valley News



Wednesday, March 3, 2021

The Story of Our River

Our partners at Once Upon a Watershed have created an informative video telling the story of the Ventura River.  

Once Upon a Watershed provides hands-on local watershed education, restoration and stewardship experience for Kindergarten, 4th, 5th and 6th grade students in the Ventura River Watershed. 

The video shown here was created for their program for 6th grade students which focuses on the critically endangered indicator species, Southern Steelhead Trout, and the effects of the Matilija dam on beach erosion and spawning access.

...the presentation on beaches, sediment, and Matilija dam removal starts around 12:20



More info:

Once Upon a Watershed: Telling the Story of Our Watershed Through Exploration, Education, and Stewardship  https://www.onceuponawatershed.org 

https://www.onceuponawatershed.org/sixth-grade

Watching the Dams Come Down: Nooksack

Another dam has been removed in the Pacific Northwest.  We have been watching and learning as our partners on the Matilija Dam project demonstrate success on other rivers.

The Middle Fork Nooksack River Fish Passage project is one of several case studies that has been examined as a strategy for modifying the Robles Diversion Dam downstream of Matilija Dam.  Diversion dams can be particularly tricky as there is a need to not only pass the increased sediment expected with Matilija Dam removal, but also maintain water diversion and fish passage.  In the Nooksack case, this is accomplished by moving water diversion intakes upstream and completely removing the existing diversion dam. 

According to the City of Bellingham, the Nooksack River Fish Passage project will restore access to approximately 16 miles of pristine spawning and rearing habitat in the upper Middle Fork for three Endangered Species Act (ESA) listed Puget Sound fish species: spring Chinook salmon, Steelhead and Bull Trout. Project elements and related benefits include​ moving the point of diversion just upstream of the existing location to eliminate the need for the dam; dam removal and channel restoration to restore habitat connectivity; and installation of fully compliant fish screens for fish protection.






In the news:

Bang! Watch a Nooksack River dam finally coming down, freeing miles for fish habitat, Seattle Times, July 20, 2020


More information:

American Rivers: reimagining-a-river-the-middle-fork-nooksack

NOAA Fisheries: dam-removal-brings-hope-salmon-washingtons-middle-fork-nooksack-river

City of Bellingham: https://cob.org/services/environment/restoration/middlefork


On this blog: 

Watching the Dams Come Down- Elwha

Watching the dams come down - Elwha beaches

Watching the Dams Come Down - Condit

Savage Rapids Dam removed

Klamath Dam removal study supports sediment releases

San Clemente Dam removal

Tuesday, December 1, 2020

"Enlivening The Matilija Watershed" Mural

"Enlivening The Matilija Watershed" mural
photo by Rich Reid


Culminating more than a year of planning by Ojai resident Ray Powers, the "Enlivening The Matilija Watershed" mural was revealed in a community celebration on Nov 21, 2020.  The mural was painted on removable panels at the Ojai Unified School District located at 301 N. Montgomery Street in Ojai.

The 30’x14’ mural depicts the Matilija Creek in its regenerated state after the Matilija Dam has been removed. The waters flow clear, the wildlife abundant, the flora and fauna vibrant and renewed. The beaver is featured prominently as it is a keystone species whose presence affects the entire whole of the ecosystem. The mural features the restored watershed which feeds a beaver pond where deer, bear, raccoon, and others come to drink. Oaks, sycamores and willow provide shade and a steady perch for the flyers to come and rest. The steelhead move unimpeded upstream to spawn where once they numbered into the thousands. This pristine and rejuvenated landscape is framed by the cobbled remains of the Matilija Dam which once held back the waters and marred the mouth of the canyon. Its removal signifying the steady return of the natural cycles of life.



The underlying theme of the mural is our role in bringing back the balance of these natural cycles in our ecosystem. The inherent relationship we have as stewards of the land requires reciprocal altruism.  Our ecological behavior and tendencies need to shift to insure the survival of all the native species, which in turn will provide the resources we need to thrive. Environmental education, artistic expression and a vision for the future health of the Ojai Valley watershed are the cornerstone objectives for the “Enlivening the Matilija Watershed” mural. 


Twenty-five students, ages 8-18, participated in the painting with direction from the mural artist. The mural is experienced both as an inspiring piece of art as well as an educational outdoor classroom to teach about environmental sciences and our local watershed. There will be a website devoted to the mural as an “image map” where each graphic element will be clickable with resources to learn more. Signage at the mural site will allow people to access the online image to learn as they look. 


The ceremony began with the mural hidden by a painting of Matilija Dam, which was moved away to reveal the wall-sized mural.  Watch the entire event that included talks by Ray Powers (Artistic Director, Project Manager), Dr. Tiffany Morse (Superintendent, Ojai Unified School District), Marcy Toscher (Chairperson, Ojai City Arts Commission) and Paul Jenkin (Founder, Matilija Coalition / Campaign Coordinator, Ventura Surfrider Foundation).  The reveal begins at 21:22.


Short version with Paul Jenkin and the mural reveal:

Below is a fascinating time-lapse video of the painting process:

This community art project is a partnership between four local artists, Ray Powers (artistic director, project manager, Co-Vice President Ojai Valley Green Coalition), Lisa Kelly (mural artist), Ray Cirino (permaculturist, cob builder, art fabricator) and the Ojai Unified School District (OUSD).  The project is made possible by grants from the City of Ojai Arts Commission and the Resource Legacy Fund. Thank you to the Ojai Unified School District for their in-kind donations and partnership, and the Ojai Valley News for their coverage of the mural creation and reveal celebration.


In the news:
Mural captures vision of restored Matilija watershed, Ojai Valley News, Friday, 06 November 2020
Watershed mural set for big reveal Saturday, Ojai Valley News, Friday, 20 November 2020
Mural reveal wows crowd, Ojai Valley News, Wednesday, 25 November 2020







Friday, October 30, 2020

Matilija Dam Environmental Review

The Ventura County Watershed Protection District (VCPWA – WP) has initiated environmental review on portions of the  the Matilija Dam Ecosystem Restoration Project (MDERP.)   The updated plan to remove Matilija Dam incorporates new information garnered from recent dam removal projects as well as details regarding proposed modifications to downstream infrastructure. Although environmental review was completed in 2004 as part of the Corps of Engineers planning effort, the VCPWA – WP has determined that preparation of a Subsequent Environmental Impact Report (SEIR) is warranted to evaluate the revised Project. The resulting SEIR analysis will be published next year.

The environmental review will analyze the impacts from the proposed dam removal and the reconstruction of downstream levees and bridges.  Downstream components include the Camino Cielo Bridge, Live Oak Acres Levee, and Casitas Springs Levee.  

Other major downstream components of the project have not yet been adequately designed for this environmental review, and will require future analysis.  These include modifications to the Robles Diversion Dam, 3 miles downstream of Matilija Dam, and proposed flood protection for the Meiners Oaks neighborhood downstream of Robles.





More information on the environmental review process and the project may be found here: https://www.vcpublicworks.org/wp/mderp/

The Matilija Coalition submitted the following comments during the scoping period:

Removal of the Matilija Dam is necessary to reconnect the upper watershed for recovery of the federally endangered steelhead and other species of concern. Dam removal will also renew the flow of nutrients from the ocean and sediment to downstream reaches. In addition to these benefits, the dam currently impacts water quality and quantity and needs to be removed in a timely manner. The growing cost of the project is a barrier to implementation, so cost effective alternatives need to be considered.

Although an EIR is generally intended to address potential negative impacts of a project, the positive outcomes of dam removal should also be analyzed. For instance, it is currently assumed that sediment will have a negative impact to water supply downstream of the current dam site. However, the changes in the watershed following the Thomas Fire demonstrate that increased sediment transport can have a positive effect on water supply. After short term effects on shallow aquifer recharge during the first year after the fire, both surface flows and groundwater levels have responded favorably to the ecosystem changes in the mainstem Ventura river.

The following is an outline of issues and concerns that should be addressed in the SEIR:

1. Baseline conditions

a. Conditions in the watershed have changed significantly since the 2004 EIR, primarily due to the Thomas Fire which burned 95% of the upper watershed and resulted in significant sediment yield and transport downstream.

b. Matilija Reservoir capacity has been reduced to less than 100 Acre Feet, eliminating any meaningful remaining water supply benefit.

c. Total sediment accumulation behind the dam has increased, and the remaining reservoir storage will likely fill with sediment in the next large storm event.

d. The 50-year contractual agreement with Casitas Municipal Water District for operation of the dam ended in 2009.

e. Dam safety concerns have increased. Due to ongoing ASR concrete degradation the dam is categorized high hazard and could fail in an earthquake.

f. Required drawdown has eliminated remaining reservoir storage.

g. Alterations to dam operations since the reservoir was drained in July 2020 significantly impact downstream water quality.

h. The newly exposed fine sediment deposits upstream of the dam show signs of becoming a reservoir for invasive plants, particularly tamarisk.

i. Endangered steelhead populations were severely impacted by fire, and recovery in this watershed is significantly impaired by the presence of Matilija Dam.

j. Steelhead passage at Robles has improved with implementation of a fish ladder.

k. Habitat has improved as a result of invasive species control, including Arundo.

l. Habitat has improved in the mainstem Ventura River with increased sand and gravel deposits originating from effects of the Thomas Fire on the North Fork Matilija Creek.


2. Future without project

a. Sediment accumulation upstream of the dam has accelerated and coarse sediment transport over the dam crest will occur soon.

b. Water quality is impaired by the dam.

c. Endangered steelhead are threatened with extinction in this watershed.

d. Presence of the dam impairs water supply (see 3c below)

e. Existing development in the 100 yr floodplain requires improved flood protection with or without dam removal.


3. Future with project

a. Impacts of sediment discharge should be updated with new information. Since the initial EIR/EIS was developed several large dams have been removed yielding significant information on what may be expected downstream following a natural transport alternative. In every case, the predicted negative impacts did not come to pass, and the benefits far exceeded expectations.

b. Sediment transport and flood analyses should consider realistic scenarios for the assessment of downstream infrastructure.

c. The benefits of renewed sediment transport should be further investigated. Prior analyses focused on fairly abstract assessments of steelhead, riparian habitat, and natural processes. Recent post-fire observations of sedimentation in the Ventura river indicate that there are also tangible water supply benefits including enhanced surface flows and groundwater storage resulting from a restored riparian ecosystem.


4. Alternatives analysis

a. Each project component should include a “no project” alternative as baseline.

b. Mitigation for impacts of levees on riverine ecosystems should be developed in the EIR, including, but not limited to, vegetation, setback alternatives, and other means to minimize the negative effects. Lower cost green/grey and nonstructural alternatives (e.g., reinsurance policies, maintenance funds, etc) should be considered.

c. The cost of the Camino Cielo Bridge includes raising the existing road out of the 100-year floodplain. Cost savings may be had by allowing some level of flood risk during the initial sediment pulse since the few residents that use the road are accustomed to seasonal interruptions to access with the existing culvert crossing.

We hope these comments are helpful in developing the environmental analysis necessary for the removal of Matilija Dam.


Tuesday, September 1, 2020

Economic Benefits of Dam Removal

An report published by the Bay Area Council Economic Institute outlines the economic benefits of the Matilija Dam Ecosystem Restoration Project.

from the website

... A valued forum for stakeholder engagement and a respected source of information and fact-based analysis, the Institute is a trusted partner and advisor to both business leaders and government officials. Through its economic and policy research and its many partnerships, the Institute addresses major factors impacting the competitiveness, economic development and quality of life of the region and the state, including infrastructure, globalization, science and technology, and health policy. 



An example of their analysis is summarized in the table below.  Note the multiple project components of the watershed-scale effort to remove Matilija Dam and restore the Ventura River ecosystem.


The full report may be downloaded here:  http://www.bayareaeconomy.org/report/job-stimulus-matilija-dam-removal/


Thursday, July 9, 2020

Matilija Reservoir Drained


Matilija reservoir was drained over the 4th of July weekend.    According to county staff, this was done in response to safety concerns, as identified by the state Division of Safety of Dams (DSOD) as well as the liability resulting from recreational use of the dam site. The 12" valve controlling the dam outlet was opened on the morning of Wednesday, July 1, releasing flows of approximately 30 cubic feet per second downstream.  The valve will remain open maintaining the reservoir in a drained state until the winter rains.   

Images of the drained reservoir reveal the degree of additional sedimentation since the Thomas Fire, which has reduced the storage capacity to less than 150 acre feet.  As illustrated in the photos below, the initial flush released relatively clear water, but downstream water quality degraded as flows began to cut a channel through the sediment.  The channel evolution is documented in the overview photos of the reservoir. 


Prior images on this blog:

In the news:
Matilija Reservoir Drained, Ojai Valley News, July 17, 2020 (see full article below)
How Oroville Is Changing Dam Safety in California, Public Policy Institute of California, March 28, 2018

Reference:





Matilija Reservoir, July 2, 2020

Matilija Reservoir, July 3, 2020

Matilija Reservoir, July 8, 2020


Matilija Reservoir, July 12, 2020


Matilija Reservoir, July 15, 2020


Matilija Reservoir, July 22, 2020

Matilija Reservoir, July 27, 2020

Matilija Reservoir, August 4, 2020

Matilija Reservoir, August 12, 2020


Matilija Reservoir, August 26, 2020

Matilija Reservoir, Sept 14, 2020

Matilija Reservoir, November 4, 2020

Matilija Reservoir, December 17, 2020


Matilija Dam and drained reservoir,
July 8, 2020

Matilija Dam and intake to the outlet pipe,
July 8, 2020

Matilija Dam intake to the outlet pipe,
July 8, 2020





Downstream of Matilija Dam,
July 17, 2020
(courtesy S. Zach Futujma)




Confluence of North Fork (foreground) and Matilija Creek 
July 8, 2020

Camino Cielo Bridge, July 2, 2020

Camino Cielo Bridge, July 6, 2020


Ventura River at Camino Cielo Bridge
7-2-2020


Ventura River at Camino Cielo Bridge
7-4-2020




Ventura River at Camino Cielo Bridge
7-6-2020



Ventura River at Camino Cielo Bridge
7-8-2020


Ventura River at Camino Cielo Bridge
7-12-2020



Ventura River at Camino Cielo Bridge
7-17-2020

Ventura River at Camino Cielo Bridge
7-22-2020

Ventura River at Camino Cielo Bridge
7-27-2020

Ventura River at Camino Cielo Bridge
8-4-2020

Ventura River at Camino Cielo Bridge
8-12-2020
Ventura River at Camino Cielo Bridge
8-26-2020






Ventura River at Camino Cielo Bridge looking downstream 
7-8-2020

Ventura River at Camino Cielo Bridge looking downstream 
9-14-2020


Ventura River at Camino Cielo Bridge looking upstream 
11-4-2020




Ventura River at Oso trailhead crossing,
July 8, 2020



The long term effects of drawing down Matilija Reservoir are evident in the series of photos taken at Camino Cielo.  The slow downcutting and meandering of the stream channel through the sediment in the remnant reservoir mobilizes fine sediments and transports them downstream.  During the summer months flows are low and decreasing until the next rains come in November or December.    These "suspended sediments" are deposited on the streambed, with significant implications for the ecosystem.  Fish spawning and rearing habitat and the benthic organisms that form the foundation of the food chain are impacted by fine sediment.  This is why the dam removal planning analysis has been focused on timing sediment release with a large storm event so that the fine sediments will be transported to the ocean during high flows. 

The video below illustrates how the gravels deposited during winter rains became completely smothered in fine silt and clay in the reach immediately downstream of Camino Cielo bridge.  This was September 5, 2020, a full two months after drawdown; 




Another issue that soon emerged was the establishment of the invasive Tamarisk plant on the newly exposed fine sediment.  The plants grew rapidly over the summer months and flowered, setting the stage for millions of new seeds to be dispersed throughout the reservoir and potentially affecting the river downstream.  The MDERP Environmental Working Group met to discuss this concern on December 17, 2020.




In the news:
Matilija Reservoir Drained, Ojai Valley News, July 17, 2020