Council hears update on Watershed Coalition for Ventura County
September 30, 2015
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
All things water from drought and quagga mussels to water quality was addressed at the September 8 City Council meeting when representatives of the Watershed Coalition updated the panel for Ventura County (WCVC) on the Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (IRWMP).
Lynn Rodriguez and Zoë Carlson of WCVC presented the 2014 IRWMP to the council, which the council was being asked to approve later.
The local coalition said Rodriguez was founded in 2006 and has held more than 100 meetings as “the umbrella” to other groups connected to the watershed and garners funding from a state bond.
The program started in 2002 to deal with “complicated and interrelated issues” that offers grants for a variety of projects.
Rodriguez said the first step was defining what areas the coalition served and “We have many stakeholders, cities, public agencies, water agencies, water districts large and small, the farm bureau, land-use planers and lots of environmental and nonprofit groups…it’s very inclusive.”
Proposition 84 is the latest water bond approved by voters and the coalition has received two grants from the funds to pursue its goals and objectives concerning water supply and quality, protecting property from flooding, preparing for and adapting to climate change.
The latter said Rodriguez, “is a very important part,” of planning for the future.
Interested parties all realize “We can’t get the funds if we don’t have a plan” to match state funding.
The process Rodriguez noted can be “very complex” but the coalition has garnered $70 million for 32 projects.
“It’s not small change and we’ve been very successful to have gotten all the funding we’ve asked for,” a success rate Rodriguez said she anticipates will continue into the future.
Reducing dependency on imported water and water quality remain high priorities.
Carlson told the council that the watersheds have various challenges — some critical — and can range from invasive species removal to habitat restoration and trails.
The lower Santa Clara River watershed, she noted, has been the focus of several projects.
Councilwoman Ginger Gherardi noted that the invasion of quagga mussels in Lake Piru is “A big problem and one that has the potential of coming down the river…what are you doing about that if anything?”
The subject said Carlson is discussed regularly and United Water Conservation District, which owns Lake Piru, offers regular updates at coalition meetings.
“One of the biggest challenges is funding,” as the quagga mussel problem is an existing one and grants can only be given for preventative measures, “not cleanup and abatement…that’s a big challenge moving forward.”
After more discussion on water related issues, including the turf removal plan adopted by the City of Ventura, Vice Mayor Martin Hernandez thanked the citizens of Santa Paula for their successful water conservation efforts.
Later in the meeting the full council approved the 2014 update of the IRWMP, which initially was adopted in 2006.
For more information on the coalition visit www.watershedcoalition.org
The website also includes a variety of links to other sites dealing with assorted water issues.
