Ventura County Watershed Protection District

Ventura County Watershed Protection District 

The Ventura County Watershed Protection District (VCWPD) obtained an emergency permit from the United States Army Corps of Engineers to re-stabilize the banks of Santa Paula Creek where spur dikes were washed out after the 2022-2023 winter storms. Special-status species of concern include southern California steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss mykiss DPS 10), southwestern pond turtle (Actinemys pallida), and foothill yellow-legged frog (Rana Boylii). This project requires water diversions in three separate areas of the Santa Paula Creek to allow equipment to enter the channel for bank stabilization and re-routing of the channel. For each water diversion, Pax is responsible for following the permits special conditions which includes installation of block nets followed by relocation of any special-status species and native aquatic organisms during dewatering. Pax is also conducting a steelhead habitat evaluation to provide the VCWPD with in-stream measures to facilitate steelhead rearing or migration in the new channels that are created. Construction monitoring is required throughout the duration of the project to ensure project special conditions are adhered to.