E n v i r o n m e n t a l   P r o j e c t s

Local Issues            - Updated April 2008

Water Quality Monitoring Program

Calleguas Creek Watershed Monitoring:  
The Ventura Coastkeeper received a grant from the U.S. EPA to perform a watershed monitoring program and train a citizen volunteer team to collect samples at key monitoring sites along the Calleguas Creek and Revolon Slough. Funding was also received from private foundations for testing of agricultural runoff at key sites in farming areas. In January 2006, the project was implemented with a finalized contract with the EPA. Click here for a current Project update.

The goal of the program is to measure the effectiveness of Best Management Practices (BMPs), created to manage the flow of nutrients, pesticides and sediment runoff throughout the watershed.  Monitoring is implemented by teams of community volunteers at eight sites along Calleguas Creek,  Revolon Slough, and other tributaries.  The project provides an assessment of the impact of pollutants flowing from Calleguas Creek into Mugu Lagoon, an Area of Special Biological Significance (ASBS), and one of the few remaining wetlands in Southern California, providing habitat to several endangered species. Mugu Lagoon is also the site of a number of registered Chumash Native American archeological sites. The U.S. Navy restricts access to Mugu Lagoon, thus, citizen monitoring programs are not in place there.

Leigh Ann Grabowsky (right) and Paul  
Westefer implemented the ongoing program tasks. 

Santa Clara River Surveys   Wishtoyo / Ventura Coastkeeper received a grant from the Santa Clara River Trustee Council (Calif. Dept. of Fish and Game and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service) to conduct amphibian and benthic macroinvertebrate surveys along the Santa Clara River.  Amphibians and benthic macroinvertibrates serve as vital signs in measuring the health of an ecosystem and its resident habitat.

Ormond Beach Wetlands:  
VCK completed Phase I and II of the Ormond Beach Wetlands Cleanup project, funded by the California Coastal Conservancy's Wetlands Recovery Project Small Grants Program.  
Ormond Beach Wetlands is one of Southern California's last remaining wetlands, and the site was targeted for possible industrial use. Occidental Petroleum's attempted purchase of the wetlands, and proposed Liquefied Natural Gas plant, stirred a large protest by citizens and local business, as well as the Oxnard Mayor and City council. A media event was held at Ormond Beach in 2002, to bring this plan to the attention of the public. The Coastal Conservancy later purchased the wetlands - preserving the site for future enjoyment by everyone.

VCK's Successful lawsuit:  Industrial Polluter Halted by Ventura Coastkeeper's Efforts
Puretec Industrial Water Treatment Plant finally closed its doors and left the city of Ventura in a significant action for the improvement of water quality at Ventura’s beaches. 

The company used plastic resin beads in the process, to capture and remove metal ions from water.  The effluent containing metal pollutants and resin beads was discharged directly into the storm drain system which ultimately ended up at Ventura beach. 

In 2002, samples were collected and tested by Ventura Coastkeeper, and we contacted the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board and soon filed a notice of intent to sue Puretec for violations of the Federal Clean Water Act. The California firm, Lawyers for Clean Water, was hired to handle the lawsuit. A settlement was reached with Puretec, before going to court.  Since that time, the illegal discharges were discontinued and the company has relocated to Oxnard.

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