Ojai and Dry - A Special Report
by Lenny Roberts

Drought leaves lasting effects

Lush, green hillsides normally dotted with wildflowers this time of year have mostly turned brown, and most barrancas and creeks that should be flowing into the still-dry Ventura River are parched.
Despite cold days with overcast skies, Southern California is in a rainless weather cycle normally associated with the hot summer months. What this means to the community and its environment will be examined in this special report.
With just 9.84 inches, Matilija Dam, typically the county's leader in measurable rainfall, is barely at 40 percent of normal for the year that began Oct. 1. Only Thousand Oaks, with a scant 5.02 inches of rain through March 24, the last time measurable rain fell, ranks lower than Ojai's total of 7.12 inches. At 7.8 inches, Oak View and Upper Ojai also rank near the bottom of the list of reporting stations.
What a difference a year makes. In a 48-hour period ending March 8, 2001, the Casitas Recreational Area received a county-high 11.16 inches, bringing the total for the year to 155.6 percent of normal.
Being a coastal valley, Ojai typically receives 20 or more inches of rain each year. Flood disasters in 1969, 1978, 1980, 1983, 1992, 1995 and 1998 have demonstrated that Ojai is also extremely vulnerable to flooding. With more than 30 inches recorded at Matilija Dam last year, it was considered to be a wet year, although there was minimal flooding reported. This contrasts sharply with the winter of 1998, when Matilija reported a whopping 54.14 inches of rain.
All six valley reporting stations had averaged 241 percent of normal by March 27 of that year, and massive flooding nearly wiped out homes in the Siete Robles tract east of town.
By far the most notorious storm - still discussed among longtime Ojai residents - was the big flood of 1969, when flooding cost at least one life, destroyed many homes, and washed away two holes at Soule Park Golf Course. The two heavy storms dropped up to 30 inches of precipitation over a period of four days.
As recently as two years ago, a relatively dry winter ended with five straight days of precipitation on March 8, including a rare dusting of snow, that brought the season's total to near normal.
Any chance at a drier-than-normal year was shattered 40 days and 40 nights later when a cold, winter-like, violent late-season storm dumped more than 3.5 inches of rain April 19 and 20.
With no chance of another March miracle - and a shot at April showers lessening by the day - this may be a warning that the fire danger may be extremely high during the long, hot summer that's on the horizon.

Dry conditions fuel fire fears

Water use up for big customers

Water rationing unlikely
© 2002 The Ojai Valley News

Back to the news