Steelhead debate goes underground
By Jesse Phelps

Ojai's great steelhead debate will continue this Thursday as a new source of concern has surfaced. Where once worry over lake levels dominated conversation, the new topic is that water may be taken directly from the ground - and local growers aren't happy.

The board of the Ojai Basin Groundwater Management Agency will hold a public meeting on Thursday at 7 p.m. in the Ojai City Council Chambers to address the growing concerns with the proposed fish passage at Robles Diversion and its potential to affect groundwater levels for farmers.

"If you look at the valley and imagine that all the citrus trees were gone, the ambience would be changed, it would be gone," said local grower and OBGMA board member Jerry Conrow.

"The people of the city have a vested interest in what's happening in the East End because we do maintain air quality. Nobody wants to talk about how important these trees are in maintaining air quality. And we need cheap water to be able to maintain it. Times are hard enough for farmers."

Kindra Loomis, a project scientist with Entrix, Inc., of Walnut Creek - a firm hired by local agencies to oversee compliance with the Ventura River watershed Southern California Steelhead Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) - has accepted an invitation to address the board. OBGMA secretary Harry Bodell urged all well owners to attend and "find out what the Environmental Protection Act has in mind for your water."

At the last meeting of the groundwater management agency, Casitas Municipal Water District manager John Johnson appeared before the board to answer questions about the plan. Nothing was decided as a result of this visit.

"He was warmly received," said Bodell, "But concurrence by the Ojai Basin GMA board on approving the latest changes to the scope of work of the steelhead HCP could not be reached."

Much recent debate stems from mixed feelings about San Antonio Creek, which provides the main drainage for the Ojai Groundwater Basin and is one of the primary tributaries for of the Ventura River watershed system. Because the creek enters the river below Robles, it provides habitat for the steelhead already in the river. One fish was spotted near the Soule Park golf course as recently as two months ago.

"It was only clear in the last couple of months that this Entrix thing was moving up into the San Antonio creek area," said Conrow. "The only representatives for the city and east end are Southern California Water and OBGMA. When you step back and look at it, all the decisions are being made by people outside of Ojai. It's all the city of Ventura, the County of Ventura, Casitas and others. So, my concern is that the agricultural piece of the Ojai Valley is critical on water - and the agricultural group maintains the ambience of the entire valley."

Efforts to provide assistance to recover Southern California Steelhead and the development and implementation of a scientific research program to comply with federal and state Endangered Species Act regulations have put local water management agencies in a position of concern that an adequate supply of water from the Ventura River may not be preserved for human use and agricultural consumption.

San Antonio Creek and all of its tributaries may be subject to many of the above concerns and Bodell said the meeting's discussion should provide a "heads-up on future requirements and activities in our basin.

You'll note that the Ojai Basin GMA is the only organization providing input regarding Ojai streams and the welfare of agricultural water in the Ojai Basin."

"The trout habitat restoration would appear from the outside to be a narrow issue," said Ojai City Council member and OBGMA board member Rae Hanstad. "But the plan affects the balance of our water supply.

That's a major concern to everyone. It may a one time shot for the fish but the reality is the agency wants to be sure, since we're the only voice for Ojai, that Ojai's needs are being represented. And this is an important opportunity for the pubic to be informed and to share their concerns about water.

© 2003 The Ojai Valley News

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