Groundwater meeting seeks equilibrium
By Jesse Phelps

The fish vs. farmer debate continued Thursday night at the Ojai City Council chambers as the Ojai Basin Groundwater Management Agency convened for its regular meeting with a special speaker on the docket.

Kindra Loomis of Entrix, Inc., a biological consulting firm working in the Ventura River watershed, spoke to the board and a chamber room full of concerned farmers, fishermen and activists in a bid to gain approval for a change in the scope of work associated with the Ventura River Watershed Habitat Conservation Plan.

Loomis gave a comprehensive explanation of the history of the plan, which is in development by Entrix, and heard concerns from the gathered throng. The Ojai Basin Groundwater Management Agency is one of a number of groups in a coalition of agencies involved in the formation and approval of the plan and is the lone holdout in approving the latest changes, which would allow Entrix to move forward to the next step in the process and stay on track for what Loomis estimates is a year-long time frame for the plan's completion.

Loomis explained that the agencies formed the coalition in 1996, when the National Marine Fisheries Service began looking into ways to protect Southern California steelhead and other endangered species in the watershed. Once the steelhead were officially listed as endangered, all agencies operating in the watershed with the potential to impact the fish became subject to new permitting processes.

Entrix came into the proceedings in 1998. Its job is to construct the HCP, a comprehensive plan coordinated with input from all participating agencies, that would meet specifications laid down by NMFS and the Department of Fish and Game, and allow the agencies to obtain the permits they need to continue to operate in the watershed.

The current phase is the finalization of the plan, which requires changing the scope of work and providing impact analysis and "process upgrade suggestions." But Loomis could not assuage concerned board members when they brought their suggestions to the table.

Board member Jerry Conrow expressed displeasure that private landowners, particularly those in the East End of Ojai, were left out of the loop. "It bothers me that there's no representation for this part of the valley," he said. " I don't know why all the property owners who live along these streams don't have some kind of a permitting process."

Loomis promised that her group would do its best to see all sides have input. "We're going to work hard with the agencies to make sure all needs are met," she said. "It's going to be a challenge to find that balance and that's our goal."

Conrow, still undeterred, referred the plan as "an illusion" because it fails, in his estimation, to take into account the whole system. "We get essentially no benefit, no guidance, no assistance, from the agencies," he said.

Farmers from around the valley echoed his concerns and expressed resentment that their needs seemed to be subordinate to those of the fish. "Our concern in this whole process is, will the water cost more if we have to provide water to the fish?" said pixie tangerine farmer Pat Hartman, adding that farmers already practice conservation methods like drip watering at night. "If you don't water the trees, they die. I think agriculture adds a lot to this valley."

While few would argue that point, local fishermen and environmentalists once again showed up to dispute the notion that a conflict even exists between fish and farmer.
Local resident Gary Bulla pointed out that the fish will only require water during storm events and that will come from the river, not the ground. "It's amazing the amount of misinformation going around about the steelhead," he said.
"No one is going to be asked to pump well water into the river."

Russ Baggerly of the Environmental Coalition of Ventura County picked up where Bulla left off, asking Loomis, "Kindra, any mention of groundwater (to be released for fish)?"

"Not currently," replied Loomis.

Rather than the fish, Bulla placed the blame on Casitas Municipal Water District, which did not send a representative to the meeting, for failing to implement its own water conservation plan. "Of 14 measures they originally identified, I think they've implemented four of them," he said.

Jim Edmondson of California Trout brought a proposal with a list of measures his organization believes could ease the process greatly and offered to share the details with any interested parties at a later date.

Larry Hartman, husband of Pat, pointed out that each year many acre-feet of water destined for Lake Casitas spill over the dam and run to the ocean. "To me, letting water run over the dam for any purpose, whether it be recreation, fishing, etc., is ludicrous," he said.

Clearly, efficient use of a limited supply of water is the key to solving the multiple dilemmas raised at the meeting. Still, when each person has a stake somewhere in the watershed, no one wants to give up what he has.
Flyfisherman Larry Yuva urged everyone present to take a step back and participate in the spirit of cooperation. "If we all work together," he said, "We can work this situation out, but not with an 'us versus them' attitude."

Still, Conrow, at least, semed determined to stick to his guns. "The permitting is being done in a piecemeal process," he said. "Until County Flood Control includes property owners, I'm not in favor of rubber-stamping this report. I would move to table this."

City councilwoman and OBGMA president Rae Hanstad agreed that her constituents need adequate representation but expressed concern that her group was delaying the process. "I'm hesitant to hold these other agencies up," she said. "On the other hand, it's clear that if we put this to a vote tonight, it would not be a boon to the plan."

In the end, table the decision they did and thus the holdup continues. Loomis said she'll meet with the other cooperating agencies in May and hopes the OBGMA will approve the their requested changes in scope before then.

© 2003 The Ojai Valley News

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