Ventura River

GENERAL

Source

Site Ventura River Estuary

Map Ventura, USGS 7.5' quadrangle

Location The estuary lies directly to the west of the city limits of San Buenaventura (Veentura). Information in the profile focuses primarily on the area of the river mouth from the Pacific Ocean to Main Street Bridge.

Contacts Friends of the Ventura River: 805-643-6074

City of San Buenaventura: 805-654-7800

California Department of Parks and Recreation: 805-899-1400

Approximate Wetland Habitat Acreage 110
1

Approximate Historic Acreage Part of the historic Ventura River Delta - acreage not specified.
1

Ownership Owner Acres Source

California Department of Parks and Recreation 80 8

City of San Buenaventura 22 7

Private 18 2

LAND USE

Source

Land Use Designation The City of San Buenaventura's Local Coastal Plan, certified in 1984, designates the area as Park Land, Sensitive Habitat and Floodplain.
2

Onsite Use Uses at the site include the Emma Wood State Beach and Group Campground, Seaside Wilderness Park, hiking and interpretative trails, and educational programs. The site is crossed by Highway US 101, Main Street, Southern Pacific Railroad tracks, oil and gas pipelines, and electrical transmission lines.
1

Historic Use Native Americans used the site for fishing and food gathering. In 1849 agriculture began along the eastern shore of the river, and by 1870 lands on both sides of the river were in ranching and agricultural production.
8

Adjacent Use To the east of the river mouth is the Ventura County Fair/Seaside Park. North of Highway 101 and to the east is the urban development of San Buenaventura and to the northwest are agricultural lands. Directly across Highway 101 from the wetlands is an RV Park and along the coast to the west is the Emma Wood State Beach.
4, 2, 3

Adjacent Historic Use Native Americans occupied the floodplain and adjacent bluff from ca. 6000 BC until the early 1800's. Agriculture was developed with the arrival of the Spanish in the 1780's.
8

HYDROLOGY

Source

Tidal Influence The estuary is normally subject to tidal influence, but a beach berm may form for short periods of time during periods of low flow. The tidal prism, when the mouth is open to the ocean, reaches approximately 2000 feet up river from the mouth to the location of the Main Street Bridge overpass. During flood events the river may create a 'second' mouth located 500 yards to the west, which is tidally influenced until the formation of a beach berm.
1

Watershed Area 226 square miles
1

Tributaries and Flow Tributary Flow Source

Ventura River Base flow arriving at the estuary is about 5.3 cfs of which 2.3 cfs is discharged from the Ojai Wastewater Treatment Plant. A minimum of 20 cfs is allowed to bypass the Robles Diversion dam to maintain low flow in the river. Flood flow has exceeded 60,000 cfs. 6

Dams Two dams are on tributaries of the Ventura River: Lake Casitas Reservoir Dam (1959) and Matilija Reservoir Dam (1948) which is 90% silted in. Los Robles diversion dam (1959) diverts water from the Ventura River to Lake Casitas.
1, 16, 17

Other Sources Agricultural and urban run-off.
1

WATER QUALITY

Source

General The 303(d) List describes the estuarine water as impaired, exceeding eutrophic standards and having elevated levels of DDT in fish and mussel tissue. Beneficial Uses listed for the estuary are nav, rec1, rec2, comm, warm, est, mar, wild, rare, migr, spawn, shell and wet. In indicator species tests for contaminants, a good survival rate was exhibited for amphipods in the sediment toxicity tests and for bivalves in subsurface and pore-water tests.
13, 14, 18

Dissolved Oxygen (DO) 1991 - DO during May, July and December in bottom water ranged from a high of 18 ppm (temp. 19 C) in the winter to a low of 8 ppm (temp. 15 C) in the summer. DO was at full saturation for the lagoon when the mouth was both open and closed. Time of day of sampling was not reported.
1

Water Salinity 1991 - sampling at three stations in May, July and Dec. Salinity in surface waters varied from 10 ppt at the mouth to 0 ppt at the upstream station, and in bottom water from 26 ppt at the mouth to 0 ppt upstream. Salinity of the bottom water was consistently higher than at the surface.
1

Sediment Episodic storm events carry large volumes of sediment to the estuary. Sediment sizes range from fine silts and sand to large cobbles.
1

SOIL

Source

Soil The US Soil Conservation Service (now the NRCS) has identified five soil types; riverwash, sandy alluvial, tidal flats, Camarillo sandy loam and Camarillo loam. The soil profile is often stratified with layers of sand and coarser gravel and cobbles.
1

Habitat Acres Vegetation

Open water 8 1989 - primarily algae, ditchgrass, and duckweed Ac 1 Plants 8

Vegetated estuarine 13 1989 - mixed stands of saltbush, coast goosefoot, brass buttons*, narrow leaf cattail, California bulrush, and at the Second Mouth alkali heath, jaumea, pickleweed and saltgrass dominated. Ac 1 Plants 8

Riverine (river channel) 3 1989 - dominated by water primrose, water parsnip, duckweed, and common horseweed. Ac 1 Plants 8

Palustrine emergent 3 1989 - dominated by broadleaf cattail, California bulrush, iris-leaved rush, and giant reed*. Ac 1 Plants 8

Palustrine scrub/shrub 35 1989 - principally mule fat, arroyo willow, scale broom, and sand bar willow. Ac 1 Plants 8

Palustrine forest 17 1989 - dominated by white alder, arroyo willow, red willow, and yellow willow. Ac 1 Plants 8

Upland/Ruderal 65 Non-vegetated beach cobbles, the campground area, and the Seaside Wilderness Park. Ac 1 Plants 8

ANIMAL USE

Source

Birds 1991/92 - surveys conducted a minimum of monthly, June 91 through July 92. 233 species were identified of which 6 were special status species, and 37 were water associated.
9

Fish 1995 - Fall seining survey identified six species with topsmelt and killifish being the most common, the tidewater goby+ was also present. A 1992 report identifed arroyo chub+ and steelhead trout+ as present; method of sampling not reported.
9,15

Benthic Invertebrates Not specified

Insect Not specified

Other Wildlife Visual sighting and live trap nets between June 1991 and July 1992; amphibians - one species observed; reptiles - five species observed; Mammals - 18 species identified including four introduced species and predatory feral cats*, and one species of special status, the pallid bat+.
9

Special Status Species 1991/92 - birds; California brown pelican, western snowy plover, California least tern, Belding's Savannah sparrow, yellow warbler, and yellow-breasted chat. Fish; tidewater goby (1995), arroyo chub and steelhead trout (1992). Mammals; pallid bat.
9, 15

OUTLOOK

Source

Enhancement Status In 1994 the Ventura Estuary Enhancement Plan were finalized. Objectives of the plan are to define alternate flood control measures to protect physical and biological systems, define eradication measures for non-native plants and methods to re-establish native plants, identify possible measures to enhance water quality and define appropriate public access. In 1995 implementation of portions of the 1994 Plan began in the estuary and included a non-native plant eradication and revegetation program for approximately one third of the site. In conjunction with this project, existing trails were realigned out of sensitive habitat areas and installation of interpretative signs was initiated.
1, 10

Watershed Management Targeted in the 1996 Regional Water Quality Control Board's Ventura Watershed Management Plan and targeted again for focused attention in FY 2002-2003.
18

Pressure Inappropriate public access to sensitive habitat areas and unauthorized camping in the Seaside Wilderness Park are major disturbances to wildlife at the estuary. Poor water quality has reduced spawning activities and transition time for anadromous fish.
1, 8, 9, 10

SOURCES

1 Wetlands Research Associates, Inc., Philip Williams and Assoc., Ltd, Hyden Assoc., L. Hunt & P. Lehman for the City of San Buenaventura, California Department of Parks and Recreation, and the California State Coastal Conservancy. 1992. Ventura river estuary enhancement; existing conditions. 83 pp. plus appendices. This report discusses the historical changes at the mouth of the Ventura River and describes the existing biotic, hydrologic, and public access conditions, and characterizes the current adjacent floodplain uses. Opportunities and constraints for enhancement of the biotic resources are examined based on the data collected. The appendix contains species lists for original and previous field work at the site which provides the supporting data for the enhancement plan described in Source No. 3.

2 City of San Buenaventura. 1982. Land use plan of the local coastal program. 210 pp. This land use plan addresses coastal access and recreation opportunities, provision for visitor-serving commerical facilities, agricultural preservation, housing, sensitive habitat protection, and energy policies in response to the California Coastal Act.

3 Wetlands Research Associates, Inc., Philip Williams and Assoc., Ltd, Hyden Assoc., L. Hunt & P. Lehman for the City of San Buenaventura, California Department of Parks and Recreation, and the California State Coastal Conservancy. 1994. Ventura river estuary enhancement: enhancement & management final plan. 64 pp. plus appendices. This document presents the final or preferred enhancement and management plan for the Ventura River Estuary and contains recommendations for its implementation. It reflects the goals and objectives of enhancing the biotic resources and providing appropriate public access for recreational and educational benefits. The specifics of each enhancement activity are provided along with a preliminary cost estimate for the implementation. Biotic surveys are provided in a separate volume (see Source 1).

4 McClelland Engineers, Inc. for the City of San Buenaventura. 1986. Final environmental impact report/statement: Ventura County fair/seaside park master development plan. 70+ pp. plus appendices. This EIR/EIS is for the remodeling and expansion of the Ventura County Fairgrounds in Ventura, California. The project consists of the construction of new exhibition buildings and ancillary structures, and the relocation of exhibition barns. The impacts of auto circulation and parking areas adjacent to the Ventura River Estuary are discussed.

5 PRM Design Group for the Ventura River Estuary Management Committee. 1995. Ventura river estuary enhancement project, phase I: design development report. 27 pp. plus appendicies. This report is the master plan guide for implementation of Phase I of the Ventura River Estuary Enhancement Project. The report provides a project description, and direction for the enhancement design and preparation of construction drawings. Work under this phase deals primarily with interpretive trail construction and installation of educational signs.

6 Fugro West for Chevron Pipe Line Company. 1996. Chevron Pipe Line Company's Ventura River crossing maintenance project. ~150 pp. plus appendices. This document is the permit application package submitted to the City of San Buenaventura for maintenance work on the pipe line crossing at the mouth of the Ventura River. Environmental constraints reviewed include potential impacts to water quality, sensitive riparian vegetation, and the endangered tidewater goby. Appendices contain a biological assessment based on existing biotic surveys, a report on the presence of the tidewater goby, and a hydrologic/floodplain study.

7 City of San Buenaventura. 1987. Ventura river urban stream restoration project. 5 pp. plus six exhibits. This is a grant application to the California Department of Water Resources to study the physical and biological resources of a 22 acre portion of the lower Ventura River and estuary owned by the City of San Buenaventura. Maps, portions of the LCP, and objectives of the Department of Park and Recreation for this portion of the river are contained in the exhibits.

8 Ferren Jr, W. R., M. H. Capelli, A. Parikh, D L. Magney, K. Clark, J. R. Haller. 1990. Botanical resources at Emma Wood State Beach and the Venture River Estuary, California: inventory and management, report to the State of California Department of Parks and Recreation. 184 pp. plus appendices. This study by the Herbarium at the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of California, Santa Barbara describes original field surveys of botanical resources at the Ventura River Estuary. A history of land use at the site, and descriptions of the physical environment, survey methods, and management opportunities are included. Appendices contain vegetation maps, quantitative vegetation analysis, and an annotated catalogue of marine algae and vascular plants.

9 Hunt, L. E., and P. E. Lehman. 1992. Vertebrate Resources at Emma Wood State Beach and the Ventura River Estuary, Ventura County, California: inventory and management. 66 pp. plus appendices. This report to the City of San Buenaventura, California Coastal Conservancy and the State of California Department of Parks and Recreation identifies the faunal resources of the Ventura River Estuary and the surrounding area. Appendices contain original survey data for fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. The report also includes a description of special status species that were not surveyed but which could inhabit the site given restoration of appropriate habitat.

10 RRM Design Group & Fugro West, Inc., for the City of Buenaventura, State Coastal Conservancy and California Department of Parks and Recreation. 1995. Ventura river estuary enhancement project phase I: Revegetation Program Booklet. 54 pp., plus appendices. This document was prepared as a companion field guide to the construction plans for eradication of non-native plants and replanting with native species. The text serves as a step-by-step 'cookbook' for the implementation of the Phase I eradication, revegetation, and monitoring work. Appendix A contains photographs of non-native plants to be removed from the site.

11 James M. Montgomery Consulting Engineers, Inc. 1990. Ventura river study plan. 14 pp., plus appendices. This study was conducted for the Ojai Valley Sanitary District to analyze and address the problem of low dissolved oxygen (DO) levels and plant overgrowth in the Ventura River downstream from the Ojai Valley Treatment Plant. The appendix contains a monitoring plan, information on quality assurance (detection limits), and a description of sampling protocol.

12 Wetlands Research Associates, Inc., Philip Williams and Associates, Ltd, Hyden Associates, L. Hunt & P. Lehman for the City of San Buenaventura, California Department of Parks and Recreation, and the California State Coastal Conservancy. 1993. Ventura river estuary enhancement: enhancement and management alternatives. ~73 pp. This document outlines the enhancement and management alternatives that could be implemented at the Ventura River Estuary for the benefit of biotic resources balanced with public access for recreational and educational programs. A summary of the criteria used in evaluating the various options is provided and analyzed. Recommendations are made for implementation of the plan where several activities in different areas of the site must take place simultaneously.

13 California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Los Angeles Region. 1994. Water quality control plan Los Angeles Region (4). 187 pp., plus appendices. The Los Angeles Regional Board's Basin Plan is designed to preserve and enhance the water quality and protect the beneficial uses of all regional waters. The plan designates beneficial uses and associated water quality objectives for inland surface waters, ground waters, coastal waters, and wetlands for the Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. It includes a discussion of applicable policies and statutory requirements, and identifies measures for achieving water quality objectives. It also describes ongoing monitoring and assessment programs.

14 Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board. 1996. Water Quality Assessment and Documentation. 106 pp. A list of waterbodies in the Los Angeles and Ventura County coastal watersheds that do not or are not expected to attain water quality standards after application of required technology-based controls. It includes a description of the methods and criteria used in the assessment. 303(d) lists are prepared as part of the Water Quality Assessment of the State's major waterbodies, and meet a requirement of Section 303(d) of the federal Clean Water Act.

15 Engle, J. M., K. D. Lafferty, J. E. Dugan, D. L. Martin, N. Mode, R. F. Ambrose, and P. T. Raimondi. 1995. Second year study plan for inventory of coastal ecological resources of the Northern Channel Islands and Ventura/Los Angeles Counties. Prepared for the California Coastal Commission. 45 pp. A report on the progress and proposed plans for the second year of a monitoring program surveying selected rocky intertidal, soft bottom subtidal, sandy beach, and wetland areas of coastal Northern Channel Islands, Ventura and Los Angeles Counties. The discussion emphasizes program design and methods with some analysis of first year results. The LA/Ventura County portion focuses on wetlands with fish, invertebrate, and bird surveys being conducted at Ventura and Santa Clara River estuaries, Ormond Beach, Mugu Lagoon Malibu Lagoon and Ballona wetlands. Other habitats will be characterized by samples at 20-30 additional sites. The study is being undertaken to enable an assessment of impacts in the event of an oil spill.

16 James M. Montgomery Consulting Engineers, Inc. 1992. Ventura River study final report; prepared for the Ojai Valley Sanitary District. 89 pp., plus appendices. This study was conducted to determine the causes of low dissolved oxygen concentrations and nuisance plant growths observed in the Ventura River downstream of the Ojai Valley Sanitary District's wastewater treatment plant. The study incorporated extensive water quality monitoring, river weed surveys and mapping from the treatment plant to the mouth of the Ventura River, and bioassays of the treatment plant discharge water. The appendices contains original survey data for water quality, macrophytes, and chemical bioassays.

17 Price, Charles D.; President, Friends of the Ventura River. March 1997. Personal communication.

18 Birosik, S.; Regional Water Quality Control Board - Los Aangles. March 11, 1997. Personal communication.

Webmaster: wetlands@resources.ca.gov

GENERAL			Source
Site	Ventura River Estuary
Map	Ventura, USGS 7.5' quadrangle
Location	The estuary lies directly to the west of the city limits of San Buenaventura (Veentura). Information in the profile focuses primarily on the area of the river mouth from the Pacific Ocean to Main Street Bridge.
Contacts	Friends of the Ventura River: 805-643-6074
	City of San Buenaventura: 805-654-7800
	California Department of Parks and Recreation: 805-899-1400
Approximate Wetland Habitat Acreage	110		1
Approximate Historic Acreage	Part of the historic Ventura River Delta - acreage not specified.		1
Ownership	Owner	Acres	Source
	California Department of Parks and Recreation	80	8
	City of San Buenaventura	22	7
	Private	18	2


LAND USE			Source
Land Use Designation	The City of San Buenaventura's Local Coastal Plan, certified in 1984, designates the area as Park Land, Sensitive Habitat and Floodplain.		2
Onsite Use	Uses at the site include the Emma Wood State Beach and Group Campground, Seaside Wilderness Park, hiking and interpretative trails, and educational programs. The site is crossed by Highway US 101, Main Street, Southern Pacific Railroad tracks, oil and gas pipelines, and electrical transmission lines.		1
Historic Use	Native Americans used the site for fishing and food gathering. In 1849 agriculture began along the eastern shore of the river, and by 1870 lands on both sides of the river were in ranching and agricultural production.		8
Adjacent Use	To the east of the river mouth is the Ventura County Fair/Seaside Park. North of Highway 101 and to the east is the urban development of San Buenaventura and to the northwest are agricultural lands. Directly across Highway 101 from the wetlands is an RV Park and along the coast to the west is the Emma Wood State Beach.		4, 2, 3
Adjacent Historic Use	Native Americans occupied the floodplain and adjacent bluff from ca. 6000 BC until the early 1800's. Agriculture was developed with the arrival of the Spanish in the 1780's.		8


HYDROLOGY			Source
Tidal Influence	The estuary is normally subject to tidal influence, but a beach berm may form for short periods of time during periods of low flow. The tidal prism, when the mouth is open to the ocean, reaches approximately 2000 feet up river from the mouth to the location of the Main Street Bridge overpass. During flood events the river may create a 'second' mouth located 500 yards to the west, which is tidally influenced until the formation of a beach berm.		1
Watershed Area	226 square miles		1
Tributaries and Flow	Tributary	Flow	Source
	Ventura River	Base flow arriving at the estuary is about 5.3 cfs of which 2.3 cfs is discharged from the Ojai Wastewater Treatment Plant. A minimum of 20 cfs is allowed to bypass the Robles Diversion dam to maintain low flow in the river. Flood flow has exceeded 60,000 cfs.	6
Dams	Two dams are on tributaries of the Ventura River: Lake Casitas Reservoir Dam (1959) and Matilija Reservoir Dam (1948) which is 90% silted in. Los Robles diversion dam (1959) diverts water from the Ventura River to Lake Casitas.		1, 16, 17
Other Sources	Agricultural and urban run-off.		1


WATER QUALITY			Source
General	The 303(d) List describes the estuarine water as impaired, exceeding eutrophic standards and having elevated levels of DDT in fish and mussel tissue. Beneficial Uses listed for the estuary are nav, rec1, rec2, comm, warm, est, mar, wild, rare, migr, spawn, shell and wet. In indicator species tests for contaminants, a good survival rate was exhibited for amphipods in the sediment toxicity tests and for bivalves in subsurface and pore-water tests.		13, 14, 18
Dissolved Oxygen (DO)	1991 - DO during May, July and December in bottom water ranged from a high of 18 ppm (temp. 19 C) in the winter to a low of 8 ppm (temp. 15 C) in the summer. DO was at full saturation for the lagoon when the mouth was both open and closed. Time of day of sampling was not reported.		1
Water Salinity	1991 - sampling at three stations in May, July and Dec. Salinity in surface waters varied from 10 ppt at the mouth to 0 ppt at the upstream station, and in bottom water from 26 ppt at the mouth to 0 ppt upstream. Salinity of the bottom water was consistently higher than at the surface.		1
Sediment	Episodic storm events carry large volumes of sediment to the estuary. Sediment sizes range from fine silts and sand to large cobbles.		1


SOIL			Source
Soil	The US Soil Conservation Service (now the NRCS) has identified five soil types; riverwash, sandy alluvial, tidal flats, Camarillo sandy loam and Camarillo loam. The soil profile is often stratified with layers of sand and coarser gravel and cobbles.		1
Habitat	Acres	Vegetation
Open water	8	1989 - primarily algae, ditchgrass, and duckweed	Ac 1 Plants 8
Vegetated estuarine	13	1989 - mixed stands of saltbush, coast goosefoot, brass buttons*, narrow leaf cattail, California bulrush, and at the Second Mouth alkali heath, jaumea, pickleweed and saltgrass dominated.	Ac 1 Plants 8
Riverine (river channel)	3	1989 - dominated by water primrose, water parsnip, duckweed, and common horseweed.	Ac 1 Plants 8
Palustrine emergent	3	1989 - dominated by broadleaf cattail, California bulrush, iris-leaved rush, and giant reed*.	Ac 1 Plants 8
Palustrine scrub/shrub	35	1989 - principally mule fat, arroyo willow, scale broom, and sand bar willow.	Ac 1 Plants 8
Palustrine forest	17	1989 - dominated by white alder, arroyo willow, red willow, and yellow willow.	Ac 1 Plants 8
Upland/Ruderal	65	Non-vegetated beach cobbles, the campground area, and the Seaside Wilderness Park.	Ac 1 Plants 8


ANIMAL USE			Source
Birds	1991/92 - surveys conducted a minimum of monthly, June 91 through July 92. 233 species were identified of which 6 were special status species, and 37 were water associated.		9
Fish	1995 - Fall seining survey identified six species with topsmelt and killifish being the most common, the tidewater goby+ was also present. A 1992 report identifed arroyo chub+ and steelhead trout+ as present; method of sampling not reported.		9,15
Benthic Invertebrates	Not specified
Insect	Not specified
Other Wildlife	Visual sighting and live trap nets between June 1991 and July 1992; amphibians - one species observed; reptiles - five species observed; Mammals - 18 species identified including four introduced species and predatory feral cats*, and one species of special status, the pallid bat+.		9
Special Status Species	1991/92 - birds; California brown pelican, western snowy plover, California least tern, Belding's Savannah sparrow, yellow warbler, and yellow-breasted chat. Fish; tidewater goby (1995), arroyo chub and steelhead trout (1992). Mammals; pallid bat.		9, 15


OUTLOOK			Source
Enhancement Status	In 1994 the Ventura Estuary Enhancement Plan were finalized. Objectives of the plan are to define alternate flood control measures to protect physical and biological systems, define eradication measures for non-native plants and methods to re-establish native plants, identify possible measures to enhance water quality and define appropriate public access. In 1995 implementation of portions of the 1994 Plan began in the estuary and included a non-native plant eradication and revegetation program for approximately one third of the site. In conjunction with this project, existing trails were realigned out of sensitive habitat areas and installation of interpretative signs was initiated.		1, 10
Watershed Management	Targeted in the 1996 Regional Water Quality Control Board's Ventura Watershed Management Plan and targeted again for focused attention in FY 2002-2003.		18
Pressure	Inappropriate public access to sensitive habitat areas and unauthorized camping in the Seaside Wilderness Park are major disturbances to wildlife at the estuary. Poor water quality has reduced spawning activities and transition time for anadromous fish.		1, 8, 9, 10


SOURCES
1	Wetlands Research Associates, Inc., Philip Williams and Assoc., Ltd, Hyden Assoc., L. Hunt & P. Lehman for the City of San Buenaventura, California Department of Parks and Recreation, and the California State Coastal Conservancy. 1992. Ventura river estuary enhancement; existing conditions. 83 pp. plus appendices. This report discusses the historical changes at the mouth of the Ventura River and describes the existing biotic, hydrologic, and public access conditions, and characterizes the current adjacent floodplain uses. Opportunities and constraints for enhancement of the biotic resources are examined based on the data collected. The appendix contains species lists for original and previous field work at the site which provides the supporting data for the enhancement plan described in Source No. 3.
2	City of San Buenaventura. 1982. Land use plan of the local coastal program. 210 pp. This land use plan addresses coastal access and recreation opportunities, provision for visitor-serving commerical facilities, agricultural preservation, housing, sensitive habitat protection, and energy policies in response to the California Coastal Act.
3	Wetlands Research Associates, Inc., Philip Williams and Assoc., Ltd, Hyden Assoc., L. Hunt & P. Lehman for the City of San Buenaventura, California Department of Parks and Recreation, and the California State Coastal Conservancy. 1994. Ventura river estuary enhancement: enhancement & management final plan. 64 pp. plus appendices. This document presents the final or preferred enhancement and management plan for the Ventura River Estuary and contains recommendations for its implementation. It reflects the goals and objectives of enhancing the biotic resources and providing appropriate public access for recreational and educational benefits. The specifics of each enhancement activity are provided along with a preliminary cost estimate for the implementation. Biotic surveys are provided in a separate volume (see Source 1).
4	McClelland Engineers, Inc. for the City of San Buenaventura. 1986. Final environmental impact report/statement: Ventura County fair/seaside park master development plan. 70+ pp. plus appendices. This EIR/EIS is for the remodeling and expansion of the Ventura County Fairgrounds in Ventura, California. The project consists of the construction of new exhibition buildings and ancillary structures, and the relocation of exhibition barns. The impacts of auto circulation and parking areas adjacent to the Ventura River Estuary are discussed.
5	PRM Design Group for the Ventura River Estuary Management Committee. 1995. Ventura river estuary enhancement project, phase I: design development report. 27 pp. plus appendicies. This report is the master plan guide for implementation of Phase I of the Ventura River Estuary Enhancement Project. The report provides a project description, and direction for the enhancement design and preparation of construction drawings. Work under this phase deals primarily with interpretive trail construction and installation of educational signs.
6	Fugro West for Chevron Pipe Line Company. 1996. Chevron Pipe Line Company's Ventura River crossing maintenance project. ~150 pp. plus appendices. This document is the permit application package submitted to the City of San Buenaventura for maintenance work on the pipe line crossing at the mouth of the Ventura River. Environmental constraints reviewed include potential impacts to water quality, sensitive riparian vegetation, and the endangered tidewater goby. Appendices contain a biological assessment based on existing biotic surveys, a report on the presence of the tidewater goby, and a hydrologic/floodplain study.
7	City of San Buenaventura. 1987. Ventura river urban stream restoration project. 5 pp. plus six exhibits. This is a grant application to the California Department of Water Resources to study the physical and biological resources of a 22 acre portion of the lower Ventura River and estuary owned by the City of San Buenaventura. Maps, portions of the LCP, and objectives of the Department of Park and Recreation for this portion of the river are contained in the exhibits.
8	Ferren Jr, W. R., M. H. Capelli, A. Parikh, D L. Magney, K. Clark, J. R. Haller. 1990. Botanical resources at Emma Wood State Beach and the Venture River Estuary, California: inventory and management, report to the State of California Department of Parks and Recreation. 184 pp. plus appendices. This study by the Herbarium at the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of California, Santa Barbara describes original field surveys of botanical resources at the Ventura River Estuary. A history of land use at the site, and descriptions of the physical environment, survey methods, and management opportunities are included. Appendices contain vegetation maps, quantitative vegetation analysis, and an annotated catalogue of marine algae and vascular plants.
9	Hunt, L. E., and P. E. Lehman. 1992. Vertebrate Resources at Emma Wood State Beach and the Ventura River Estuary, Ventura County, California: inventory and management. 66 pp. plus appendices. This report to the City of San Buenaventura, California Coastal Conservancy and the State of California Department of Parks and Recreation identifies the faunal resources of the Ventura River Estuary and the surrounding area. Appendices contain original survey data for fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. The report also includes a description of special status species that were not surveyed but which could inhabit the site given restoration of appropriate habitat.
10	RRM Design Group & Fugro West, Inc., for the City of Buenaventura, State Coastal Conservancy and California Department of Parks and Recreation. 1995. Ventura river estuary enhancement project phase I: Revegetation Program Booklet. 54 pp., plus appendices. This document was prepared as a companion field guide to the construction plans for eradication of non-native plants and replanting with native species. The text serves as a step-by-step 'cookbook' for the implementation of the Phase I eradication, revegetation, and monitoring work. Appendix A contains photographs of non-native plants to be removed from the site.
11	James M. Montgomery Consulting Engineers, Inc. 1990. Ventura river study plan. 14 pp., plus appendices. This study was conducted for the Ojai Valley Sanitary District to analyze and address the problem of low dissolved oxygen (DO) levels and plant overgrowth in the Ventura River downstream from the Ojai Valley Treatment Plant. The appendix contains a monitoring plan, information on quality assurance (detection limits), and a description of sampling protocol.
12	Wetlands Research Associates, Inc., Philip Williams and Associates, Ltd, Hyden Associates, L. Hunt & P. Lehman for the City of San Buenaventura, California Department of Parks and Recreation, and the California State Coastal Conservancy. 1993. Ventura river estuary enhancement: enhancement and management alternatives. ~73 pp. This document outlines the enhancement and management alternatives that could be implemented at the Ventura River Estuary for the benefit of biotic resources balanced with public access for recreational and educational programs. A summary of the criteria used in evaluating the various options is provided and analyzed. Recommendations are made for implementation of the plan where several activities in different areas of the site must take place simultaneously.
13	California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Los Angeles Region. 1994. Water quality control plan Los Angeles Region (4). 187 pp., plus appendices. The Los Angeles Regional Board's Basin Plan is designed to preserve and enhance the water quality and protect the beneficial uses of all regional waters. The plan designates beneficial uses and associated water quality objectives for inland surface waters, ground waters, coastal waters, and wetlands for the Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. It includes a discussion of applicable policies and statutory requirements, and identifies measures for achieving water quality objectives. It also describes ongoing monitoring and assessment programs.
14	Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board. 1996. Water Quality Assessment and Documentation. 106 pp. A list of waterbodies in the Los Angeles and Ventura County coastal watersheds that do not or are not expected to attain water quality standards after application of required technology-based controls. It includes a description of the methods and criteria used in the assessment. 303(d) lists are prepared as part of the Water Quality Assessment of the State's major waterbodies, and meet a requirement of Section 303(d) of the federal Clean Water Act.
15	Engle, J. M., K. D. Lafferty, J. E. Dugan, D. L. Martin, N. Mode, R. F. Ambrose, and P. T. Raimondi. 1995. Second year study plan for inventory of coastal ecological resources of the Northern Channel Islands and Ventura/Los Angeles Counties. Prepared for the California Coastal Commission. 45 pp. A report on the progress and proposed plans for the second year of a monitoring program surveying selected rocky intertidal, soft bottom subtidal, sandy beach, and wetland areas of coastal Northern Channel Islands, Ventura and Los Angeles Counties. The discussion emphasizes program design and methods with some analysis of first year results. The LA/Ventura County portion focuses on wetlands with fish, invertebrate, and bird surveys being conducted at Ventura and Santa Clara River estuaries, Ormond Beach, Mugu Lagoon Malibu Lagoon and Ballona wetlands. Other habitats will be characterized by samples at 20-30 additional sites. The study is being undertaken to enable an assessment of impacts in the event of an oil spill.
16	James M. Montgomery Consulting Engineers, Inc. 1992. Ventura River study final report; prepared for the Ojai Valley Sanitary District. 89 pp., plus appendices. This study was conducted to determine the causes of low dissolved oxygen concentrations and nuisance plant growths observed in the Ventura River downstream of the Ojai Valley Sanitary District's wastewater treatment plant. The study incorporated extensive water quality monitoring, river weed surveys and mapping from the treatment plant to the mouth of the Ventura River, and bioassays of the treatment plant discharge water. The appendices contains original survey data for water quality, macrophytes, and chemical bioassays.
17	Price, Charles D.; President, Friends of the Ventura River. March 1997. Personal communication.
18	Birosik, S.; Regional Water Quality Control Board - Los Aangles. March 11, 1997. Personal communication.