Location: Santa Barbara County
Project Type: Restoration
Status: Completed
Habitat Type: fish passage, Riparian
Date Completed: 2015
Cost: $5,238,537
Project Footprint: 15 stream miles
Assembly District: 37
Senate District: 19
Congressional District: 24
Project Lead/Grantee:
South Coast Habitat Restoration (Sandy DeSimone, 949-858-0309)
For more information, visit scwrp.org
Carpinteria Creek is located in coastal Santa Barbara County, about 10 miles southeast of the City of Santa Barbara. It begins in the Santa Ynez Mountains at an elevation of about 4,700 feet and drains a watershed of about 15 square miles, characterized by steep hillsides and canyons. Carpinteria Creek offers an excellent opportunity to restore significant steelhead runs in Southern California.
This project removed seven steelhead trout passage barriers and enhanced riparian habitat along Carpinteria Creek and its main tributary, Gobernador Creek. The seven projects included in this program were Bliss Crossing, Cate School Crossing, Raya Crossing, Widdoes Crossing, the Debris Basin, Pinkham Crossing, and Circle G. crossing. These projects involved replacing Arizona crossings, culverts and one debris basin, all of which blocked steelhead passage. Completion of this project provides access to four miles of previously restricted steelhead habitat. Each project also involved enhancing and stabilizing creek bank and riparian habitat.
