Location: Ventura County
Project Type: Restoration, Restoration Implementation
Status: Current
Habitat Type: Riparian
Cost: $1,300,000
Area Affected: 146 acres
Project Footprint: 146 acres
Area Affected: 1680 ft stream miles
Assembly District: 37
Senate District: 19
Congressional District: 26
Project Lead/Grantee:
The Nature Conservancy, Peter Dixon; University of California, Santa Barbara, Adam Lambert
For more information, visit scwrp.org
The Santa Clara River (SCR) flows through northern Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, at the junction of 5 Bioregions, retains much of its hydrological integrity, and sustains over 18 federally listed species. However, the SCR faces numerous ecosystem stressors, including habitat loss and inputs from intensive agriculture and urbanization, and invasion by numerous non-native plant and animal species. The project area is approximately 16 river miles within the floodplain of the SCR in Ventura County roughly between the confluences of Sespe and Santa Paula Creeks. The Santa Paula-to-Sespe Conservation Area geographic scope includes the area from the SCR upwelling zone upstream of Fillmore to just below the Freeman Diversion in Saticoy. This reach of the SCR is designated as Critical Habitat for southern steelhead trout and the Sespe reach is also identified as a Wild & Scenic River. The project will implement control strategies and eradicate Arundo from approximately 2,767 acres along this 16-mile reach of the SCR.