VENTURA
COUNTY CHAPTER NEWSLETTER
September - 2005
Ventura
County Chapter
239 W. Main Street
Ventura,CA, 93001
(805) 667-2222
To read any of the articles listed, click on the links below.
$2 MILLION APPROVED FOR MATILIJA
RESIDENTS DON'T WANT DEBRIS
September 30, 2005Ventura local residents are reportedly unhappy with the excess debris that has washed up on Ventura's coastline following January's heavy rainstorms. There is a push for the city to clean up what they feel is unsightly and dangerous. (See 9-30-2005 article in the Ventura County Star).
Removal of beach debris is a controversial topic; natural debris (or "rack") can help stablize the beach and prevent erosion, and the rotting seaweed and wood serves as a food source for small beach hoppers and sand fleas, which in turn provides food for sea birds.
Beach grooming has also been studied and proven to have a severe impact on the rare and elusive grunion which spawns completely out of water - laying their eggs in the sand on Southern California beaches during the spring and summer. You can read more about Beach Grooming on the Surfrider Foundation national website.
$2 MILLION APPROVED FOR MATILIJA
September 28, 2005
The state's Ocean Protection Council unanimously approved $2 million for engineering and design work to be done on Matilija dam. Last year, the county approved an environmental impact report for the $130 million project.
The project presently does not have federal funding. The $8 million design and engineering phase would take until 2008, with dam removal starting around 2010.Go to the Matilija Coalition web page for details>>>
PADDLE FOR CLEAN WATER
On September 24th, Ventura Chapter and Santa Barbara Chapter activists paddled out for Clean Water at Stearns Wharf. This event was part of a Surfrider Foundation nation-wide rally to bring attention to the ongoing degradation of our coasts and oceans. Assemblyman Pedro Nava participated in this successful event.
Volunteers needed:
Our Chapter is beginning to reorganize our volunteer activities. If you are interested in getting involved with the Ventura Chapter of Surfrider, please contact us. Some of our activities include beach cleanups, community outreach, watershed restoration of the Ventura River, and more! This is your chance to make a difference in your local community... time to get your feet wet!