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Creating a guide for recreation at Lake Casitas
Bureau to discuss 3 scenarios Thursday
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Photo by Jason Redmond
Star staff
Kyle Eckmann, 20, of Huntington Beach warms up on the Coyote Point Disc Golf Course at Lake Casitas Recreation Area in Ojai. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation would like to expand recreation to include more trails.
Photo by Jason Redmond
Star staff
Kelly Bloomfield of Northridge prepares lunch at her campsite at Lake Casitas Recreation Area. One plan for expanding recreation suggests modifying many campsites for RV use.
If you go
A meeting looking at several proposals for recreation opportunities at Lake Casitas will be held Thursday from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Oak View Community Center, 18 Valley Road, Oak View.
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When Tran Morris wanted to hold a 24-hour mountain bike race, he scoured the hills near Lake Casitas in hopes of finding a suitable course. As he looked at the undulating hills north of the lake, the Ventura biker could imagine a natural roller coaster of drops and climbs perfect for an armada of knobby tires.
The only problem was, the land is off-limits to protect the watershed from any pollution, fires or other problems of man. But discussions are under way now to change that policy and others at the lake near Ojai.
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which owns all the land and infrastructure around the lake, including the 3,500 relatively untouched acres north of it, wants to look into expanding recreation at the lake.
In a 207-page report, the bureau lays out three approaches to improving recreation, complete with more hiking, biking and horse trails, more RV access and even allowing people to swim in the lake, which is now forbidden. A public meeting on the proposed changes is Thursday.
"There are opportunities for growth," said Bob Epperson, resource management specialist for the bureau.
The only problem is the board charged by federal authorities with operating the lake isn't so sure a change is needed and questions the impact new recreation may have on its pocketbook and the lake's water quality.
With the detailed recreation plan also comes a larger issue of who has control over recreation at the lake and who dictates how the 3,500-acre Teague Watershed is maintained.
"They are trying to micromanage the area, and we want to say we already have a contract with the government, no thank you,'" said Casitas Municipal Water District board member Russ Baggerly.
Who wins that argument has the potential to change how the lake is managed for years to come.
No firm commitment
"It's all heavy-handed on the part of the federal government," Baggerly said. He and other board members said some of the proposed activities fly in the face of the primary responsibility of the district, which is to provide reliable drinking water for much of western Ventura County.
Epperson stresses the plan is just a guide for future recreation plans and is not a firm commitment to do any of the things outlined under the three alternatives.
Of the lakes Epperson oversees, he said Casitas has spent the most money in recent years, building the water park and other recreation. But he said there is always room to improve.
One suggestion is to keep the lake the way it is.
A second alternative is designed to "enhance recreational uses and public access" at the park by building connecting trails to Los Padres National Forest and Ojai Valley Land Conservancy, expanding the water park, increasing boat ramp and marina capacity, building an amphitheater, improving the entrance and repairing the roads.
The third alternative goes much further, allowing water-skiing and other water sports, modifying many campsites for RV use, allowing horseback riding in the Teague Watershed and allowing day-use activities on the Main Island in the center of the lake, which is now off-limits.
Historic data show the most visitors the lake has had is 1.7 million in 1981. In 2006, attendance was down to 773,925. Boating visitation was highest in 1988, when 59,043 boats launched there. In 2002, the number was down to 29,073.
"Everyone can always do better," Epperson said of the potential to expand recreation.
But board members argue all those improvements cost money that they don't have. Baggerly said the lake barely breaks even and paying for more improvements isn't in the budget.
Epperson said that the lake has had upgrades over the years, including a new water park, that could be financed with grants and other funding sources.
While many board members said the trails and other services around the lake could use an upgrade or minor tweaking, they are vehemently opposed to allowing swimming in the lake. To do so would potentially introduce pathogens and other problems into the water that would require a multimillion-dollar upgrade to the treatment plant, they said.
Board member Rich Handley said the many trails in Los Padres National Forest are adequate and are still not maintained well enough.
Baggerly said though the idea of skiing, horseback riding and hiking may sound good to the public, he's not sure how good they are for water quality, and that is the side on which the board will come down.
Epperson said he hopes to have the final recreation plan finished sometime next year. The board would still have to vote on any proposed changes, and its decision would be final under the current organizational structure.
Residents forced to move
However, there is the separate but related issue of who has the final say in the future of recreation at the lake and the Teague Watershed.
The area was established in the 1950s by Congress as a way to protect Lake Casitas from any run-off or pollution. People who lived in the area were forced to move out and their homes were bought under a number of agreements.
But Epperson says that not only is increased recreation in the area a possibility but also other infrastructure may be appropriate on the land. A U.S. Forest Service station nearby that sits on a dangerous curve could be relocated to the Teague Watershed if it's appropriate, he said. He believes the bureau has the authority to dictate what happens in the watershed.
Casitas officials disagree.
Baggerly and others argue the original contract to run the lake gives the district authority over the Teague Watershed, and to build something there after removing people from their homes seems unjust.
"The irony is, here the federal government kicks everyone out; now they want in there," said board member Bill Hicks. "It's just criminal."
Posted by rebel123 on August 26, 2008 at 8:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)
OK, I'm officially confused. How can Casitas continue to keep boats from other lakes out of the water due to the mussel threats yet allow water skiing or jet skiing?
Posted by greengamer on August 26, 2008 at 8:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Will they really need to upgrade the water filtration station if they allow people to swim? That doesn't seem correct to me. I thought the reason they weren't letting people swim is because they didn't want ski boats disturbing the people who fish. It was my understanding that fishermen were the original "rule-makers" for this lake.
Posted by st_barbie on August 26, 2008 at 8:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Attendance was down? This weekend is completly sold out, I had to make reservations months ago!
Its been like this all summer.
I say no to swimming, they cant even handle the mussels. But I wouldn't mind more RV sites and a bigger water park.
Posted by oxnard40 on August 26, 2008 at 9:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Vote the board out!!!
The mis-management of the lake is terrible. The way they handeled the Quagga was only one example of how moronic this board is.
Vote the board out!!!
Posted by fbgomerguard on August 26, 2008 at 9:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Vote the board out! The Quagga was an excuse to limit access. The statements in the article by CMWD Board members shows that they would like to eliminate all recreation.
I have been to many lakes in California. Most of those lakes are used for irrigation, drinking water, and recreation including water sports with body contact. I still don't know why things have to be different with Casitas. This Chicken Little thinking regarding recreation has to stop.
I'm glad to know it's the local officials who are to blame, they always hide behind the BOR now we know it's the locals who are against public access to public lands.
Posted by Hueneme1961 on August 26, 2008 at 11:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
with the prices they charge i don't know why anyone would go there.I lived in ventura county 47 years and only camped there once as a teen.It's not worth 44 dollars a night.Its sad to cause we drive to Lopez lake .they have a better water slide, you can float tube without a extra fee, just and all around better lake. Without all the bs.
Posted by bugmenot on August 26, 2008 at 11:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
same here st_barbie
me: i'd like to make a reservation to camp 2 weeks from now
casitas: we're sorry, all the sites are already reserved
me: all 400 of them?!
casitas: actually all 450 of them sir.
me: ok, thanks bye.
Posted by sunnbear on August 26, 2008 at 11:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Anyone who knows anything about Lake Casitas, knows that for holidays, especially three day weekends (Memorial Day and Labor Day being the biggest)they need to book those many months in advance. Dare I say, a year prior. The thing that makes me sick is the way these a**holes who camp once a year feel it is their right to leave behind all of the trash that they bring in. Bottles, cans, dirty diapers, etc. Not only overflowing the dumpsters, but littered all over the ground and in the water. Do they think since they pay so much to camp and that the lake hires people to clean-up, that they don't need to be civilized? This is my backyard people. This is MY lake. If you need to act like an animal, stay home and polute your own neighborhoods. Oh wait...You probably do. Just STAY HOME!!! ...There...just needed to get that off my chest.
Posted by sunnbear on August 26, 2008 at 11:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
P.S. No waterskis or jetskis! The lake is too small. Go to Castaic or something.
Posted by rebel123 on August 26, 2008 at 11:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Some time ago they installed a new filtration system that was supposedly the type that was required for a reservoir where people swim in it. I remember this because the Nordhoff band was there playing for the big unveiling of this (my kid was in the band and I drove kids there). This was big news because they then allowed kayaks on the lake where previously they didn't because the likelihood of ending up in the water is so great in yaks. Why do they now say they need a different filtration system upgrade?
Posted by fbgomerguard on August 26, 2008 at 1:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
rebel123 is right. The new filter can handle body contact. At the time the new filter was installed the Ojai Environmentalist and the Fisherman worked against the water sports people to keep the lake closed. Now the fisherman are locked out unless they only want to fish at Casitas.
Posted by Hueneme1961 on August 26, 2008 at 2:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I can think of at least four lakes that are better than Casitias.you couldn't pay to camp there.sunnbear you can keep your over rated lake no fish, no fun lake.I would go to rose valley first. Lake Casitias is a Joke.
Posted by sunnbear on August 26, 2008 at 3:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hueneme1961, The only people who call Casitas "Lake No Fish" are people who don't know how to fish. I fish there all the time and rarely, if ever, get skunked. One of the greatest bass lakes in the world. Fact! Look it up. Truth be told, the anglers out there, who are serious, don't want a bunch of dunkers out there anyway. Have fun at Rose Valley Mud Puddles!
Posted by sunnbear on August 26, 2008 at 3:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
My six year old even knows how to catch fish at Casitas. Maybe you better stick to something that you know how to do. Fishing is obviously not it.
Posted by dcsfancy on August 26, 2008 at 4:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I hope the trails are opened up to hikers, equestrians,bycylist. especially if they connect the trails with the land conservancies property
Posted by curious1 on August 26, 2008 at 8:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Look... if you drink the water that comes from Lake Casitas, you don't want Quagga's, or people swimming in it. Would you be amiable to slurping up a bit of reclaimed water? Cheers!
Posted by fbgomerguard on August 26, 2008 at 10:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
How many people do you think swim in lakes that are part of the State Water Project? Starting with Lake Oroville there's lots of recreating in the water as it moves down the State. Modern water treatment keeps the water safe as it enters the domestic pipes on the way to our faucets. Even the most pristine mountain waters are not safe to drink without treatment. Safety of the water supply in Casitas is an excuse to limit access.
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