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County's watershed restoration grants will help protect fish
Money used to foster salmon, steelhead trout populations
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More from County NewsIn an effort to restore steelhead trout and salmon populations around the state, the California Department of Fish and Game has awarded $10 million in watershed restoration grants, some of which will be used in Ventura County to improve river conditions.
The funds, which come from Fish and Game and the National Marine Fisheries Service, are being used to remove barriers, replace bridges and restore habitat, among other things.
About $64,000 was given to the Ventura County Resource Conservation District to remove a stream crossing on Lion Creek, a tributary of the Ventura River, and replace it with a free-standing bridge that wouldn't impede fish as they attempt to swim upstream. The district also got a contract for more than $193,000 to remove arundo from San Antonio Creek and Soule Park, part of a larger effort to eliminate the invasive weed from the watershed.
"Some of these projects are not huge, but small efforts make a really significant difference," said Severn Williams, spokesman for California Trout, which helped designate which projects should be tackled. "There is a lot of writing on the wall that declining fish populations are in the future."
Over the years, more than $180 million in grants have been awarded for similar projects around the state.
Paul Jenkin, founder of the Matilija Coalition, which works on conservation issues along the Ventura River, said while the grants are good, they can sometimes go to projects without looking at an entire watershed that may need help elsewhere.
"We don't have a comprehensive big picture of water strategy on a lot of these watersheds," he said. "I don't want to see the money that could be used for something very beneficial on marginal projects when, given a little planning, you'd be able to prioritize these projects a bit better."
But Nica Knite, also with California Trout, defended the projects. "We do feel they are effective," she said. "Anything we can do to create better opportunities for the fish is a good thing."
Posted by kenbsp on March 29, 2008 at 7:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
United Water Conservation District
Steelhead History Report
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