Comprehensive Ventura Water Resources Report Deficiencies

By Daniel Cormode 

(Ventura) Mayor and Members of the City Council,

1. When is the City Council going to wake up and realize the Ventura Water Comprehensive Water Resources Report projected water supply is a fable and not supported by environmental and climate conditions currently experienced in the local area?
2. Ventura Water and their professional consultants appear to rely on old historical reports for their analyses without recognizing the changing conditions which affect previous historical water supply projections.

3. Table 4-2 of the 2016 City of San Buenaventura Comprehensive Water Resources Report (CWRR) contains a summary of the projected future water supply from existing and potential and new sources.  Water supplies from Casitas Municipal Water District and Ventura River/Foster Park are projected to increase by 2017 and beyond, however, the CWRR does not address current environmental and climatic conditions which do not support that projected increase in supply.

4. The CWRR fails to recognize or discuss the current conditions of Lake Casitas.  Lake Casitas storage is currently at 35.3% of capacity.  When Lake Casitas reaches 25% of capacity, which is predicted to occur about 03/31/2018,  delivery to the City of Ventura will be reduced by 45% or approximately 2,530 acre-feet per year.  If the current drought continues, delivery of water from Lake Casitas will be curtailed due to the lake becoming dry by 12/09/2021.

5. Ventura River production of 4,200-6,700 acre-feet per year is overestimated and is based on a 1993 water report which relied upon a surface diversion capability which was destroyed in 2005.  Average Ventura River production from 2005 through 2015 was 2,507 acre-feet per year with only 1,299 acre-feet of water produced in 2015.

6. It is predicted that the severity of the current severe shortage of water will increase by year 2018 when Casitas MWD reduces delivery and further increase when Lake Casitas becomes dry in 2021.
7. No new source of water is projected to be available until 2030 or later.
8. The 2016 CWRR is also not “comprehensive” as contents of large sections are omitted.  Large sections contain the statement “No Change, See the 2013 Comprehensive Water Resources Report”.  This has the appearance of withholding pertinent information from the public.  This complaint has been previously made to the Assistant City Manager with no apparent action.

Daniel Cormode is a Ventura resident and the Chairman of the Planning & Development Committee for The East Ventura Community Council. He  has dedicated his life to researching Ventura water issues.

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