Ventura River estuary looking upstream from the beach.

Working with Nautilus Environmental, Stoecker Ecological has been hired to join a diverse team of consultants to investigate the feasibility of re-using Ojai Valley Sanitary District discharge flows for water reclamation. SE focused on assessing the potential impacts that such a proposal would have on surface flows, fish migration, and habitat conditions.  Study findings showed historic use of the lower river by steelhead and found that a reduction in effluent discharge would likely have negative impacts to fish migration and habitat conditions. Shortly after sending the report findings and comments for the final report to Nautilus Environmental, several adult steelhead were observed utilizing the lower Ventura River (photo below)."

The deep, extensive Ventura River estuary is one of the largest on the south coast and provides critical habitat for endangered steelhead.	Treated effluent discharge from the Ojai Valley Sanitary District supports pool habitat throughout the summer for numerous aquatic species along the lower Ventura River.
This wild 25-inch long steelhead was observed August 5th, 2007 in the lower Ventura River along with several others that confirm adult steelhead use of habitat in the lower river. Courtesy M. Capelli.