Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt said Friday he will make removal of Matilija Dam a top priority to save an imperiled migratory fish and restore sand flows to Ventura County beaches while also striking a blow against the nation's larger dams.
The announcement brings home to Southern California a debate swirling around many of the nation's 75,000 dams, which have been blamed for declining salmon and steelhead runs, coastal erosion and lost economic opportunities for outdoor recreation and commercial and sportfishing.
'The time has come for dam removal," Babbitt said. 'This [Matilija] dam is really an opportunity to demonstrate the benefits of dam removal in a way that's available nowhere else. Based on what I've heard, I support removal of this dam. This one is right at the top of the priority list."
Babbitt's remarks signal that the once-obscure dam tucked into a canyon in the mountains behind Ojai has gained high-level attention at the White House and in Congress. He said he decided the dam should be a priority for dismantling following meetings this week in Washington with California members of Congress and Ventura County officials.
Although Interior Department agencies, including the U.S. Geological Survey and the Bureau of Reclamation, have been studying ways to tear down Matilija Dam since summer, Babbitt's comments mark the first time he has announced his plans for the structure.
"He'll help move that project into high gear," said Supervisor John Flynn, who along with Supervisor Kathy Long and Rep. Elton Gallegly, organized the meeting Monday. "To have him behind the project, how could you get anything better? I'm really excited about it."
The 52-year-old dam was built to store drinking and agricultural water for the Ojai Valley and to reduce flood hazards on the Ventura River. Today, however, it is full of mud, provides little water and is crumbling. Though decaying sections have been removed, it still stands 190 feet tall and 620 feet wide.
Environmentalists want it torn down so southern steelhead, an endangered species, can reach high quality spawning habitat upstream in Matilija Creek. Also, about 6.1 million cubic yards of sediment, essential to replenish sand-starved beaches from Ventura to Port Hueneme, are locked behind the dam. Groups pressing for the dam's removal include anglers, surfers, seaside homeowners and business people. California's Democratic Sens. Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein also favor its removal.
