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Fox Canyon GMA says $15.2 million DWR grant projects are complete in Oxnard and Pleasant Valley basins
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Summary
Agency staff told the Fox Canyon Groundwater Management Agency board that projects funded by a $15.2 million Department of Water Resources grant are finished, including monitoring wells, recycled-water connections and conveyance improvements; DWR issued grant closeout letters on April 29, 2025.
Fox Canyon Groundwater Management Agency staff told the board on July 23 that the agency and partner districts have completed all projects funded through a Department of Water Resources grant that totaled $15.2 million.
The agency presented a closeout update for two basins. The Oxnard Subbasin projects, carried out beginning in 2022, had a $7.6 million allocation; the Pleasant Valley Basin projects also received $7.6 million. Agency staff said DWR issued grant closure letters on April 29, 2025.
Agency staff member Ryan Smith said the grant funded eight monitoring wells the GMA installed — four nested, multi-depth wells and four shallow wells at eight locations — and covered most of the costs with a minimal contribution from the agency and county staff assistance. United Water Conservation District completed three projects in the Oxnard Subbasin: an inverted-siphon replacement to increase conveyance capacity and downstream recharge, construction of 21 monitoring wells in five locations to support future design work, and a Laguna Road recycled-water interconnection pipeline. Pleasant Valley County Water District completed two recycled-water connection projects and a private-reservoir modification program to boost winter water harvesting. The City of Camarillo completed a feasibility study that concluded dry-weather stormwater diversions to the Camarillo Water Reclamation Plant are feasible, while wet-weather diversions are not.
Maryam Broll, assistant general manager at United Water Conservation District, thanked the GMA, DWR and consultant Kennedy Jenks for support during construction, and said collaborations and inter-basin transfers of surplus funds allowed United to address a budget shortfall on the Laguna Road recycled-water connection project.
Chair West noted the GMA had received an overall grantee performance rating of “A” from DWR and praised the staff and partner agencies for documentation and coordination required for the grant closeout.
This item was informational; the board did not take formal regulatory action beyond receiving the report.
Why it matters: the completed projects add monitoring capacity and expanded recycled-water conveyance that agency staff and district leaders said support recharge and long-term basin sustainability. The DWR closeout confirms the grant funding was fully expended and that the state accepted the final performance of the grantee.
Details: total grant amount $15,200,000; $7.6 million allocated for projects in the Oxnard Subbasin and $7.6 million for Pleasant Valley Basin projects. Completed work includes multi-depth monitoring wells, an inverted-siphon replacement, 21 monitoring wells constructed by United, a recycled-water interconnection on Laguna Road, private-reservoir modifications, and a Camarillo feasibility study.
The board moved on to the next agenda item after receiving the update.
