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Agency staff: no visible surface inflow to Ojai Basin; water levels and low flows reported
Summary
Agency staff reported no visible surface inflow to the Ojai Basin for the first time in about four to five years, citing a depth-to-water reading of ~124.16 ft (about 75.5% capacity, ~60,400 acre-feet) and low measured outflows (2.12 and 0.85 CFS). Staff said subsurface flow persists but is hard to observe.
Jordan, an agency staff member, told the board at the July 31 meeting that "we really, have reached a point hydrologically where we don't have any surface flow visible, into the basin" at the usual inflow points.
Jordan said the key well shows a depth to water of about 124.16 feet, which he said corresponds to roughly 75.5% capacity (about 60,400 acre-feet). He reported measured outflow at the basin boundary of about 2.12 cubic feet per second (CFS) and a measurement at Old Creek Road of about 0.85 CFS. Smaller drains (Fox, Barranca or Stewart Canyon) measured roughly 0.09 CFS and terminated before the confluence with San Antonio Creek.
The presentation emphasized that while surface inflow is effectively absent at these monitoring points, "there certainly is still some subsurface flow coming through, but that is not something we can very easily observe and monitor and record." Jordan said local factors — including tree uptake by phreatophytes and the thickness of alluvium — influence observed flows.
Board members asked a few clarifying questions and thanked Jordan for the report. Jordan noted that flows downstream of the Ojai Basin toward the Ventura River "wax and wane" and said staff will continue monitoring as late summer approaches.
The agency did not announce any new regulatory actions tied to the measurements at the meeting. Jordan said the fall monitoring period will be important and that staff will return with updates as conditions evolve.
