Study of Dam Removal Needed

We thank Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley) for taking time amid the impeachment circus to turn his attention to a matter much closer to home: the debate over the merits of removing the Matilija Dam.

Rep. Gallegly last week called on federal engineers to begin an investigation of how to remove the dam. It would be a first step toward determining whether the proposal makes environmental or economic sense.

“It appears the dam may have outlived its usefulness and may be causing more problems than it is solving,” he said. “If removing it will solve our beach erosion problem and help steelhead trout to recover from its endangered species status, and if its removal is cost-effective, I could support its removal. This study will begin to answer those questions.”

Recent months have brought a growing chorus of support for removing the dam, which hinders the natural downstream flow of sand in the Ventura River that could help reduce persistent erosion along beaches south of the river’s mouth and also prevents the endangered steelhead from reaching 20 miles of prime spawning stream in Matilija Creek.

Matilija Dam was built in 1948 to prevent floods and to store water for citrus growers and residents in the Ojai Valley. Today the 145-foot-tall dam is nearly filled to the brim with mud, holds little water and is widely viewed as obsolete.

The National Marine Fisheries Service, an array of environmentalists and a majority of the Ventura County Board of Supervisors have expressed interest in removal of the dam, if it can be done economically and without increasing risk of flooding.

The campaign has reached a point where a serious study of the pros and cons is needed. Rep. Gallegly’s request for such a study now rests with Army Corps of Engineers officials in Washington, D.C., who are expected to decide within a few weeks whether to proceed.

The Times supports the goals of restoring the natural cycles of beach-sand replenishment and steelhead reproduction. Yet we recognize that flood control and water management remain urgent concerns in the Ojai Valley. We also appreciate that the cost of removing the dam and clearing out the tons of sediment trapped behind it is a significant factor.

Such a weighty decision needs to be based on thorough, open-minded, scientific information, and we urge the Army Corps to follow through on Rep. Gallegly’s request to provide it.