STEWARDSHIP: TRAIL CHANGES SINCE THE 2023 STORMS
If you have visited the Ventura River Preserve since the January 9-10 storm, you are likely aware of the extensive changes caused by the flood. Regular visitors to the preserve may have also observed the impact on the trail system, as the region received over 15 inches of rain in less than 24 hours and more than 60 inches of rain in the Ventura River watershed so far this year, resulting in significant alterations.
Visiting the preserve itself isn’t the only way to see flood damage. By comparing the latest trail map with a pre-storm version, you can see the effects of flooding. For instance, near the center of the map, the West River Trail has straightened and moved away from the main stem of the river. A closer look at the Rice Canyon Trail will reveal a reroute near its western junction with the Kennedy Ridge Trail. Additionally, the trail leading to the swimming hole off of the Upper River Loop has vanished, along with the swimming hole itself.
Whether it was the main Ventura River forcing trails aside on the river bottom, or smaller tributaries necessitating reroutes in Rice Canyon, water is always the main culprit in trail damage. Nothing is more destructive to trails on a regular basis than water. It blows out tread, washes hillsides onto trails, and cuts deep incised gullies right where trail users are intended to travel.
In the almost four months since the initial flood, and subsequent smaller atmospheric rivers, we have been working hard to repair the trail system and implement measures to reduce the likelihood of future flood damage from rain. Our main focus is to make the trails as water-resistant as possible. For example, we relocated the West River Trail away from the thalweg of the Ventura River, and rerouted Rice Canyon Trail to minimize the number of creek crossings. Where we can’t move the trail out of the water’s path, we channeled the water away from the trail. To achieve this, we installed a series of ditches uphill from the trail tread in several areas, such as Kennedy Ridge Trail and Wills Canyon Trail, to capture and divert the water before it reaches the trail. Additionally, we added more water bars made of wood or rock across all trails. These small barriers capture water flowing down the trail and direct it away, preventing erosion of the trail tread. 9
Along many of the trails, you may notice diagonal water bars that look similar to other perpendicular structures called check steps. Unlike water bars, check steps don’t drain water; instead, they prevent erosion and soil loss on the trail. We need check steps in some areas because it’s not always possible to move the trail away from water. However, check steps aren’t always the solution. Specifically, we are unable to relocate our trails away from the Ventura River at crossing points. The preserve’s three trailheads are situated on the east side of the river, whereas the majority of the trail network is located on the west side. As a result, we must cross the river to access most of the trails. Unfortunately, this means we must acknowledge that trail crossings will inevitably be washed away. To minimize damage in the future, we take a simple approach by manually clearing rocks to create the shortest, most direct path across the river. This reduces the overall distance the trail passes through areas that will likely be damaged in future floods.
Check steps built by volunteers to help prevent erosion and soil loss on sections of trail at the Ventura River Preserve.
However, even this seemingly simple task of creating short, straight rock-lined paths requires a monumental amount of labor. On January 12, just two days after the storm, and continuing to this day, we have been continuously hosting half-day volunteer projects to care for the trail system. During this time, 397 volunteers have contributed 1,669 hours of work to trail repair. These numbers do not even account for the additional volunteer help we’ve received for restoration projects, which are also facing their own challenges due to the excessive growth of weeds fueled by the heavy rainfall.
It’s not just our volunteers out there either. We’ve also partnered with the Ojai Concerned Resources and Environmental Workers (The C.R.E.W.). Throughout February and March, The C.R.E.W. worked tirelessly, creating drainage ditches, clearing rocks, removing fallen trees, and rerouting trails. So far, they’ve contributed 919 hours to the effort.
While OVLC efforts were bolstered by the combined efforts of volunteers and The C.R.E.W., our trail repairs are far from finished. Significant trail blowouts still exist on Orange Grove Trail and the back of Rice Canyon Trail, requiring heavy equipment for repair. Additionally, the excessive weed growth from the rain is affecting not only our restoration sites but also the trails themselves. This means that our work will continue throughout the spring, summer, and beyond. However, with the help of our dedicated community of volunteers and partners at The C.R.E.W., we are confident that we can restore and enhance our trail system, making it more resilient in the face of future climate change-induced weather events. If you’re interested in learning more about our trail improvements and want to help protect them, please consider signing up for a volunteer project at ovlc.org/volunteer!
Brendan Taylor
Director of Field Programs