January 2006 marked five years of volunteer-based water quality monitoring in the Ventura River Watershed. The Ventura River Watershed Monitoring Program ("Stream Team") was established conceptually in the spring of 2000 as a joint project of Santa Barbara Channelkeeper and Surfrider, Ventura Chapter. We now have 15 sites throughout the watershed, located from just above the estuary at the Main Street Bridge to pristine sites above Matilija Dam. Our volunteers have collected over 250 data points each month since January 2001, and logged over 850 hours in the field. Click here to view our data! Click here to learn more about our surveying program (aka. Stream Walk).

Although we picked 14 sites, there were several potential sites that were also considered. These included sites above the Matilija Dam, and in the Upper Ojai. We chose to stay above marine influence and thus avoid the estuary area. In August 2001 we officially adopted our 15th site, along Upper Matilija Creek, above the dam.

Our sites represent four distinct reaches or sub-watersheds. There are four Lower Ventura River sites, two Canada Larga sites, four San Antonio Creek sites, and four Upper Ventura River sites.

Click on the "site descriptions" to get a map and description of the site.