Existing conditions:

There are a total of 38 watersheds in the Gaviota coast. The importance of this coastal stretch of southern California is reflected in the fact that the area between Coal Oil Point and Point Sal comprises only 15% of Southern California’s coast yet holds approximately 50% of its remaining rural coastline. This area includes relatively healthy coastal watersheds and wetlands because of the general lack of urban and suburban development.

Within the Gaviota Coast watershed, several creeks have suitable spawning and rearing habitat for southern steelhead, including:

Gaviota Creek;
San Onofre Creek;
Arroyo Hondo Creek (which may represent the best steelhead run in the southern part of Santa Barbara County);
Arroyo Quemado (with good habitat in the foothills;
Refugio Creek;
Gato Canyon Creek (but lower portions of the stream are dewatered), and
Dos Pueblos Canyon Creek (with excellent riparian habitat available).
There remain several barriers caused by roads and other small dams and culverts (under primarily Highway 101) that prevent passage of steelhead within these streams. In addition, water diversions, small berms at the mouth of most creeks, and excess sediment have been noted in several creeks that could support a steelhead run. A summary of these barriers is found at http://swr.ucsd.edu/hcd/SoCalDistrib.htm.

Description of Watershed Resources:

The Gaviota coast is located in a transitional ecological region that lies at the northern and southern distributional limits of many plant and animal species. The watersheds of the area provides habitat for many special-status species, including federal- and state-listed threatened and endangered, proposed listed, and candidate plant and animal species as well as species of special concern. Recently, 14 major vegetation and habitat types were described on the Gaviota coast. More than 850 plant species, 53 mammal species, 315 bird species (115 breeding), 17 reptile species, and 10 amphibian species are found in these habitat types.

Status of Watershed Planning Efforts:

There is no watershed plan for the entire hydrological unit. The major coastal watershed-based planning effort is associated with Vandenberg Air Force Base’s Final Integrated Natural Resource Management Plan (October 1996).

Restoration Goals and Objectives Related to Wetlands: Data unavailable.

List of Major Restoration Activities: Data unavailable.