CEC’s Watershed Restoration Program has recently secured more than $750,000 in grants for fish passage improvement projects along Carpinteria Creek and Mission Creek from the State Coastal Conservancy, Natural Resource Conservation Service and the Southern California Wetlands Recovery Project. The projects will involve removing/modifying barriers to fish migration, removal on non-native vegetation and habitat restoration. Ground breaking will take place later this summer so stay tuned for updates on the progress of these projects which are helping the recovery of the federally endangered Steelhead Trout.

Restoring our waterways requires a holistic approach that looks at the health and function of the entire ecosystem around a creek. Currently CEC is focused on four watersheds, chosen for their potential to serve as models for community-based planning. The solution is different for each, and can mean rebuilding habitat, monitoring water quality, organizing neighborhood groups, and educating people about the impact of everyday decisions such as using pesticides and fertilizers.

Download CEC's Creek Care Guide to find out what you can do to protect our creeks. For more information, call us at (805) 963-0583, ext. 111 or email us. Click here to visit our Watershed Resource Center.