The Thacher School Creek Water Quality Demonstration Project
Summary
SCH Number
2023060809
Public Agency
Ventura County Resource Conservation District
Document Title
The Thacher School Creek Water Quality Demonstration Project
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
6/30/2023
Document Description
The project involves installing rainwater tanks to capture roof stormwater, which will offset the use of groundwater for the Thacher School equestrian unit which can then be used to benefit stream habitat. Stormwater capture will also reduce stormwater surface flows across the property, reducing erosion and sediment loading to adjacent waterways. Roofs will also be installed on existing manure bunkers to protect manure piles from rain, reducing nutrient loading into waterways. Nitrate bioreactors will also be installed to treat runoff, further reducing sediment, organic matter, and nutrient loadings to waterways. The purpose of the project is to reduce water-use and sediment and nutrient loadings on Thacher School property to enhance water quality and quantity in the Ventura River watershed.
Contact Information
Name
Jamie Whiteford
Agency Name
Ventura County Resource Conservation District
Job Title
Director of Projects and Grants
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Address
Phone
Location
Cities
Ojai
Counties
Ventura
Regions
Southern California, Unincorporated
Cross Streets
5025 Thacher Road Ojai CA 93023
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 3, Section 15303, small structure conversion and Class 4, section 15304, minor alterations
Reasons for Exemption
This project will emplace a limited number of small structures (rain tanks) and modify a small number of existing structures (manure bunkers) to reduce deleterious water quality impacts to San Antonio Creek from rain-induced sediment and nutrient loading. This project also includes minor land alterations due to the emplacement of nitrate bioreactors which will involve minor trenching that will be backfilled to restore the soil surface. The District finds that this project does not have the potential to significantly degrade environmental factors such as aesthetics, agriculture/forestry, air quality, biological/cultural/tribal resources, geology/soils, greenhouse gases, hydrology/water quality, land use, minerals, noise, population, public services, recreation, transportation, or utilities and is, therefore, categorically CEQA exempt.
County Clerk
Ventura
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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