The Ventura River Parkway Plan is set to be officially rolled out in the coming months after receiving a $100,000 grant. The plan is the result of years of efforts by local leaders, agencies, businesses, and environmental groups to reclaim the river as an economic asset, protect its resources, and reconnect people to the river through recreation. The parkway will provide natural flood management, economic benefits, and recreational open space for the community in line with previous state funding initiatives.

1. Ventura River Parkway Project

2. Ventura River Parkway Coming Soon The official roll-out of the Ventura River Parkway Plan is just months away. This parkway vision was recently completed with a $100,000 grant from the California Coastal Conservancy.

3. Years of Local Efforts This Ventura River Parkway Plan is the culmination of years of efforts by local leaders, government agencies, businesses & environmental groups. It is time to reclaim the river as an economic asset, protect its critical resources & reconnect people to the river for healthy activities.

4. River Parkway Funds Still Available Prop. 50 & 84 provided funding for river parkways to protect critical water supply & habitat resources. Our river parkway will also provide: Natural flood management; Economic benefits; & Recreational open space.

5. 1. Natural Flood Management “ River Parkways provide flood protection benefits for communities by providing wider corridors along our waterways that help store, and provide safe corridors for the passage of, storm waters.” California River Parkway Act 2004 California Public Resources Code

6. Restoring River Floodplains Building structures in a river's flood plain restricts the river's functional area -- causing it to run faster, create more downstream erosion and flood more severely . Parkways provide natural flood protection by using river adjacent floodplain land for open space recreation which reduces costly flooding.

7. Reducing Costly Flooding

8. As Well As Fast-Flow Erosion

9. 2. Economic Benefits Beyond natural flood management the river parkway will also provide other community benefits. River parkways attract tourist dollars that in turn support local businesses and help provide more jobs.

10. Parkways = Local Revenue A recent study found that visitors to the 23-mile American River Parkway generated an annual $364 million in local revenue for the Sacramento region.

11. Why a Ventura River Parkway? The Ventura River is one of the last natural, self-sustaining rivers in Southern California. It is home to one of the greatest diversities of plants and animals in Southern California. However, for lack of access, it remains largely invisible to local communities.

12. What is the Parkway Vision? Imagine the river as a vibrant 16-mile network of parks, trails and restored natural areas connecting the Pacific Ocean to the Los Padres National Forest & reconnecting communities to their river while also...

13. Protecting Water Quality & Supply

14. Protecting Endangered Wildlife

15. Restoring Critical Habitat

16. Reconnecting People to the River

17. 3. Recreational Open Space The River Parkway will provide our communities with new picnic sites, recreational areas, hiking and biking trails, wildlife viewing points, and educational exhibits.

18. Outdoor Activity Is Vital Outdoor activity is vital to raising healthy, happy children. The Ventura River Parkway will provide safe areas for families to experience nature and enjoy our wonderful climate.

19. Enhancing Quality of Life Communities throughout the our State have reclaimed their rivers as major natural and economic assets. Good river parkway design creates lively, diverse places that promote a sense of community and a sense of stewardship.

20. Hwy 33 Cut Off River Access Before Hwy 33 was built the community used to play, swim and fish in the Ventura River. Flash-forward to the 21 st Century and the river is all but forgotten – proving the old adage “out of sight – out of mind.”

21. Pedestrian Overpasses The River Parkway project calls for pedestrian overpasses to help eliminate Hwy 33 as a barrier and restore community access to the river.

22. Restoring Public Access Opening the river levee for public access could be an achievable first step to helping make the Ventura River Parkway a reality.

23. Did You Know? Did you know, as recently as 1971 area officials declared the Ventura River “dead” and moved to channelized it with concrete? Public outcry stopped this travesty. Some things are worth protecting.

24. Parkways Preserve Rivers for Perpetuity It is time to regain public access to the river and protect this wonderful natural asset so our children, and their children, and their children... will be able to enjoy it .

25. How Can You Help? River Parkway granting agencies are influenced by local interest and community efforts. Local support can help attract more grant funding.

26. Supporting Organizations: CAUSE * EDC * Patagonia * Sierra Club * SOAR Surfrider Foundation * Ojai Valley Green Coalition Ojai Valley Land Conservancy * Santa Barbara Channelkeepers * State Coastal Conservancy Ventura Audubon Society * VCCool Ventura Citizens for Hillside Preservation Ventura County Watershed Council Ventura Hillsides Conservancy Wishtoyo Foundation