One of the biggest water quality concerns we have in the Ventura River watershed is eutrophication, which means we have a high level of nutrients, primarily nitrogen and phosphorus, in the water that stimulate the growth of algae and other plants. Excess algae is a problem for many reasons: it reduces the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water, which affects the type and numbers of animals and plants that can live in the water; it alters food webs and decreases critical habitat; by making our streams and rivers less attractive and enticing, it reduces aesthetic and recreational values; it can cause odors; and it affects downstream ecosystems such as the very important fish habitat in our estuary.
Regulations will soon be imposed on our watershed by the state dictating that we reduce contributions of nutrients to the Ventura River. Nutrients from horse and cattle manures (and urine) are considered significant contributors to this water quality problem.
The effort to build a local biodigester, to process manures and other organic wastes, is a pro-active, community-initiated response to address this water quality concern.
A meeting about the biodigester project will be held on February 21, at 5:00 pm at Nordhoff High School Library at 1401 Maricopa Highway, in Ojai. It is a public meeting to kick-off the grant-funded feasibility study for the biodigester. At the meeting there will be input from the Waste2Energy committee and the Resource Conservation District, and the consultants (AECOM) will present their approach to the study.
For more information, call Bill O’Brien or Phil Sherman at 805/658-6611.