Ventura County
Watershed Protection District

Flood Hazard Impact Report

Foster Park (160), Coyote Creek (150), Fresno Canyon (138)

Foster Park / Coyote Creek / Fresno Canyon

 GIS Hot Spot ID: 

138    Casitas Springs along Fresno Canyon Drain

150    Coyote Creek below Casitas Dam

160    Foster Park

Fresno Canyon fills the concrete channel through Casitas Springs with sediment causing water and mud to inundate the home in the southern part of Casitas Springs.  Homeowners along Coyote Creek tend to move into the flood way of Coyote Creek since it tends to be a trickle most of the year.  Significant storms or spill from Casitas can flood homes along the Coyote Creek.  Foster Park tends to flood when there are high flows along the Ventura River.

 

Historical Data

Casitas Springs was flooded in 2005 impacted many homes in Casitas Springs and closing Highway 33.

Coyote Creek flooded homes in 1998 when Casitas Dam spilled.  Most of the damages were to homeowners that added improvements in the floodway.  Coyote Creek flooded again in 1998 when a severe thunderstorm hit the area on Jan 10 after a 2 week wet period.  There was no spill from Casitas Dam during this period.

Foster Park was flooded in 1992, 1995 and in 2005.

Aerial Photo and Map

 

Photos of Area


Highway 33 through Casitas Springs Jan. 2005.  VCWPD photo.


Homes in Casitas Springs after the Jan. 10, 2005 storm.  VCWPD photo.


Another photo of the mud in Casitas Springs after the Jan. 2005 storms.


Coyote Creek Jan 2005.  VCWPD photo.


Flooding of Foster Park in 1995.  VCWPD photo.

Gages

 The main gage for the Ventura River at Foster Park is the USGS Gage 608.  This gage is transmitted using Satellite (GOES)  VCWPD operates a backup float at the same site that transmits on the ALERT radio system.  Casitas Municipal Water District operates a gage at Casitas Dam that transmits using the ALERT radio system.  There is no stream gage that measures local runoff below Casitas Dam.  Fresno Canyon does not have any stream gages.

 
Normal Conditions Procedure - Fresno Canyon

Gages Used:  None

Criteria

Value

Issue

Area

Procedure

Flow

250 cfs

Casitas Springs

138

Watch for the potential for sediment to start settling in the channel reducing capacity and increasing the potential for flooding.

Flow

300 cfs

Casitas Springs

138

Warning for the potential for sediment to start settling in the channel reducing capacity and increasing the potential for flooding.

Flow

400 cfs

Casitas Springs

138

High probability that water and mud is starting to impact homes in Casitas Springs and potential closure of Highway 33.
Normal Conditions Procedure - Coyote Creek

Gages Used:  691

Criteria

Value

Issue

Area

Procedure

Flow

800 cfs

Coyote Creek below Casitas Dam

150

Watch for flooding of homes along Coyote Creek.  Water may be impacting some backyards.

Flow

1,200 cfs

Coyote Creek below Casitas Dam

150

Warning for flooding of homes along Coyote Creek.  Water should be impacting some backyards.

Flow

2,000 cfs

Coyote Creek below Casitas Dam

150

Flooding should be occurring to the homes along Coyote Creek.  There also may be an impact to some neighborhood roads.
Normal Conditions Procedure - Foster Park

Gages Used:  608

Criteria

Value

Issue

Area

Procedure

Flow

25,000 cfs

Foster Park

160

Watch for flooding of Foster Park.  Park should be evacuated.

Flow

30,000 cfs

Foster Park

160

Warning for flooding of Foster Park.

Flow

35,000 cfs

Foster Park

160

Flooding should be occurring to Foster Park.

 

Data Source

 Threshold values were created using observed values from the Ventura River at Foster Park USGS stream gage and from assessments of damages in the area in 1998 and 2005.