Improvements Begin on Aging Boat Ramp

Work began this week on $855,000 worth of improvements to an aging boat ramp at Lake Casitas.

By next summer, boaters will find the pothole-scarred asphalt Coyote boat ramp on the lake’s northeast edge replaced by a concrete version, said Douglas A. Ralph, park services manager at the popular Ojai Valley recreation area.

In addition, the large parking lot nearby will be resurfaced and new restrooms installed, along with a shaded seating area.

The work is being paid for by a grant from the California Department of Boating and Waterways with money collected from gasoline taxes.

The initial $115,000 phase, which includes the 30 yards of ramp presently above water, should be completed within four weeks, Ralph said.

However, lake users will find the ramp work continuing throughout the winter, depending on the weather and water level.

The Coyote ramp is one of two at the lake, which has a reputation as a world-class bass fishery.

“People use it quite a bit and it’s very popular,” Ralph said. “This is a good time of year for us to be doing this because we don’t have a lot of visitation.”

Last year, about 45,000 boats used the reservoir, which is managed by the Casitas Municipal Water District.

The work means the 200-yard-long ramp, which has room for eight boats to be launched or docked simultaneously, will better withstand the rigors of the fluctuating lake level, Ralph said.