Meetings Planned on Retrofitting Dam
A plan to retrofit Casitas Dam so it can withstand a major earthquake will be the topic of two public meetings planned next week by the Casitas Municipal Water District and the U. S. Bureau of Reclamation.
Officials will receive written and oral comments on the Casitas Dam Modernization Project at hearings scheduled for 6 p.m. April 17 at the community meeting room at Ventura City Hall, 501 Poli St., and 10 a.m. April 18 at the water district office, 1055 N. Ventura Ave., Oak View.
The meetings are required before an environmental assessment can be prepared, said Jeffrey S. McCracken of the Bureau of Reclamation’s Sacramento office.
A study previously conducted by the bureau concluded that the dam needs to be strengthened because a severe earthquake could pose a threat to downstream communities, McCracken said.
The dam is on the south side of Lake Casitas. The surrounding communities include Casitas Springs and Foster Park.
The water district serves such communities as Oak View, Ojai, La Conchita, Mussel Shoal and Faria Beach.
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