Matilija Dam

Patagonia’s founder, Yvon Chouinard recently appeared on an American Express Member Project commercial featuring a new partnership with social-action network, Takepart.com. Members project is an online initiative providing opportunities for individuals to make a big difference by engaging in productive social-action.

Yvon Choinard and Takeaction.com officially promote the removal of Matilija Dam, an important step in a long running environmental dispute. The Matilija Dam removal project was originally organized by Paul Jenkins, founder of Matilija Coalition and Environmental Director for the Ventura County Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation.

Matilija Dam was constructed in 1947 and is now a deteriorating structure serving no beneficial purpose. Sitting some 18 miles upstream from the coast on a tributary of the Ventura River, the dam restricts native Southern Steelhead trout from using the river for spawning. Matilija Dam also traps sediments from the canyons of Matilija Creek from flowing to the local beaches, which desperately need a boost in sand to prevent coastal erosion.

The message is extremely important as it comes at a time when Southern California has experienced its worst year of coastal erosion in a decade. Beach erosion from constant wave action and currents puts an incredible burden on California’s heavily developed coastline. Which in turn, promotes coastal protection developments that are expensive, construction oriented, and not environmentally sensitive.

Part of ASR’s mission in building Multi-Purpose Reefs is implementing environmentally conscious structures that prevent beach erosion by redirecting and lessening the impact of wave energy. We want to remind everyone that the best defense for preventing coastal erosion is promoting the natural course of sediment replenishment. Removing dams that obstruct sediment transport is an important part of revitalizing Earth’s natural remedies for protecting our precious beaches.