Rindge Dam Among 201 Barriers Documented in Malibu Creek Watershed

Out of 201 barriers identified in the Malibu Creek Watershed, a new report singles out the Rindge Dam as the highest priority for removal.

According to the 12-year report Malibu Creek Watershed: Ecosystem on the Brink," the Rindge Dam blocks the migration of several species, including the federally endangered southern steelhead trout.

The Rindge Dam, which was built in 1926, is located in the lower stretch of the Malibu Creek and blocks "nine miles of high-quality steelhead habitat upstream," the report states.

As part of the report, Heal the Bay created a prioritized list for removal of the 201 barriers. Rindge Dam leads the list.

Shelley Luce, executive director of the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Foundation, which helped with the 12-year report, said the report did not include a cost estimation for removal of the dam.

Luce said at a workshop last week that Heal the Bay worked with Serra Retreat homeowners to remove a creek crossing in Malibu.

"That opened several miles of fish habitat. The next one is Rindge Dam," Luce said.

A Rindge Dam Feasibility Study by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers could be released to the public by this summer.

Although the Rindge Dam has been prioritized for demolition, other barrier removal projects in the upper watershed have also been identified. The other barriers include the Piuma Culvert, Malibu Meadows Road, Crater Camp, Cold Canyon Road Culvert, Century Reservoir, Crags Culvert, White Oak Dam, Meadow Creek Lane and Lost Hills Road Culvert.

The report states that these projects, especially the removal of road crossings, could be less expensive because they are not active steelhead areas.

"Removing stream barriers throughout the Malibu Creek Watershed will help restore natural flows, improve habitat quality, and re-establish a more normal sediment regime," according to the report.

The removal of these barriers would provide access to 6.86 miles of habitat in Malibu Creek, 4.39 miles in Las Virgenes Creek and 4.83 miles on Cold Creek, the report states.

Read the full report online.