With boots on the ground, a boat on the water, a band of smart, passionate change-makers on our team, and the trust and support of our community, Santa Barbara Channelkeeper makes a big impact for a small organization. We’ve compelled numerous polluters to clean up their act, effected countless policy changes to better protect our waterways, engaged thousands of volunteers in our programs, and educated tens thousands of students and adults about water pollution and solutions in classrooms, in the field, and through creative media and
public outreach campaigns.
Our Accomplishments
We are proud of our hard work over the past two decades.
1999
Our Story Begins
In 1999, Santa Barbara County had the highest number of public health warnings for poor water quality of any coastal county in California. A small group of environmental activists, fishermen, business owners, and attorneys came together to establish a grassroots water watchdog to determine what was polluting our water and to develop solutions. And so Santa Barbara Channelkeeper was born, originally as a program of the Environmental Defense Center (EDC), becoming the 33rd organization to adopt the Waterkeeper model of environmental activism.
2000
Halaco Sued for Polluting Ormond Beach
Channelkeeper and EDC filed a lawsuit against Halaco Engineering Co. for discharging toxic pollutants from its metal smelting factory on the Ormond Beach wetland. Since 1965, the facility discharged over a million gallons of wastewater contaminated with copper, lead and other heavy metals, ammonia, and radioactive isotopes into unlined settling ponds every month. Solids that settled out of the wastewater were piled onto a slag heap that grew to cover 26 acres and tower 40 feet above the beach.
2001
Ventura Stream Team Launched
Channelkeeper launched our Ventura Stream Team citizen science water quality monitoring program in partnership with the Ventura chapter of the Surfrider Foundation.
2002
501(c)(3) Status Obtained
Channelkeeper obtained its own 501(c)(3) status and became independent from EDC.
2002
Goleta Stream Team Launched
Channelkeeper launched our Goleta Stream Team citizen science water quality monitoring program.
2003
Carpinteria Greenhouse Discharges Addressed
Channelkeeper compiled evidence that greenhouses were unlawfully discharging tremendous volumes of nitrates into local creeks, groundwater and the Carpinteria Salt Marsh. At our insistence, the Water Board undertook detailed inspections and required greenhouse operators to stop discharging and account for all wastewater produced.
2003
Eelgrass at Anacapa Restored
In partnership with Channel Islands Restoration Program, Channelkeeper successfully restored a historic eelgrass bed in Frenchy's Cove at Anacapa Island. The eelgrass spread beyond its original extent and continues to provide habitat for several commercially and recreationally important fish species.
2004
Ormond Beach Polluter Shut Down
After settling the lawsuit filed by Channelkeeper and EDC, Halaco Engineering Co. failed to comply with court-mandated pollution limits and was forced to shut down its noxious metal smelting factory on Ormond Beach for good. The US EPA subsequently conducted an initial clean-up and officially placed the site on the Superfund List for comprehensive remediation.
2004
Oil Platform Discharge Permit Strengthened
Channelkeeper and EDC successfully sued the US EPA to secure a stronger permit governing discharges from offshore oil platforms.
2004
Annual Student Art Show Inaugurated
Channelkeeper hosted our first annual juried student art show for local high school art students. The show, whose ocean-inspired theme is “What the Channel Means to Me,” recognizes and rewards the juror-selected winners with cash prizes at an annual public exhibit and awards ceremony at a local art gallery.
2005
Cruise Ship Watchdog Patrol Launched
Channelkeeper responded to the drastic increase in cruise ship visits to Santa Barbara by launching an initiative to monitor cruise ships from our boat to detect and deter discharges of cruise ship waste into the Santa Barbara Channel.
2006
Polo Club Pollution Eliminated
Channelkeeper prevailed in a lawsuit against the Santa Barbara Polo Club for illegally discharging water polluted with horse waste into storm drains that empty onto Padaro Beach. Pursuant to our settlement, the Club cleaned up its operation and stopped discharging to the beach.
2006
Watershed Education Partnership Formed
Channelkeeper and the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History and Sea Center formed a partnership to educate underserved youth about watersheds, marine science and pollution prevention.
2006
Storm Water Management Programs Adopted
Municipalities across Santa Barbara County adopted stringent Storm Water Management Programs to reduce urban runoff based on extensive review and recommendations provided by Channelkeeper.
2007
Sewer Lateral Ordinance Enacted
At Channelkeeper’s urging, the City of Santa Barbara passed a sewer lateral inspection and repair ordinance to help reduce aboveground spills and underground leaks of untreated sewage.
2007
Invasive Kelp Removed from Santa Barbara Harbor
Channelkeeper teamed up with the Santa Barbara Waterfront Department to remove Undaria, an invasive species of Japanese kelp that colonized the Santa Barbara Harbor.
2007
West Beach Adopted by Channelkeeper
Channelkeeper officially adopted West Beach in Santa Barbara under the California Coastal Commission’s Adopt-A-Beach Program, committing to complete at least four beach clean-ups per year.
2008
Contaminated Soil Cleaned Up
Channelkeeper bird-dogged development of a clean-up plan for soils contaminated with heavy metals, DDT and other pesticides at the Carpinteria Oil and Gas Facility, and successfully lobbied for a rigorous clean-up plan that required the removal of 30% more contaminated soil than originally proposed. The clean-up levels ultimately required were more stringent than at any DDT waste-impacted site in the entire nation.
2008
Faria Beach Pollution Cleaned Up
Based on sampling and other evidence submitted by Channelkeeper, the LA Regional Water Board ordered Vintage Petroleum to clean up polluted discharges from its oil facility to Faria Beach.
2008
Beach Water Quality Monitoring Upheld
Channelkeeper took over weekly water quality sampling at beaches across Santa Barbara County after funding was cut for the County’s beach sampling program. We immediately published our results in local newspapers and online to help ocean users avoid risking their health by recreating in polluted water.
2009
Goleta Creeks Targeted for Clean Up
Based on several years of water quality data collected by Channelkeeper, the State Water Board officially designated 16 Goleta stream segments as polluted and scheduled development of regulations to clean them up.
2009
Eelgrass Highlighted as Critical Habitat
Channelkeeper conducted extensive habitat and fish surveys in eelgrass beds at the Channel Islands and along the mainland and created maps with the precise locations and extent of the beds. We produced a brochure to help boaters avoid anchoring in and damaging eelgrass beds, as well as a comprehensive report documenting the importance of eelgrass beds as essential fish habitat in the Santa Barbara Channel.
2010
Sanctuary Water Quality Report Produced
Channelkeeper and Dr. Diana Engle completed a 230-page report for the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary to help guide the development of a comprehensive water quality protection program for the Sanctuary.
2010
Ventura Oil Field Runoff Addressed
The Regional Water Board ordered Aera Energy to obtain an industrial stormwater permit to limit polluted runoff from its massive Ventura oil field based on evidence submitted by Channelkeeper.
2010
Carpinteria Stream Team Launched
Channelkeeper launched our Carpinteria Stream Team water quality monitoring program in partnership with the Cate School’s AP Environmental Science class.
2010
Paredon Oil Project Defeated
Channelkeeper played a lead role in the community organizing and education campaign that led to the defeat of Measure J, Venoco’s attempt to force its environmentally harmful “Paredon” oil development project onto the Carpinteria community via a ballot initiative.
2011
Southern California MPA Network Adopted
The California Fish and Game Commission adopted a network of 36 new Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) along the southern California coast to protect and restore marine ecosystems. Channelkeeper championed sound science and conservation as a key player in the lengthy stakeholder process to develop the network. We launched a new “MPA Watch” citizen science monitoring program to inform MPA management and enforcement.
2012
Settlement Agreement Signed to Reduce Sewage Spills
The City of Santa Barbara signed a major settlement agreement with Channelkeeper requiring a multi-million dollar investment to improve its sewer pipe inspection and cleaning protocols, double the number of leaky sewer pipes repaired or replaced each year, and drastically reduce raw sewage overflows.
2012
Regulations Adopted to Reduce Algae in Ventura River
The LA Regional Water Board adopted a regulatory program to reduce excessive algae in the Ventura River based on Channelkeeper’s advocacy and years of water quality data collected through our Ventura Stream Team program.
2012
Ventura River Trash Epidemic Addressed
Channelkeeper leveraged our watchdog monitoring efforts, which exposed the staggering trash epidemic in the Ventura River Estuary, to convince public agencies to implement new regulations that drastically reduced trash dumping and required routine clean-ups and ongoing monitoring.
2013
Plastic Bags Banned in Santa Barbara
Channelkeeper and the Community Environmental Council successfully advocated the City of Santa Barbara to adopt an ordinance banning the distribution of single-use plastic bags at stores that sell groceries.
2014
Ojai Quarry Cleaned Up
Channelkeeper and EDC prevailed in a lawsuit against the Ojai Quarry, requiring the Quarry to implement best practices to control erosion, reduce polluted runoff, and prevent blockages to fish migration in Matilija Creek, a pristine upstream tributary to the Ventura River.
2014
Seafari Cruises for Underserved Youth Launched
Channelkeeper launched a new “Seafari” program to provide educational cruises on our boat for underserved and at-risk youth, featuring interactive live dives in a kelp forest.
2014
Ocean Acidification Monitoring Partnership Formed
Channelkeeper teamed up with researchers at UCSB to support ocean acidification research in the Santa Barbara Channel. We purchased and deployed a pH sensor at Naples Reef, where we continue to collect samples to this day.
2015
Desalination Alternatives Feasibility Studies Required
At Channelkeeper’s behest, the Regional Water Board ordered the City of Santa Barbara to conduct studies to assess the feasibility of subsurface intakes and indirect potable reuse as alternatives to the environmentally harmful open ocean intakes used to draw seawater into its desalination plant.
2015
Wine Barrels Repurposed to Promote Water Conservation
Channelkeeper launched a “Rein the Rain” project to solicit donations of used barrels from local beer and wine makers, convert them into rain barrels, and distribute them to community members to conserve water through rainwater harvesting.
2015
Refugio Oil Spill Blackened Gaviota Coast
Channelkeeper played a lead role in the response to the Refugio Oil Spill, which spilled 143,000 gallons of crude oil onto the Gaviota Coast when the Plains All American Pipeline burst on May 19, 2015. We worked with spill response agencies and researchers to monitor the impacts and extent of the spill, advocated for a thorough clean-up, and championed policy reforms to improve oil spill prevention and response. We also launched a new tar ball monitoring program to aid the detection and response to future spills, and produced an Oil Spill Resource Guide to educate the public about spill response.
2015
Agricultural Pollution Regulations Deemed Illegal
Channelkeeper and our allies prevailed in a lawsuit challenging the adequacy of regulations adopted by the Water Board to address agricultural pollution on the Central Coast. The Court agreed the regulations failed to protect public health and the environment, and directed the Water Board to develop stronger regulations to better control pollution from irrigated agricultural lands in the Central Coast region.
2015
Plastic Grocery Bags Banned in Santa Barbara County
Channelkeeper and the Community Environmental Council successfully lobbied the County Board of Supervisors to adopt an ordinance banning the distribution of single-use plastic bags at stores that sell groceries in unincorporated areas of Santa Barbara County.
2016
Strong Rules Adopted to Limit Agricultural Pollution
Channelkeeper and Ventura Coastkeeper successfully advocated the LA Regional Water Board to adopt strong regulations to reduce agricultural pollution in Ventura and Los Angeles counties.
2016
Report Analyzing Water Supply Sources Published
A group of Masters’ students at UCSB’s Bren School of Environmental Science and Management conducted a year-long study and produced a report for Channelkeeper analyzing the costs and benefits of various water supply options for the South Coast.
2017
Tidepool Monitoring Project Launched
Channelkeeper launched a new “Citizens Scientists for Tidepool Assemblage Research” (CSTAR) Project in partnership with the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and MARINe (Multi-Agency Rocky Intertidal Network) to monitor the health of the rocky intertidal habitat at Coal Oil Point.
2017
Legislation Enacted to Address Legacy Oil Wells
Channelkeeper was a lead advocate for Senate Bill 44, which was enacted to provide state funding to inventory and cap leaking “legacy” oil wells off our shores, including the notorious Becker Well at Summerland Beach.
2018
Debris Flow Mud Monitored
Channelkeeper responded to the 2018 Montecito debris flows by sampling the mud dumped on local beaches, testing water quality at neighboring beaches, sharing our findings with the public and emergency response agencies, and ensuring that stockpiled debris was contained to prevent polluted runoff from contaminating creeks and the ocean.
2018
Central Coast’s Dirtiest Industrial Facility Cleaned Up
Channelkeeper won a lawsuit against Santa Barbara County for discharging polluted stormwater runoff from its South Coast Recycling and Transfer Station, the facility with the highest number of violations of California’s industrial stormwater permit on the Central Coast. Pursuant to our settlement, the County eliminated the discharge of polluted runoff from the facility.
2018
Moratorium on Offshore Fracking Permits Issued
Channelkeeper and EDC prevailed in a lawsuit against the federal government for failing to consult with wildlife agencies to assess and mitigate impacts of fracking and acidizing at offshore oil platforms on threatened and endangered species. The Court ordered a moratorium on any future permits for fracking offshore of southern California until the formal consultation with wildlife agencies is complete.
2019
Montecito Stream Sampling Effort Initiated
Channelkeeper launched a new monitoring project to assess impacts of the Thomas Fire and Montecito debris flows on water quality in Montecito streams.
2019
Straws and Styrofoam Banned in Santa Barbara
Channelkeeper and the Community Environmental Council successfully convinced the City of Santa Barbara to adopt ordnances banning the distribution of plastic straws and Styrofoam food and drink containers at food service establishments.
2019
City of Ventura Agreed to Limit Pumping from Ventura River
Channelkeeper and the City of Ventura signed an interim settlement agreement to limit the City’s pumping of water from the Ventura River and its aquifer when flows diminish to critical levels to protect fish and other wildlife.
2020
Sewage Spills in Santa Barbara Reduced by 91%
Channelkeeper’s 8-year settlement agreement with the City of Santa Barbara came to a highly successful conclusion, with the City achieving the lowest number of raw sewage overflows in decades. The 91% reduction in sewage spills resulted from the City’s court-ordered investment of $20+ million to repair or replace 34 miles of leaky sewer pipes, improve spill reporting and response protocols, and increase its pipe inspection and cleaning schedules, among other improvements.