Board Studies Boating Options for Lake

VENTURA —  Testing the waters cautiously, officials moved Saturday toward expanding boat use on Lake Casitas but hardly discussed allowing swimmers to frolic in the pristine reservoir under rule changes likely next year.

However, the Casitas Municipal Water District board made no decision at a City Hall hearing on what new recreational uses should be allowed at the lake. A final review of options is set for a Dec. 10 meeting in Oak View.

Technically, no body contact is now permitted, because the Ojai Valley lake provides drinking water for about 60,000 people from mid-Ventura to the Santa Barbara County line. Small boats are banned and kayakers have only recently been permitted limited lake use as long as they wear wetsuits.

The recent opening of a new $9-million plant to treat lake water has prompted the discussion of whether it is now safe to use the reservoir more fully for recreation.

“I think they made the right decision not to make a decision [yet],” said Nikki Hankins of Oak View, a member of a 20-person committee that spent four months examining new uses of the lake.

The board voiced most support for increased boating--canoeing, kayaking, sailing and use of small boats--because the resulting body contact is not significant enough to require approval of special state legislation.

Swimming, wind surfing and water-skiing received less support from the board.

And, for safety and liability reasons, board members unanimously opposed allowing Jet Skis to skip across the waters of the reservoir.

Regardless of which new uses are allowed, the state is likely to require a year of water quality monitoring before any changes can be made. The new water treatment plant became fully operational only this month, officials said.

Jim Potter of Port Hueneme, one of about 40 people who attended the four-hour hearing, approved of the board’s cautious approach.

“I don’t think they have received enough input from citizens,” he said. “Everyone who comes to these meetings has their own specific agenda.”

Many of the 30 speakers to address the board advocated swimming in the lake, a sentiment that reflects informal polls conducted over the last several months.

“I’d like to see a kid when it’s this hot right now, wade back in,” board President Bill Hicks said. “But if swimming hurts the quality of the water then all bets are off.”