On 9/24, the U.S. Senate voted 81-12 in support of Ventura County’s plans to destroy the Matilija Dam near Ojai. If President Bush signs the bill, Congress will be authorized to spend money on the $144.5-million project. As the majority of the dam’s water storage capacity is hampered by an estimated 6 million cubic yards of sediment, water experts consider it largely obsolete. Destruction could begin in 2010.
