An Independent Special District
Providing Confidential Technical Assistance to Greater Santa Barbara County
About Us:
The Cachuma Resource Conservation District (CRCD) works with local landowners and groups throughout Santa Barbara County to conserve and improve natural resources such as water, soil, and habitat. CRCD provides voluntary, confidential consulting and technical assistance services to local individuals and groups to implement projects. Projects are often related to water quality, irrigation and nutrient management, agricultural community education and outreach, and habitat restoration.
The Cachuma RCD is not a government or regulatory agency. Upon request, CRCD works with individuals and groups to address resource problems that they are facing.
Typical CRCD services include:
- Mobile Irrigation Lab. The Mobile Irrigation Lab conducts on-site irrigation evaluations and tests distribution uniformity for agricultural, turf, and landscaping irrigation systems.
- Erosion Control and Engineering Services. CRCD’s engineering technician can provide engineering and construction support for projects such as drainage ditches, sediment basins, and erosion control structures.
- Bilingual Education and Outreach. CRCD staff conducts workshops throughout the year on a variety of topics including irrigation, fertilizers, pest management, and business management.
- Basic Water Quality and Soil Sampling. These tools help growers analyze their water quality, as well as nutrient content of water and soil to better budget water and fertilizer applications.
- Evapotranspiration and Precipitation Information. CRCD maintains the local CIMIS weather information station hotline. This number is (805) 928-9344 and contains information on recent evapotranspiration and precipitation, which can be used to better manage irrigation.
- Habitat Restoration Services. The CRCD also provides expertise for habitat restoration projects, including stream bank stabilization, "Arizona" crossing removals, and habitat enhancement.
The majority of our services are provided at no cost to the recipient. Current services and fees depend on funding availability. We look forward to working with you to address your specific needs.
District Office:
The RCD’s district office is located in the USDA Service Center in the northeast corner of the former Columbia Records Building behind Trader Joe’s (in the Costco shopping center) in Santa Maria:
Cachuma Resource Conservation District
920 East Stowell Road
Santa Maria, CA 93454Normal office hours are from Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.
Mission Statement:
The mission of the Cachuma Resource Conservation District (CRCD) is to promote land stewardship ethics that result in long-term, sustained use of natural resources while protecting and enhancing the environment. Founding principles include total resource management, effective technical services, diverse community partnerships, and strong grower relationships.
Quick Facts:
Area of Coverage:
Cachuma RCD covers 1.9 million acres in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Kern Counties.
County
Acres
Santa Barbara
1,775,360
San Luis Obispo
157,380
Kern
8,960
Total
1,942,700
Establishment in Santa Barbara County:
The first RCD was formed on the south coast of Santa Barbara in 1944. Additional RCDs were formed in Lompoc (1946), Santa Maria Valley (1950), and Cuyama (1972). The RCDs of Santa Barbara, Cuyama, Santa Maria Valley (1992), and Lompoc (1996) later consolidated to form the present Cachuma Resource Conservation District.
Project Partners:
Cachuma RCD works with groups throughout the Central Coast and state to effectively implement projects. CRCD works closely with the local Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) office, particularly on cost-share, soil, and engineering projects. CRCD also works with the local University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) office and UC Davis to conduct cutting-edge research on topics such as irrigation, nutrient, and pest management.
CRCD has successfully collaborated with various public and private partners to implement projects throughout the county, Central Coast, and state. If you or your group is interested in partnering with CRCD, please contact our District Office.
What is a Resource Conservation District?
A Resource Conservation District is a local special district. Examples of other special districts include school districts, water districts, and cemeteries.
RCDs are non-regulatory and meet their goals for improved natural resource management through voluntary approaches. The RCD can work with any local, state, or federal agency, as well as nonprofits, for-profits, and individuals. The RCD can often implement projects more quickly and with greater local sensitivity than government entities. Local Resource Conservation Districts consider the economic and environmental viability of the projects they work on. For more information, please visit the California Association of Resource Conservation District’s website at
www.carcd.org.
Board of Directors:
- The Board is the final point of responsibility for all district actions.
- The Board is responsible for establishing district policy.
- Our Board members are appointed by the County Board of Supervisors to four-year terms.
- Appointments are made in November of odd-numbered years.
Meetings:
- Board meetings are held at 1:00 pm on the second Thursday of the month.
Board Members:
Board Member
Region
Lon Fletcher
Board PresidentSanta Maria
Gary Cavaletto
Vice PresidentGoleta
Richard Russell
Secretary/TreasurerNew Cuyama
James Wegis
Maricopa
Ernest Righetti
Santa Maria
Lee Bettencourt
Santa Ynez
Leroy Scolari
Lompoc
William Pata
Lompoc
Timothy O'Keefe
Southern San Luis Obispo
Gerald Czarnecki
Associate DirectorSanta Maria
David Giorgi
Associate DirectorGoleta
David Wineman
Associate DirectorSanta Maria
Henry Van Wingerden
Associate DirectorCarpinteria
Anthony Brown
Associate DirectorCarpinteria
- Please direct any official correspondence to the Board to the District Office.
Affiliations: