Southern Steelhead Habitat in the Ventura Basin during a Drought Year

Habitat surveys for southern steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) conducted during 2013/2014 in the Ventura River, CA reveal the stream reaches which are most permanently wet, those with good spawning and rearing habitat and those which are useful only as migration corridors. Habitat results are compared to density of O. mykiss observed during snorkel surveys. Quantity and quality of habitat is used to discuss potential outcomes of barrier removal in the watershed.