Santa Barbara Channelkeeper v. City of San Buenaventura

Tucher, J.*

*1180The Ventura River watershed is home to Southern California steelhead trout, a species listed as endangered since 1997. Defendant City of San Buenaventura (City) has been diverting water from the Ventura River *1181since 1870, but plaintiff Santa Barbara Channelkeeper (Channelkeeper) sued the City and alleges that the City's current diversions are "unreasonable" because of the effect they have on the fish during summer months, when water levels are low. Nobody disputes that the City holds water rights that would otherwise allow it to divert this water, but under the California…