COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT PROJECT
2005 REVIEW OF NATURAL ENVIRONMENT GOALS

When the CAP project began in 1994, a comprehensive effort was undertaken to poll the community and host focus groups to discuss what was important to quality of life in Santa Cruz County. Residents were polled outside grocery stores, on the phone and contributed ideas in meetings all over the county. The project originally addressed five areas; Economy, Education, Health, Public Safety and Social Environment. A few years later, a chapter on the Natural Environment was added. From those efforts, priorities emerged and goals were set to guide us to the year 2005.

1994 Goals (to be achieved by 2004):

1. Water demand and supply will be in balance (sustainable yield).
2. Environmental stewardship will increase within Santa Cruz County.
3. Open space, wetlands and protected habitats will be increased and improved.

Goal 1 - Water demand and supply will be in balance (sustainable yield): The data provided in the CAP reports may not be adequate to assess whether this goal has been met. Some of the data shows that the original goal for sustainable water yield has not been met, and water will continue to be an important issue in Santa Cruz County in the future. From 1998 to 2000 Santa Cruz County produced an average of 9,580 million gallons of water and used an average of 12,250 million gallons. Non-agricultural water use has decreased per service connection in most areas since 1994, but there are more service connections in every water district and consequentially, county-wide water use has increased overall.

Goal 2 - Environmental stewardship will increase within Santa Cruz County: The data shown in 2005 Community Assessment Project progress report shows that the community was were mostly concerned with water pollution and water quality (23.7%), traffic issues (17.6%), development of open space (12.5 %) and air pollution – primarily car emissions (12.1 %). With regard to how stewardship activities have affected open space and habitat, see Goal 3.

Most people polled in 2005 were concerned primarily with water pollution and water quality. All major county waterways are at least 70% impaired with pollutants, although 6 out of 11 have shown improvement. As 6 of the 11 impaired waterways have improved since 1994, we can assume that citizens are aware that their actions at home can contribute to water pollution, and are beginning to take steps to lessen their impact on our water supplies. Most of these waterways, however, are still significantly impaired, with two contributing factors being urban runoff and non-point source pollution (potentially related to urban applications of pesticides and herbicides). In addition, the percentage of people who felt that their drinking water quality was getting better dropped by 5.3%. So, although there has been some improvement with water quality and pollution, there is room for considerable improvement in environmental stewardship as it relates to water quality in Santa Cruz County.

Environmental stewardship related to water usage has improved dramatically, with 77% of respondents indicating that they are taking active steps to reduce water use. On the other hand, as mention in the assessment of goal one, the number of service connections has increased since 1994 due to increased population. Consequently, residents of Santa Cruz County will have to take more steps to conserve water as our population rises in order to achieve success with the environmental stewardship goal.

Regarding the public’s concern about traffic issues and air pollution (related to car emissions), few positive changes have been made as far as stewardship is concerned. Overall, bus ridership decreased by 16.8% since 1994, daily vehicle miles traveled increased 13.3%, and motor vehicle registrations increased by 31.3%. With regards to air quality, although public complaints have dropped slightly since 1994 (-0.7%), given that the use of alternative transportation has decreased and motor vehicle registration has increased, environmental stewardship related to all aspects of transportation issues is in decline.

Goal 3 - Open space, wetlands and protected habitats will be increased and improved: Since 1999, preserved habitat in Santa Cruz County has increased by 6,066 acres, a 2.1% increase. Open Space, defined as “parks and open spaces that are owned and administered by the local government, or land trust holdings that are ten acres or larger,” increased by over 3,000 acres in the same period. Additionally, acreage held or under protective easements with the land trusts increased by over 9,000 acres. Farmland acreage that is actively “in production” declined in the County declined by 25.6%, however, only 710 acres of the over 42,000 acres of farmland have been converted to urban uses. In sum, the County still has more agricultural acres than it does urban and built up acres, and has also restrained the conversion of agricultural land to urban uses so far. The urban developments and agriculture have had their impact on open space resources and aquatic habitats. For example, as of 2005 Watsonville Slough, the main wetland area with over 300 open space acres in Santa Cruz County, is considered 100% impaired by such pollutants pathogens, pesticides and sedimentation. In conclusion, although habitat and open space acreage has increased and improved, these gains are potentially offset by diminished health of our wetlands and waterways.

(Analysis authored by UCSC student team assisting the project)

These three goals have focused our community attention from the mid-1990s through 2005. What should we focus on next? It is up to you to provide your ideas, and vote on our priorities.

Take me to the CAP survey now! Or call 426-5925 x101 and ask for a CAP survey to be mailed to you.