"THE FARM" AT SATICOY CHANNEL IMPROVEMENTS

"The Farm" is a new master plan community on the east end of Ventura, California. It consists in a new townhouse development located in Saticoy, an unincorporated community in a rare, rural setting among fields of flowers and citrus orchards. The development extends between South Saticoy Ave. and Blackburn Road, and from Telegraph Road to Los Altos Street. Due to the new construction of the development, paved roads and urbanization of the area, a new drainage system was required to collect and control the waters during rains and flood events. The primary project challenge was finding a technically sound solution able to stand the water velocities into the channel preventing soils from been eroded, able to withstand potential differential settlements and trying to maintain a natural aesthetic look.

Southland Civil Engineering and Survey, LLP designed the channel improvements along Tract 5774, on South Saticoy Ave, consisting of gabion gravity retaining walls to stabilize the banks of the channel. Due to their flexibility, permeability, durability and environmentally friendly features, gabion structures are particularly suitable for this type of application; being able to stand high water velocities, accommodate differential settlements and providing an environmentally friendly looking to the project. Other system advantages are that gabion structures are easy and quick to install, that being permeable normally do not require a drainage system and they promote vegetation growth. During 2019 Staben Bros Inc. completed the construction of the project, resulting in aesthetically pleasing and technically-sound channel structures, which have already successfully withstood several events without issues.