New Montecito debris basin opens where the 2018 mudflow catastrophe hit

MONTECITO, Calif. - The Montecito community is safer today with the completion of the Randall Road debris basin, on a site where tragedy struck on January 9, 2018.

The debris flow with massive boulders plowed through homes, vegetation, cars and took 23 lives. The damage zone extended onto and past Highway 101 and went into the Pacific Ocean.

In an area with fractured and missing homes, resident Curtis Skene reached out to government leaders to consider a debris basin above Highway 192 at Randall Rd.

Property values were among the highest in the country but a collaborative effort was formed to buy the land and design the basin.

Residents who agreed to the sale said they did it for the best interests of the community.

The basin has debris racks to catch the largest boulders and allow water and sediment to go through.

The nearby San Ysidro creek is adjacent to the debris basin but it was not dug out or modified. That would have required more time, permits and environmental analysis, in part because of species in the area, including the migration zone for the Steelhead trout.

"While this project is downstream from our existing San Ysidro basin just up the hill this project includes more elements as you can see," said Santa Barbara County Public Works Director, Scott McGolphin.

The project was funded in part by the county with support from state and federal financing for these types of preventative and recovery projects.

Many meetings were held with area Santa Barbara County officials, the State Office of Emergency Services, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) along with regional committees and residents in the flood zone.

The basin is an $18-million project.

A $13-million grant came from (FEMA).

$5-million came from county funds.

That included the purchase of six properties where the basin was constructed for an estimated $13-million.

Monday morning, several agencies and residents were on hand for the ribbon cutting at the basin.

They included Congressman Salud Carbajal, Santa Barbara County Supervisors Das Williams and Gregg Hart, Santa Barbara County Public Works Director Scott McGolpin, and state officials.

"It was important that the community support remain with us throughout the process," said Williams.

"Now after the next wildfire or flood event that occurs the hope is when that debris comes down the mountain more of that debris will be captured here helping to protect the community the neighborhoods and the network of roadways down below," said Santa Barbara County Deputy Director of Water Resources Walter Rubalcava.

Looking over the basin, Skene said, "I was kind of worried it was going to be deeper. I know it looks a little stark at the moment.  but I know it will all grow up."

Former resident Kathy Waldref has moved out of the area. Her family home was in the area where the debris basin is now located. "It is a heart jerker ya know.  These kinds of things bring it up again and afterwards  you kind of go on.   We bought a replacement house," she said.

She said she grew up in the area and went to the same elementary school as Skene.

For now the debris area is closed to the public.

In the future there may be a hiking trail in the area.