Land Management Plan - Part 2 Los Padres National Forest Strategy

September 2005 Land Management Plan Part 2
Los Padres National Forest Strategy
Figueroa - Santa Ynez
Theme: Figueroa-Santa Ynez Place includes highly scenic and easily accessible developed
recreation areas that feature mountain views, diverse vegetation, wildflowers and river access.
Figueroa-Santa Ynez Place includes portions of the Santa Ynez watershed, which provides an
important water source for rapidly growing coastal populations, important habitat for several
threatened, endangered, proposed, candidate, and sensitive species, and numerous cultural sites.
Setting: Figueroa-Santa Ynez Place is located between
the Santa Ynez River and the San Rafael Mountains,
which run northwest to the Sisquoc River. Elevations
range from approximately 1,000 feet to 6,182 feet at
McKinley Mountain with a corresponding vegetation
change that includes grasslands, chaparral, and oak
woodlands at lower and mid-elevations and mixed
conifer forests at higher elevations. As viewed from the
Santa Ynez Valley, there is a striking transition from
valley vineyards and horse ranches to forested peaks,
with mosaics of grass, brush, and rock outcrops in the
intermediate elevations. Views from Figueroa Mountain
encompass the entire Santa Ynez Valley, Lake
Cachuma, and on clear days, the Pacific Ocean.
This Place is easily accessible from coastal and valley communities via California State Highway
154. In the northwest portion of the Place, Figueroa Mountain dominates the landscape. Figueroa
Mountain Loop is an exceptional scenic route, providing pleasure driving through mountainous
and rolling foothill landscapes. Visitors can experience distinct seasonal changes, with periodic
display of wildflowers in spring, snowplay in winter, and day-use and campground facilities
open most of the year. The Figueroa area also provides access to the San Rafael Wilderness.
In the southern portion of the Place, the Santa Ynez River is the dominant feature. Gibraltar and
Cachuma Reservoirs date back to large water projects in the 1920s and 1950s
and were
developed for flood
control and community
water supplies. The
seasonally flowing Santa
Ynez River is the major
source of water for both
Santa Ynez Valley and
coastal communities.
The frequency of large
flood events is estimated
to occur every 16 years
and lesser flood events
every seven years.
Santa Ynez River and its
many tributaries and
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