Watercourse/Encroachment Permits Section
The Watershed Protection District requires a permit for any work or activity in, on, over, under, or across a District channel, or for temporary or long-term use of District easement or property.
This department’s role in your permit
The Watershed Protection District requires a permit for any work or activity in, on, over, under, or across a District channel, or for temporary or long-term use of District easement or property.
A watercourse permit is required by the Watershed Protection District for any work or project affecting the bed, banks and overflow areas of District jurisdictional red-line channels. When the work or project encroaches into the right-of-way of the District, an encroachment permit is required. Watercourse and encroachment permits are issued by the Permits Section of the Watershed Protection District.
For all permits, an application, location map, trust deposit, and insurance documents must be submitted. For construction projects, complete construction plans must be submitted as well. Additional documents, such as a hydrology and hydraulics report, structural analysis, and a geotechnical evaluation, may also be required. For all types of permits, all reports, plans, calculations, specifications, and construction submittals must undergo review and approval by the District.
Phases we participate in
Phases Watercourse / Encroachment participates in Other phases in the process
- 1
Determine whether you need a discretionary planning permit to complete your project.
Departments involved: Building & Safety, Planning
- 2
Gather information about your site, the regulations that apply, and potential constraints.
Departments involved: County Surveyor, Groundwater, Planning
- 3
Meet with the Discretionary Permit Coordinator and/or Development Review Committee.
Departments involved: Agricultural Commissioner, Engineering Services, Environmental Health, Fire Department, Planning, Transportation
- 4
Assemble required materials and submit to the Planning Division for completeness review.
Departments involved: Engineering Services, Planning
- 5
Application Review Watercourse / Encroachment
County staff begins project review and preparation of environmental documents.
Departments involved: Agricultural Commissioner, Air Pollution Control District, Environmental Health, Fire Department, Groundwater, Planning, Stormwater Program, Transportation, Watercourse / Encroachment
- 6
County staff evaluates your project's potential environmental impacts.
Departments involved: Air Pollution Control District, Environmental Health, Planning
- 7
The decision-maker approves or denies the discretionary planning permit.
Departments involved: Planning
- 8
Completing Your Project Watercourse / Encroachment
Learn about the other permits you may need beyond the discretionary planning permit.
Departments involved: Air Pollution Control District, Building & Safety, Engineering Services, Environmental Health, Fire Department, Planning, Stormwater Program, Transportation, Watercourse / Encroachment
- 9
Periodic review of discretionary permits to ensure compliance with approved conditions.
Departments involved: Building & Safety, Environmental Health, Planning
Forms, fees & reference documents
Please see type of permit (A-G) to get the full list of requirements. If proposed project falls under more than one category, the more stringent requirements must be followed.
A) Watercourse Permit (no ROW): minimal impact on channel
Installation of overhead lines crossing channel, biological activities within bed & banks of channel
- Completed application
- Insurance
- Location map including APN
B) Watercourse Permit: significant impact on channel
Bank protection, Arizona crossing, bridge, grading in/near channel, vegetation removal or planting in bed and banks of channel, utility line crossing under channel or over channel above ground, connection to channel:
- Completed application
- Insurance
- Location map including APN
- Engineered plans showing proposed work
On individual basis:
- Hydrology & Hydraulics (H&H) report
- Geotechnical report
- Scour analysis
- Structural calculations
C) Encroachment Permit: Access Only onto District ROW (property or easement)
One-time or short-term use of District road or Right-of-Way
- Completed application
- Site Plan showing District Right-of-Way limits, the extents of the requested access, and the proposed access points
D) Encroachment Permit: Work in District ROW not directly affecting channel
Staging in District ROW, underground utility line crossing under channel, underground utility line crossing over the channel, utility line crossing channel above ground, longer route or repeated trips on District access road, installing utility line along District access road, removing vegetation (including trees & branches)
- Completed application
- Insurance
- Location map including APN
- Engineered plans showing work and signed & stamped by registered civil engineer
- Geotechnical report
- Security for completion of work - See PWA Bond Book for more information
E) Encroachment Permit: Work in ROW directly affecting District channel
New connection to channel, bridge
- Completed application
- Insurance
- Engineered plans showing proposed work and signed & stamped by registered civil engineer
- H&H report
- Geotechnical report
- Scour calculations
- Structural calculations
- Engineering cost estimate
- Security for completion of work - See PWA Bond Book for more information
F) Encroachment Permit: Work in existing or future ROW constructing or rebuilding District facilities that will be owned & maintained by the District (plans will be on Y-drawings)
- Completed application
- Insurance
- Plans, reports, calculations, and specifications shall be per District standards.
- Engineered plans showing work and signed & stamped by registered civil engineer
- H&H report
- Geotechnical report
- Scour calculations/sediment study
- Structural calculations
- Engineering cost estimate
- Security for completion of work - See PWA Bond Book for more information
G) Encroachment Permit: CONTINUAL USE or MAINTENANCE PERMIT: Ongoing use of District ROW subject to conditions, or ongoing permission to maintain a facility (e.g. outlet, utility line) in District ROW
- Completed application
- Insurance
- Location map including APN
- Basic plan showing what items will be kept in District ROW for duration of permit.
Watercourse Permits and Encroachment Permits use the same forms for processing. The instructions, information about fees, application form, permit form, and list of standard conditions may be downloaded 2026 watershed protection online permit application instructions.
For insurance requirement information and acceptable forms please see this document: click Public works agency watershed protection district sample insurance certificate.
For those permits that will require a Performance and Payment Security as determined after the initial project review, a fill-in PDF Surety Bond Performance and Payment may be downloaded Watershed%20 %20Forms%20of%20Security%20Deposit.
Guide for Hydrologic and Hydraulic Study and Reports
The District has prepared a Guide for Hydrologic and Hydraulic Study Reports that may be downloaded Guide%20for%20Hydra to assist in preparing these documents as part of your application for a permit.
For typical applications a Trust Deposit of $2,000.00 is taken towards Plan Review, Investigation, and Inspection. An initial standard Permit Application Fee is deducted from the trust deposit automatically. For permits requiring plan check and inspection, fees are charged against your trust deposit for actual costs. As checking, construction and inspection progress, an additional trust deposit fee may be required. A refund will be processed or additional fees required upon closing of the permit.
After your application is received you may opt to pay by credit card. If so, please visit our VC Citizen Access information page. Once a record is created for your account, you will be able to pay with your credit card and you will be able to access your account throughout the permit process. In order to initiate your account, visit the User Account Registration page. A small percentage fee will be charged to your credit card in order to use this automated method to pay your permit fees.
The Board of Supervisors of the Ventura County Watershed Protection District adopts a resolution establishing fees for services. The last resolution adopted can be found here: Fiscal Year 2025-26 fees and resolution
The adopted fee schedule and current hourly rates are available here: Fee Schedules and Hourly Rates.
For typical applications, a trust deposit of $2,000 is collected to cover staff time spent working on the application process. Additional funds will be collected as needed to cover actual costs. Any remaining funds will be returned once the permit is closed. In addition to the basic permit fee shown in resolution, hourly rates are charged for staff time.
Checks are payable to:
Ventura County Watershed Protection District 800 South Victoria Avenue – Mail Code 1610 Ventura, CA 93009-1610
Need help from Watercourse/Encroachment Permits Section?
Reach out using the contact details above, or see how this department fits into the broader permitting process.