Proyecto de sustitución del embalse de Vic Trace

La División de Recursos Hídricos del Departamento de Obras Públicas de la Ciudad de Santa Bárbara tiene previsto sustituir el depósito de agua potable de Vic Trace. El depósito se construyó originalmente en 1952 como un depósito de hormigón parcialmente enterrado de 10 millones de galones utilizado para el almacenamiento de agua potable tratada, convirtiéndose en el depósito más grande de la ciudad. Situado en el vecindario de Alta Mesa, este embalse sirve como un componente vital del sistema de distribución de agua de la ciudad, sirviendo a casi 60,000 personas o aproximadamente el 70% de la población de Santa Bárbara.

La ciudad de Santa Bárbara se ha comprometido a invertir en su infraestructura de agua, incluidas las instalaciones antiguas como las de el embalse Vic Trace, para garantizar un sistema de agua seguro y resistente para la comunidad ahora y en el futuro. Este proyecto plurianual diseña y construye un nuevo embalse de la misma capacidad capaz de satisfacer las necesidades futuras de calidad, resistencia y fiabilidad del agua. Las tuberías, válvulas y estaciones de bombeo cercanas también se evaluarán para su reparación y sustitución. Además de proporcionar mejoras significativas en el funcionamiento del agua, este depósito de almacenamiento de agua actualizado incluirá una mayor resistencia a los desastres naturales y al cambio climático, una mejor configuración para un funcionamiento más eficiente y una mayor seguridad.

La evaluación medioambiental de la fase 1 del proyecto se completó en otoño de 2023. El diseño del Proyecto y los contratos medioambientales de la fase 2 se aprobaron en el Ayuntamiento el 14 de mayo de 2024. A medida que este proyecto avanza, la ciudad se compromete a llevar a cabo un proceso abierto y transparente que involucre a los residentes y a las empresas cercanas a lo largo de las fases de diseño, revisión ambiental y construcción del proyecto. Esto incluye un sólido proceso de comunicación y divulgación pública, incluida la solicitud de comentarios a través de talleres comunitarios y otras actividades de participación durante las fases de diseño y ambiental.  Se prevé que las reuniones públicas comiencen ya en el invierno de 2025. 

Los nuevos embalses de almacenamiento de agua cumplirán las normas sísmicas actuales y contarán con tecnología y sistemas actualizados, que requerirán menos recursos para su funcionamiento, lo que contribuirá a aumentar la eficiencia general del sistema de suministro de agua y a mejorar su calidad, haciéndolo más económico para todos.

Sustituir el embalse de Vic Trace también significa mantener la capacidad de la ciudad para almacenar una gran cantidad de agua a nivel local, que es un elemento clave de la estrategia de Santa Bárbara para seguir siendo más resistente y resistente a las emergencias locales u otros problemas relacionados con el cambio climático (es decir, tormentas, incendios forestales).

Por último, el proyecto abordará las normativas federales actualizadas que exigen una seguridad más robusta para las infraestructuras hídricas (como se indica en la Ley estadounidense de infraestructuras hídricas). La ciudad está comprometida con la seguridad de su suministro de agua potable, incluidas las infraestructuras e instalaciones asociadas.

• Thursday, July 9 at 1:00 PM – Planning Commission EIR Review Hearing held at 735 Anacapa Street (City Hall).

Summary of all 2026 Project Public Meetings anticipated linked below:

2026: Road Map: Vic Trace Project Decision Meetings

Past Public Meetings:
May 18, 2023 – Water Commission Presentation
April 18, 2024 – Water Commission Presentation
March 20, 2025 – Water Commission Presentation
May 1, 2025 – Community Engagement Workshop
May 7, 2025 – Community Engagement Webinar
June 9, 2025 – Architectural Board of Review
August 19, 2025- City Council Presentation
September 17, 2025- SB Mesa Association fall 2025 Village Hall
October 1, 2025- Neighborhood Meet and Greet
October 16, 2025- Water Commission Presentation 
December 3, 2025- CEQA Environmental Impact Review Presentation 
December 4, 2025- CEQA Public Scoping Webinar 
December 4, 2025-  Street Tree Advisory Committee 
January 28, 2026- Meet & Greet Meeting
February 5, 2026- Street Tree Advisory Committee
February 25, 2026- Parks & Recreation Commission 
April 30, 2026- Neighborhood Meet and Greet
May 14, 2026- SB Mesa Association spring 2026 Village Hall
May 26, 2026- Architectural Board of Review
June 24, 2026- Draft EIR Community Presentation 
June 25- CEQA Environmental Impact Report (EIR) Virtual Meeting 

CEQA Draft Environmental Impact Report 

The City has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Report (Draft EIR) for the Vic Trace Reservoir Replacement Project (Project). The Draft EIR analyzes the potential environmental effects associated with the proposed Project in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). 

In accordance with Section 15087 of the CEQA Guidelines, the City has prepared a Notice of Availability (NOA) to provide responsible agencies, trustee agencies, and other interested parties with notice of the availability of the Draft EIR and to solicit comments and concerns regarding the environmental issues associated with the proposed Project. 

Document Availability: 

• Draft EIR
• Notice of Availability
• Hard copies are available at the City’s Public Works Department (630 Garden Street) and the Santa Barbara Public Library (40 E Anapamu Street)  

• Wednesday, June 24 from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM - In-Person Meeting 
  1633 La Coronilla Drive (next to Vic Trace Reservoir driveway)
• Thursday, June 25 from 5 PM to 5:30 PM top 6:00 PM - Virtual Meeting held via Zoom- Zoom Registration Link 
• Thursday, July 9 at 1:00 PM – Planning Commission
  735 Anacapa Street (City Hall)

The Draft EIR has been released for a 45-day public review/comment period, from June 8, 2026 to July 30, 2026. All comments on the Draft EIR must be received by the City by 5:00 p.m. on July 30, 2026, in order to be considered in the Final EIR. The public may submit comments:

• In writing at the in-person meeting on Wednesday, June 24 via comment card
• By email to  VicTrace@SantaBarbaraCA.gov 
• By mail to: 
  City of Santa Barbara Public Works Department
  Attn: Vic Trace Reservoir Replacement Project
  630 Garden Street 
  Santa Barbara CA 93101

A Final EIR (Response to Comments) will be prepared following public review and comment.

CEQA Initial Study Comment Period Completed Dec. 18, 2025

The Project team completed the CEQA Notice of Preparation (NOP) and Initial Study comment period in December 2025, hosting two public meetings on December 3 and December 4. Comments were incorporated in the Project’s Draft Environmental Impact Report, released for public review on June 8, 2026 (see section above for more details). 

To construct the Vic Trace Reservoir Replacement Project, 55 of 108 trees are proposed to be removed and replaced at the Vic Trace Reservoir site. City staff presented proposed tree removals and replacements (see documents below) and received feedback from the City’s Street Tree Advisory Committee on December 4, 2025 and February 5, 2026. 

On February 25, 2026 the Parks and Recreation Commission received a presentation from the Project team regarding proposed tree removals and considered the Street Tree Advisory Committee’s recommendation. The Parks and Recreation Commission voted unanimously to approve the Street Tree Advisory Committee’s recommendation approving: 

• Removal of 55 trees 
• Replacement with 75 trees to include oaks, cottonwoods, and elderberries 
• Tree removal conditional on the Project’s ultimate approval

The following documents were presented:

• Proposed Tree Removal Map 
• Proposed Tree Removal Table 
• Project Preliminary Drawings and Landscape Plan (to be updated to include 75 trees)
• Tree Removal and Replacement Presentation 

•    Victor “Vic” Trace was a pivotal figure in the early development of Santa Barbara’s municipal water system in the early 20th century. Trace was born in Springfield, Missouri in 1872 and came to Santa Barbara as a young boy in 1883. 
•    Trace was appointed Water Superintendent in 1900 by Mayor Charles A. Storke and one of the City's first Water Commissioners, Eugene Sheffield. 
•    Under Trace’s leadership, Santa Barbara advanced major projects including the construction of Mission Tunnel through the Santa Ynez Mountains (1904-1911) and oversight of the Gibraltar Dam (1920) building the foundation for the City to develop and thrive for generations. To this day, it serves as the most reliable and affordable source of water for the City. 
•    His policy as superintendent was quoted in the Santa Barbara News Press in 1937 as, “to furnish the city and its residents with a plentiful supply of pure, clear water at a low cost.” 
•    Although Trace’s long tenure as an employee ended in 1935, Trace went on to serve as an advisor/consultant to the City until his death in 1937.  His legacy lives on in the City’s Vic Trace Reservoir, built in his honor in the 1950s.
•    Trace’s career marked the transformation of Santa Barbara from a small coastal town with limited water resources into a municipality with engineered water storage, tunnel and dam systems capable of supporting modern growth. 
•    Other interesting facts about Victor Trace:
            -The City Mayor in the 1930s attempted to arrest him and the police chief refused
            -From 1900-1930 City water revenue increased from $6,000/year to $250,000/year
            -He lived on East Islay Street
 

Victor Trace

Victor Trace and his brothers, sisters, and parents.