Cachuma Conservation Release Board

What Cachuma Conservation Release Board does

Cachuma Conservation Release Board (CCRB) is a California special district established in 1973 to protect and manage Cachuma Project water rights on behalf of five member agencies on the South Coast of Santa Barbara County: Carpinteria Valley Water District, the City of Santa Barbara, Goleta Water District, Montecito Water District, and Santa Ynez River Water Conservation District Improvement District No. 1. The Cachuma Project itself was constructed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in the early 1950s, with Bradbury Dam completed in 1953 to form Lake Cachuma; the Bureau of Reclamation holds the project's water rights permits for the benefit of the member agencies. CCRB's core activities include managing and defending those water rights, administering the 2002 Cachuma Project Settlement Agreement with downstream interests (Santa Ynez River Water Conservation District and City of Lompoc), participating in State Water Resources Control Board proceedings — most recently culminating in Order 2019-0148 — and coordinating endangered-species protections for Southern California steelhead through Biological Opinion work with NOAA Fisheries.

CCRB operates with a very small staff (the Executive Director, Peter Cantle, is the only named employee) and a board of directors drawn from its five member agencies. It is governed as a public agency, with revenue derived from member-agency contributions and assessments rather than commercial pricing, and financial information is not publicly disclosed on its website. Its technology footprint is limited to the Streamline website platform — a standard CMS used by California special districts — and its public engagement channels consist of its website, monthly public board meetings, and email communications. CCRB also maintains a District Transparency Portal for compliance with California special-district reporting requirements and an accessibility program aligned with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The business model is governance-and-advocacy rather than commercial: CCRB monetizes its role not through product sales but through statutory authority to represent member agencies in regulatory and legal proceedings concerning the Cachuma Project. Customer relationships are effectively captive and contractual — its five member agencies are both owners and clients — and there is no go-to-market motion in the conventional sense. Operational priorities center on regulatory compliance, fisheries protection, and preservation of water supply reliability for agricultural and urban users in Santa Barbara County's South Coast and Santa Ynez Valley.

Name

Cachuma Conservation Release Board

Legal name

Cachuma Conservation Release Board

Website

https://ccrb-board.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Cachuma Conservation Release Board is a California special district that protects and manages Cachuma Project water rights on behalf of five South Coast Santa Barbara County member agencies, while coordinating endangered steelhead protections and administering the 2002 Cachuma Project Settlement Agreement.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Utility Services

NAICS

Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241), Regulation and Administration of Communications, Electric, Gas, and Other Utilities (92613)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Health & Consumer Confidence Reporting (CCR, boil-water advisories, notifications) (EUANAJAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Construction Environmental Management Plans (CEMP) & Permit Compliance Support (EUAHAAAF)

Keywords

• Water rights management
• Special district services
• Fisheries protection
• Water supply governance
• Member agency support

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Barbara

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Cachuma Conservation Release Board (CCRB) is a California special district that manages and protects Cachuma Project water rights on behalf of its five member agencies on the South Coast of Santa Barbara County. Its services include administering the Cachuma Project Settlement Agreement, representing member agencies in State Water Resources Control Board proceedings, coordinating fisheries protection efforts for endangered Southern California steelhead, and providing board governance and district transparency support.

Product overview

Cachuma Conservation Release Board (CCRB) operates as a special district providing water rights management and governance services for its five member agencies on the South Coast of Santa Barbara County. The organization's core offerings center on the Cachuma Project—a water storage and distribution system operated in partnership with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. CCRB's services include managing water rights permits, facilitating State Water Resources Control Board hearings, administering the Cachuma Project Settlement Agreement, providing board governance support with regular public meetings, and maintaining a district transparency portal with financial and operational documents. The board also coordinates fisheries protection efforts for endangered steelhead in the Santa Ynez River through the Lower Santa Ynez River Fish Management Plan and Biological Opinion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cachuma Project Water Rights Management

Named customers5 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019In September 2019, the State Water Resources Control Board issued a new water rights order for Cachuma Project Operations, representing a major regulatory milestone.
• Santa Ynez River Water Conservation District ID No. 1coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2002Historic settlement agreement executed in 2002 that resolved key issues related to protection of downstream water rights. Parties developed understanding of downstream water quality and supply impacts. The agreement also addresses fisheries management actions for endangered steelhead protection.
• Santa Ynez River Water Conservation DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2002Signatory to the Cachuma Project Settlement Agreement, resolving key issues related to downstream water rights on the Lower Santa Ynez River.
• City of LompoccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2002Signatory to the Cachuma Project Settlement Agreement, resolving downstream water rights interests in the Lower Santa Ynez River.
• U.S. Bureau of ReclamationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1958The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation holds the Cachuma Project water rights permits for the benefit of the five Cachuma Project Member Units. CCRB works with Reclamation on project operations, water rights management, and fisheries protection measures including the preparation of Biological Opinions for endangered Steelhead.
• National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCRB is participating in the preparation of a new Biological Opinion for endangered Steelhead with the Bureau of Reclamation, addressing federal Endangered Species Act requirements.
• Central Coast Water AuthorityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional organization working on water supply and management in the Central Coast region.
• Cachuma Operation & Maintenance BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCachuma Operation & Maintenance Board handles day-to-day operations and maintenance of the Cachuma Project facilities.
• Santa Barbara County Water AgencyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty agency responsible for water supply coordination in Santa Barbara County.
• California Department of Water ResourcescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency regulating water rights in California.
• California Department of Fish and GameminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency responsible for fish and wildlife conservation in California.
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency responsible for protecting endangered species including steelhead.

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Market position

Competitive moat3 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cachuma Conservation Release Board