San Buenaventura Mission Aqueduct

The San Buenaventura Mission was the ninth and last mission established by Fray Junipero Serra in 1782. Construction of the Mission Complex began in 1792 and utilized an aqueduct system that transported water from San Antonio Creek approximately seven miles away. During the winter seasons of 2004 and 2005, heavy local rainfall caused flooding of a nearby creek that severely undermined the aqueduct footing causing extensive damage and displacing portions of the aqueduct from their original locations.

ARG Conservation Services was contracted in a design/build capacity to comprehensively stabilize the stone masonry in order to prevent further deterioration and damage to the masonry. This was successfully achieved by up-righting the overturned sections of masonry wall to their original positions to minimize the direct exposure of lime mortar and cobble stone to the elements as well as by grouting and re-pointing the masonry.

Re-grading and installation of boulder rip rap also repaired previous flooding damage and will protect the site from future flooding as well. The stabilization and repair of this section of aqueduct at this remote site will not only allow visitors to understand how the aqueduct was constructed and originally functioned, but will reserve a small portion of the remains of a significant piece of Californian history.