MINUTES
Feather River Coordinated Resource Management Group
Steering/Management
Committee Spring 2007 Meeting
Meeting Time: Wednesday, June 6th, 1pm; Plumas County Quincy Library conference room, turn right on Bradley St. off of Main St. (Hwy 70), then right on Jackson St.
Dinner: Gansner Park, 6-8pm, BBQ- $10/person (hamburger- local grass fed or veggie, beans, salad and drink)
Tours: Thursday, June 7th, 9am-3pm (see below for more details)
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Reasonable Accommodations: In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting or tours please contact the Feather River Coordinated Resource Management Watershed Coordinator at (530) 283-3739, ext. 106. |
The FRCRM Monitoring Technical Advisory Committee will be meeting at 9am on June 6th at the Plumas Corporation office.
Meeting Agenda (Wednesday, June 6):
1:00 Introductions- John Kolb chaired the
meeting
1:10 Review/Approve minutes from November 2006
meeting.
Review/ Approve agenda
Dennis Heiman
motioned to approve minutes and agenda, John Hafen 2nd, all approved
1:15 2006 Annual Report – brief summary
Jessica Albietz briefly went through the 2006 completed
projects in the annual report with input from Jim Wilcox, Terry Benoit, and
Leslie Mink. Upcoming projects were
reviewed below. The Annual Report is available on our website at www.feather-river-crm.org We have been doing an annual report for
about 5 years; was initially written to convey efforts to the Board of
Supervisors; the report is targeted to our partners, so they can report on
accomplishments within their respective organizations. John H. asked about deferred grazing on
Dooley- the rest period is 5 years, with flexibility depending on monitoring
results each year. Some maintenance
work will be done on Jordan in August.
1:30 2007 Project Work:
a. Revegetation efforts and planning update- Title III funds ($14,158) have been authorized for revegetation work, primarily to assist in getting the greenhouse at FRC operating as a sustainable community resource for native seeding efforts. Plan to partner with FRC and QHS ROP program. June 26th and July 10th reveg field tours planned (seed collection and weed removal) at Last Chance. Jessica secured some Patagonia donations for volunteer incentives. Suggested to use FRC Hatchery tail water as source for greenhouse; Hafen shared that the hatchery is currently out of water and TU is helping them find funds to drill a new well.
b. Poplar Creek- maintenance work is planned for the grade structure and the construction of an additional plug at the downstream end. Work is being funded by supplemental RAC funds. Landowner, Soper-Wheeler, approved site along road to excavate fill material. Hafen asked about restoration above the initial project. Discussion with the LO continues on this end; was some talk about the LO grazing again?? Used to be lots of beaver in the area, but haven’t seen any in years.
c. Antelope Valley- contract is with CA Fish and Wildlife Foundation to do initial survey and design proposal. Consists of state (CDF&G), federal (Tahoe NF), and private lands. Working with Randy Westmoreland and Jim Lidberg. Gabe Miller of Sierra Valley RCD is assisting with data collection.
d. Last Chance Phase II – Prop 50 –This is the Integrated Regional Water Management Plan grant applied for by the County. Received 70% of requested amount. Hope to have a signed contract in six to eight weeks. Environmental work would be completed in 2008, with construction planned for 2009. Backfill funds for the addl 30% to complete construction in 2010 would be sought through Sierra Nevada Conservancy or possibly QLG??
e. Yellow Creek-Humbug Valley, PG&E –this site was part of the Rock Cresta FERC settlement. CRM completed an assessment in 2006 and reported to the Environmental Review Committee (ERC) in Feb. 2007. Asked the CRM to come up with an alternative with less ground disturbance and look at subcontracting archaeology surveys to determine where restoration work may be completed, as the area is a rich cultural resource.
f. Whitehawk Ranch – owners of the golf course have contributed $20K for initial survey and design on Barry Creek and Sulphur Crk. USFS has project upstream of Barry Crk, Terry working with Barbara Drake on this. Also, working with CalTrans to modify culverts.
g. Red Clover-Dotta –3 mile reach on Goodwin ranch upstream of 2006 project. Noble Ranch lies between the two project areas. Leslie did six cross sections to determine cost estimate for funding. Targeting 2011, as this works best for the landowner.
h. Projects scheduled for construction this year: Little Last Chance Creek, Smith Creek, Raap-Guidici, Dixie Creek, Ferris Fields
LLC scheduled to start Oct. 1st;
currently working with DWR on hydrology report for CalTrans encroachment
permit. NEPA decision notice to be
issued the end of June. Construction
bids out, close on June 15th.
Smith Creek scheduled for October; bids out, close in July. County wants to talk about culverts below the
project on county road. Raap-Guidici
(Haskell Creek) scheduled for August/Sept.
Dixie Crk scheduled for Sept., but may be October if Jim goes to the
Sequoia. Ferris Fields scheduled for
August.
2:15 2008 Projects:
a. Long Valley, Boulder Creek, Sulphur Creek (DePaoli-Seeliger)
Wilcox worked on plan view design this spring. Enviro survey contracts awarded; surveys this summer, CEQA and permits to be completed this fall. This project is similar to Ward Creek. Fish passage discussed. USFS has fish passage wiers in Happy Valley on upper Long Valley Creek. Passage from Middle Fork unclear, railroad may be barrier. In low water years, bottom of project reach is ephemeral. Boulder Creek runs parallel to Haskell Creek. This project will be constructed in 2008. Sulphur Creek on DePaoli-Seeliger property is a demo for other property owners in the Sulphur Creek watershed. The landowners have paid for the initial surveys and design work and the enviro survey work subcontracted out this summer. We are still seeking implementation funding.
b. Meadow Valley Projects: Silver Creek and Spanish @ Kellett’s –These projects are planned for 2008 construction. Subcontractors completing surveys this summer. If County bridge replacement is on similar schedule, they may be able to install the additional culverts.
c. Quincy Community Service District –The CSD will be constructing a tertiary treatment where semi-treated effluent will be filtered through a wetland and then discharged into Clear Creek before running into Spanish Creek. The created wetland will put continued hydrologic pressure on the banks of Spanish Creek. The CSD will soon be receiving a new plant design proposal that must be coordinated with the Prop. 50 tertiary treatment project. The CRM will continue to collaborate with the CSD as part of the Spanish Creek Assessment and Rehabilitation Strategy.
2:35 Unfunded Proposed Projects:
a. Spanish Creek – planned fall tour, proposed projects, and future funding –Tour is scheduled for November (date TBA) to share technology with other watershed groups. Proposed projects listed in Rehab Strategy; will be seeking funding through Urban Streams in the winter of ‘07/08.
b. Greenhorn Creek –awarded Title III ($19,550) to do initial surveys (18 valley wide xsecs and look at an integrated project design. Other interested landowners are Dutch, Labbe, Hansen, Reid and Bresciani. Shea Ranch paying for design work on their property this year.
c. Spanish @ Bresciani and Bengard –landowners possibly paying for design and environmental work. Other interested landowners Bengard, Shay, and Dutch.
d. Sulphur @ Barry Creek –USFS cottonwood release project, 6-acre timber stewardship project, money will come back to the USFS Barry Crk. upstream of CRM proposed project. Potential funding for CRM project in 2008 may be RAC, if Board of Supes decide to put money into Title II; will need to reconstitute the original RAC group. Discussion of funding led to the topic of appropriateness of using state and federal funds to fix erosion problems on private lands. In some instances, project benefits may be primarily local and may be principally for the benefit of the impacted landowner (e.g. preventing loss of property from erosion). Particularly for projects of this type, it would be good to have a locally generated revenue program to use as match against outside grant funding. Potential mechanisms for a local revenue program include some sort of assessment tax, local bond measure, local non-profit organization membership, more stringent cost-share requirements for projects, fund raising events, and/or user fees for benefits that come from Plumas County resources to other areas of the state.
2:50 Research/Monitoring Update
a. UC Davis Indian Creek watershed model and Middle Fork model –Indian Crk model will be completed in 2009. Middle Fork model is part of the county Prop 50 projects. County and State goal of models is a predictive tool for watershed use above Lake Oroville. Other research work being done by Sac State for NHI to look at water movement through Sierra meadows. Grad student, Kamala Brown is looking at Clarks Creek meadow where restoration work was done. Has installed pressure sensors in creek at 3 locations to monitor stage; will also be doing seismic work; sediment; infiltration; and evapotranspiration. Looking at water storage, water budget. CRM is putting in hobo temps in Clarks for UC Davis Indian Creek model study. Matt Kondolf, UC Berkeley, also repeated xsecs at Clarks last year.
b. Monitoring Committee report –2006 Monitoring Report and minutes from Committee meeting are available on our website www.feather-river-crm.org
c. Carbon Sequestration/Plumas County Ecosystem Services proposal –Awarded Title III funds ($17,000) to develop protocol and begin sampling this summer. Proposed protocol currently being reviewed by state and UNR. Treated sample sites will include Big Flat, Clarks, and Red Clover; untreated will be Red Clover @ Dotta and Last Chance @ Coyote Flat (part of LC Phase II). Part of Ecosystem Services proposal County is putting together; looking at getting carbon credits for landowners, in addition to flood control, and some cattle to help sustain land management in open space. Recent literature states wetlands are the largest sequesters of carbon, storing carbon in the root mass and soil. USFS is the first federal agency to recently join the CA Climate Registry. Possibly work with USFS-PSW on meadow carbon work. Joe suggested contacting Emily Moghaddas on the Mt. Hough RD. Mark Steffek initiated some carbon workshops held in 1998-99 through the RC&D. Red Bluff and Lodi offices are doing carbon trials with plant materials. Mark has publication “Growing Carbon On Farm”, which outlines potential for sequestration on rangelands.
3:00 BREAK
3:15 CRM
Education News –TU and CRM are partnering to secure a Patagonia grant to
hold an Environmental Film Festival, cost $1500. Grant is $1000. Hope to
hold on an Wed. evening at Town Hall Theater in the fall. Have been doing lots of outreach. For watershed awareness month in May held a
Stormdrain Stenciling Event in Quincy.
Same month Feather River Publishing did an Regional front page article
on the CRM and Kristy Hoffman submitted a From Where I Stand editorial on how
to care for your watershed. The
illustrated map of the Upper Feather River Watershed is almost finished and
should go to print by July, in addition to a landowner brochure. Most popular tagline for the Feather River
was “Clean Water Starts Here”; will be working on developing a logo and
promotional materials to put logo and tagline on.
3:30 Feather River RCD News –currently have a
vacant position; approved the purchase of a seed striper to be shared between
the CRM and RCD. CRM will be
responsible for housing and maintenance of the equipment.
3:45 Sierra
Valley RCD News –Gabe’s DOC funding is good thru the end of Sept. Networking
more with FRRCD. Current projects the
RCD is assisting on include: Antelope Valley with CDF&G and CRM, and Upper
Feather River Watershed group Ag Waiver monitoring with UC Extension. Recently
purchased a spray rig for noxious weed management, targeting tall whitetop in
SV. Planning a Sustainable Agriculture
Workshop on Sept. 21st that will cover solar, wind, biodiesel, organic
standards, and bee pollination; location TBA, probably Vinton Grange Hall; cost
$10/person. Future funding DOC, Prop 84 watershed coordinator grants, app in
Sept.; SNC; partner on education grants with other local groups??
4:00 Partner Updates: DWR, RWQCB, NRCS, USFS, CalTrans, CDF&G, CDF, Plumas County, UC Extension, Trout Unlimited-Feather River Chapter
DWR,
CalTrans, CDF&G, CDF, and UC Extension- no update.
RWQCB- Sacramento River Watershed Program, CalFed Watershed Grant program is establishing a pilot/ground truthing Watershed Health Indicator program to be an umbrella program that would cover all entities (RCD’s, non-profits, county, state, federal, private, etc.) Protocol still being developed; National Science Board looking at parameters that best indicate watershed health. Dennis suggested that the Upper Feather River Watershed may be a good candidate as a pilot. Would be broader than our program monitoring, including invasive species, veg mgt, water quality, etc. If interested, the CRM should submit a letter of interest as a pilot area. NRCS- Mark Steffek will be assisting Dan Martynn for the remainder of this fiscal year. North Cal-Neva RC&D will be having their 40 yr. anniversary celebration on July 19th. USFS, PNF- Upcoming projects include: Barry Creek; Sulphur (KV $), upstream of Barry; Red Clover downstream of CRM project, scoping letter sent, ad in paper today; Prop 50 projects include $300,000 of work in Lake Davis area (Beckwourth RD) and road work on other districts; BRD will review QLG projects in Last Chance this September. Other work on “Ecosystem Services”- exploring other commodities than timber, such as water and carbon. Recently held a tour with Washington D.C. folks from the Budget Appropriations Committee and Ecosystems Mgt. to explore this concept- visited Red Clover, Last Chance, and DFPZ projects. Plumas County- Update on Forum, 2nd $4mil contingent on the completion of EIR; Remaining 70K will pay for a program assessment by a 3rd party, and program administration for the next year. Public Works is currently busy with 2006 storm event projects. Lights Creek- Diamond Mtn. Road installing riprap, vanes, and road fill. Kings Creek on Warner Valley Road removing bar material and fill road. Pole Bridge- Warner Valley, fallen trees in creek oxbow, redirecting flow to protect structures. Arlington Bridge- Taylorsville replacing guard rails. Trout Unlimited, Feather River Chapter- Trout in the Classroom program implemented in numerous classrooms throughout the county this year. Hold three fish days for kids- Mill Pond and Randy Fuse Pond. Helping with FRC Fish Hatchery. Currently have fencing contracts with the USFS and FRLT. Annual Dinner to be held at The Barn in Graeagle on August 26th. Sierra Institute- Completed public information brochures with Prop. 13 funds for ABWAC. Working on consolidating water quality data for Almanor Basin and will input into Google Earth format on Sierra Institute website. Possible consolidation of data watershed-wide will require further data sharing between a wide range of watershed partners and funding.
5:00 Happy Hour @ Gansner Park (no host beverages available or BYO)
6:00 BBQ Hamburger Dinner
Suggestion for next Steering Committee Meeting- Have a map of the watershed to point out where projects are located. Have more discussion points, reduce routine project updates (they are in handout), and focus on issues related to projects, and areas where we could improve.
Attendees:
John Kolb- Plumas County Public Works
Scott Thompson- CalTrans
Sue Wilmot- Sierra Institute
Jessica Albietz- Plumas Corp, FRCRM
Gabe Miller- Sierra Valley RCD
Gia Martynn- Plumas Corp, FRCRM
Kristy Hoffman- FRCRM Education
Kamala Brown- Cal State University, Sacramento
Nancy Francine- PNF
Jim Wilcox- Plumas Corp, FRCRM
Joe Hoffman- PNF
Leslie Mink- Plumas Corp, FRCRM
Dennis Heiman- CA RWQCB
Barbara Drake- PNF
Terry Benoit- Plumas Corp, FRCRM
Mark Steffek- North Cal-Neva RC&D; NRCS
Brian Morris- Plumas County Flood Control District
Tina Hopkins- PNF
John Hafen- Feather River Chapter, Trout Unlimited
John Sheehan- Plumas Corporation
Itinerary
for Tours
Tour on Thursday,
June 7th: Bring lunch, water, hat, sunscreen, jacket, and waterproof
boots. Meet @ Plumas Corporation office
in Quincy at 9:00 am
9:45 am Humbug-Charles Creek
– Constructed in 2004 on the private lands of Bill and Judy
Michelson, north of Portola, the first
phase of Humbug/Charles Creek consisted of gully obliteration using the pond
and plug technique on 800 feet of Charles Creek, and on 1500 feet of Humbug
Creek. The landowner was also working with the NRCS to implement grazing
management changes. The project was predominately funded by SWRCB 319 funds for
non-point source pollution (sediment, temperature) and the by landowner. Total project budget was $201,000. The Phase II project was an extension of the
work done in 2004 under the State 319 grant.
The grant was extended to the end of 2005, to fund modifications and
complete the environmental documentation and acquire permits for the second
phase for $16,000 with $1,000 match from Plumas County Water Forum funds. Phase II entailed treating 600 feet of
degraded channel and headcuts along mid-Charles Creek, upstream of the ranch
main access road. Restoration included
installing sod riffles to raise the existing channel, so the floodplain could
be accessed when stream flows reached bankfull levels. Downstream of the access road, 700 feet of
the channel was filled with soil material left over from the first phase of the
project. Flows were diverted into the
remnant channel system. On upper Humbug
Creek, above the 2004 project, 800 feet of the degraded channel was also
treated and flows diverted into the remnant channel system. A rock grade control, channel-drop structure
was constructed at the most downstream headcut to step flows down to the stable
reach below. Funding for construction
was coordinated with the NRCS and landowner for $12,000, and was completed in
2006.
12:00 LUNCH @ Red Clover Creek
1:00 Red Clover/McReynolds Creek- Constructed in 2006, this
project took five months to build 64
ponds, 58 plugs and 2 grade structures along Red Clover and McReynolds Creeks
on the Goodwin Ranch and Plumas National Forest lands. The largest continuous
pond and plug restoration project implemented to date by the FRCRM, this
project restored 4.2 miles of stream channel and 375 acres of meadow
floodplain. Numerous volunteers
participated in collecting and spreading native plant seed on the plugs,
including Sierra Valley RCD, students from the Jim Beckwourth Continuation High
School, and Loyalton High School students.
Funding was provided by the SWRCB Proposition 13 CALFED Watershed
Program, with cost-share funding supplied by the Natural Resources Conservation
Service (NRCS) and landowner for fencing and off-site water improvements to
maximize livestock management and land productivity. Additional fencing, re-vegetation, and post-project monitoring
will be completed in 2007. Other
project contributions have been provided by DWR and USFS-PNF for monitoring and
rock, respectively. Total project cost
was $1.3 million. The final project
report will be completed September 2007.
Terry Benoit
describes the project design and objectives on Humbug-Charles Creek at the
Michelson Ranch.
Looking at the
“new” remnant channel on Red Clover Creek from the quarry on the Goodwin
Ranch.