Return to TOC Central Sierra Watershed Management

  

Minutes   The mission of the Central Sierra Watershed Committee is to promote the quality, quantity, and aesthetic values of our water resources through the conservation and restoration of our watershed.    CENTRAL SIERRA WATERSHED COMMITTEE Wednesday, March 26, 2008 MEETING MINUTES Sierra Ambulance Bldg (Take a right at the Yarn Barn) 40755 Winding Way, Oakhurst, California 9:00 AM Coordinator/Facilitator:  Jeannie Habben   1.              Introductions: 9:03 Larry Ballew – Coarsegold RCD  Christi Hansard – Oakhurst Citizen  Monica Davis – Picayune Rancheria Steve Haze – Sierra RCD   Geoff Anderson – Dept. of Water Res. Elissa Brown – Grant Writer Dale Drozen – Demand Open Government Jack Fry – Chowchilla Red Top RCD Jenny Gabor – NRCS – Madera  Don Nielsen – Concerned Citizen Chuck Leavitt – Oakhurst Comm. Action Com. Anne Lombardo – S.N.A.M.P.  Anne Steed – Upper Merced Watershed Ron Eng – CA Dept Food and Ag John Reed – Madera Cnty Water Commission Sandy Wright – San Joaquin Valley RC &D   Jeannie Habben – Facilitator & Chowchilla/Fresno River Watershed Tom Wheeler – Coarsegold RCD/Madera County Board of Supervisors  2.              Mission Statement Read by Tom W.  3.              Review of Minutes/Agenda No changes at this time.  4.              Updates, Handouts & Extra information for Committee Public Comment   §         For rodent control in Madera County; the Agricultural Department sells bait at their cost.  Also they assist customers in the legal use of pesticides including building bait stations.  §         Upcoming Events: April 1, 2008 – 8:00 am to 4:30 pm at the Harvest Hall, Modest California Watershed groups and other public organizations within the CALFED area involved or interested in non-native species (NIS) projects are invited to attend a one-day symposium on NIS management. The symposium will focus on the control, prevention, and eradication of NIS. In addition, specific attention will be given to funding opportunities and permitting issues.  Registration:  Pre-registration is encouraged. The symposium is free; however, there is a $10.00 fee for lunch. Participation is limited to 100.  Contact: Lisa Alamo, Exec. Director East Stanislaus RCD, 209-491-9320 X 121 or lisa.alamo@ca.nacdnet.net  April 2 at 5:00 PM at Yosemite Gateway of Realtors office in Oakhurst - Due to poor turnout at the last Valley Blueprint meeting in Oakhurst, they have scheduled another. Registration starting at 5pm and presentation starting at 5:30pm.    April 2 & 4 – NRCS Envirothon at the Wonder Valley Resort near Kings River.  This is an annual High School event that includes teams from all of California.  The teams compete in Aquatics, Forestry, Wildlife, a Speech contest, and more.  The subject for this year is Recreational Impacts on Natural Resources. April 8 -  at 5:30 pm - at the Midpines Community Center (6364 A Hwy 140, next to the Fire Station)  The Upper Merced River Watershed Council invites you to a presentation by Ted Selb, Deputy General Manager of the Merced Irrigation District (MID), on the re-licensing process for the New Exchequer and McSwain hydropower facilities on the Merced River.  The five-year process leading up to the re-licensing of these dams is carried out by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), and begins in the next year. Dan Pope, MID Hydroelectric Project Manager, and Jim Lynch, FERC Re-licensing consultant with Devine Tarbell & Associates, will accompany Mr. Selb. April 10 at 7:00 PM - Jack Laws presents “Exploring the Sierra Nevada as a Naturalist and as an Artist.” Sponsored by the Yosemite Area Audubon Society, the program will be held at the Mariposa Methodist Church parish hall on 6th Street between Highway 140 and Bullion Street in downtown Mariposa.  Laws spent six years creating his pocket-sized field guide to more than 1,700 species of plants and animals in the Sierra.  The book includes an impressive 2,710 original watercolor paintings by the author. Jack will share his experience and knowledge of Sierra Nevada natural history. Copies of the field guide will be available for purchase, and a book signing will follow Laws’ talk. Laws’ presentation is open and free to the public, although donations to defray program costs and to support Audubon’s local activities are welcome.  Refreshments will be available  April 11, 2008 – NRCS/RCD Youth Workshop at the San Joaquin Experimental Range, Hwy 41 - The goal of this workshop is to provide information while emphasizing the importance of our natural resources.  The way we manage our natural resources such as soil, water, air, plants, and animals is critical in determining our present and future welfare.  The conservation and wise use of these resources found on our croplands, grasslands, and woodlands are key elements in keeping our lands and society productive.    April 19, 2008 – 10:00 to 4:00 in Auberry at the Intermountain Nursery Earth Day Celebration – “Waterwise Landscaping” - Booths, bands, food, etc. April 27 – 10:00 to 6:00 - 2008 Earth Day Fair – Located in North Fork There will be booths, music, food and drinks, cultural activities, etc.  April 26 & 27 – Mariposa Agri-Nature Trail is holding the “Weekend in the Country” contact www.mariposaagtour.com for more information.  April 29 – 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm – Oakhurst Senior Center (on 425B) – “Living Among the Oaks with the Danger of Wild Fire” Coarsegold RCD and Sheriff John Anderson will be putting on a workshop about fire in the foothills. One subject that will be addressed will be how to build Wildfire Safe Homes.    May 8 & 9 – Bureau of Land Management will team up with local groups to conduct a 2 day event for elementary school kids to show the historical use of the land.  This will include kids from four schools and will be held at the area near Ahwahnee on the Fresno River on Road 600.  §         Ahwahnee Park Letter This issue was readdressed from February, when it was requested of CSWC to submit a general letter of funding support to Madera County for timely repair to the dam.  Concerns were addressed regarding the generalization of the funding, and after discussion it was decided that the letter should be sent as drafted.  SJVRC&D will be excluded from the letter due to the park being out of their designated congressional area of representation.  5.       Sierra Nevada Adaptive Management Project                         Presentation by Anne Lombardo, SNAMP Public Participation Team  It is important to know how vegetation treatments to prevent wildfire will affect fire risk, wildfire, forest health, and water. A team of university scientists has agreed to act as an independent third party, monitoring the effects of vegetation management treatments implemented by the Forest Service in two areas in the Sierra Nevada. Results will be used to improve forest management in the future.  The SNAMP project involves resource agencies, the public, and the University Science Team. Each group has differing but interrelated roles and responsibilities. The Forest Service will be planning and implementing treatments, while the University Science Team will be independently monitoring and studying the effects of the projects on four important categories: wildlife (specifically the Pacific Fisher and spotted owl), fire and forest health, water quality and quantity, and public participation. The public will be invited to provide feedback on the entire process.  The study in this area is focused in Cedar Valley, Yosemite, and Fish Camp and is a seven year study that is about one and a half years into the study.  Nine Pacific Fishers have been found so far.   It was recommended that the Upper Fresno River Watershed Assessment coordinate with this project so that the data obtained can be integrated into the Assessment. It was also suggested that the results of the water quality and quantity studies get integrated into the County’s Integrated Regional Water Management Plan.   6.      Madera County Water Advisory Commission – Update The Water Advisory Commission met on March 19 and also had a special meeting on March 8 in Oakhurst.  Their main project currently is the review of the Integrated Regional Water Management Plan.  They will be having another special meeting in to review this plan on April 7 at 10:00 AM to be followed by their regularly scheduled meeting on April 16 at 2:00 PM. The Board of Supervisors are still accepting applications for a fifth Water Commissioner, there are currently four of the five districts being represented.   7.      Project Updates q       Integrated Regional Water Management Plan – Jeannie Habben The County has completed the first draft of the IRWMP (800+ pages).  They have had three community meetings; one in Oakhurst on March 8, a second in Raymond on March 13, and a third in the Valley in conjunction with the M.C. Water Advisory Commission on March 19.  When these were completed, all public comment was due into the County by March 21.  Another couple of special meetings will be held to discuss the changes made in the plan.  These will be held on April 7 with the M.C. Water Advisory Commission with the draft presented to the Board of Supervisors on April 14 for review and possible approval.  It has been discussed that the county should get a second extension from the state to give public comment more time (through June).  Some of the issues that have been discussed with this plan are: -    Add a section on making the plan a “living document” -    Governance and plan management -    Review of sections involving shared wells and subdivisions -    Address in more detail: climate change, flood control, & watershed management -    Limiting parcel sizes -    MID’s right to bank water -    Farm watering techniques were not addressed  It was discussed that there is the possibility of working with the Center of Collaborative Policy through the Department of Water Resources to assist in developing the stakeholder process in Madera County for the Integrated Regional Water Management Plan. They would assist with areas such as: accountability, time lines, updates and new sections, and updating current sections. Working with this group will assist in broadening the stakeholder input on water policy in Madera County.   q       Fresno River Watershed Assessment Grant – Jeannie Habben Fresno State has begun the studies for this project and has brought in some graduate students to do some of the studies.  Luke Wang from Fresno State has already started created layers for the map that is to go on-line with the final project.  The County has transferred oversight of the project to the Planning Department from the Environmental Health Department (still under the Resource Management Agency). The RFP for the Project Manager and Project Consultant were posted with a submittal date of March 12.  The County received two applications for the Project Manager position and three for the Project Consultant position.  After discussion, the consensus was that if applications were received from qualified applicants, Planning should move forward with accepting a bid from those received, rather than reopening for further bids, so that the project would stay within designated timelines.  q       Madera County Levee Maintenance Plan/Project – Elissa Brown Progress is being made a little at a time on this project.  The Task Force is starting to work on Public Outreach so Jeannie H has ordered 500 of the newly produced brochures from Team Arundo del Norte for Arundo education.  These brochures will be sent to area landowners with other information funded through a grant from San Joaquin Valley RC & D who is also providing many hours of volunteer time through their Administrative Assistant. The next step the County has been approved to start on is rodent control in the Levees.  They are looking for assistance from community groups and kids in the community to assist with the distribution of flyers and the assembly of the PVC pipe units for the rodent baiting. Wild Link was suggested for this project. The County is continuing to do research on encroachments on the Levees to see where the issues are and then they will have a large community meeting to explain the whole process: why, where, how, etc.  All of next years Flood Control dollars have been allocated so more funding is being researched.  Elissa B is working on the 2008 Urban and Agricultural Water Use Efficiency (WUE) Grant Program grant application which is due in mid-April.  Funding from this grant would be used to eradicate the Arundo, and to thus reduce the unnecessary evaporation from the Chowchilla Water District channels. There has been a committee to assist her with mapping, measuring, and other strategic issues to write the grant.  The County IT department has been brought in to assist with aerial mapping of the Arundo in the waterways to see if this can be done without having to walk all 75 miles. The County has received approval from Fish and Game and the SJVAPCD to do a demonstration burn project on two miles of the sloughs. This project will decide if it is more economical to burn and then spray the Arundo as a means of eradication.  q       Yosemite/Sequoia Resource Conservation & Development – Helen George The Y/S RC&D has two new VISTAs in their office: Beth and Peter.  One is working on the Ag Nature Tourism projects and the other is working on computer projects searching for grants, etc. Yosemite/Sequoia RC&D received two Strategic Opportunity Grant Category II awards from the Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC).  One is for $49,999. to edit and reproduce "Welcome to the Foothills..." for Mariposa, Madera and Fresno Counties, and to create it for Tulare County.  The other is for $20,000. to put on Agri./Nature Tourism Business Development Workshops in Fresno and Tulare Counties, and provide follow-up business development counseling for participants.  We assisted with the SNC tour on March 12th and attended their quarterly business meeting at Bass Lake on the 13th.  Their quarterly meeting will be held on April 10 at Lush Meadows Clubhouse in Mariposa.  They are no longer working on the Soil & Water Conservation Conference or the State Association of Resource Conservation & Development Council’s conference because both were postponed until next year due to budget constraints.  q       Upper Merced River Watershed – Anne Steel The watershed staff is pleased to announce that the Sierra Nevada Conservancy has awarded a grant for the creation of The Merced River Center! This project is a collaboration between the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Upper Merced River Watershed Council/Mariposa County Resource Conservation District. The visitor center at Briceburg, owned and managed by the BLM, is a historic building adjacent to the river that provides an ideal setting for introducing visitors and residents to the watershed, its natural and human history, and its diverse ecosystem. The center will be renovated and equipped to provide river and watershed education and interpretation, as well as meeting space for watershed and community gatherings.  They are also currently working on their non-profit status and getting their feet wet in the FERC re-licensing process.  q       San Joaquin River Stewardship Council & Assessment – Steve Haze It was reported that this project is now in the outreach portion of the process.  This watershed covers two counties and has some challenges of having some very remote areas.  Steve H is the Project Manager and is working on contacting stakeholders in eastern Fresno County while Jeannie H is Assistant Project Manager and is working on contacting stakeholders in eastern Madera County. There will be notices going out in regards to all of the upcoming meetings and workshops.  The first are the community meetings: April 17 at 6:00 will be in Shaver Lake and April 23 at 6:00 will be in North Fork. These will introduce stakeholders to the project and invite them to get involved and attend the Team Building Workshop on May 3.  This workshop will hopefully get people excited and engaged in the process for the next 18 months. A few of the main partners for this project will be: the California Water Institute, the Inyo National Forest, and the Sierra National Forest.     q       Chowchilla/Fresno Watershed – Jeannie Habben Jeannie H was a speaker at the bi-annual Office of Emergency Service County meeting. This was a half-day conference on emergency issues in the County.  She did a presentation on Arundo donax as an emergency issue based on its flood and fire potential.  The presentation was about a half hour long with much participation from about 65 people present.  Other speakers were Sheriff John Anderson on general issues, also speakers on Fuel Breaks and fire clearing, and Ethanol Plants in Madera County.  Also on March 25 they held the third Dairy Workshop held at Farnesi’s in Chowchilla. There were 90 invitations mailed with many additional invitations e-mailed.  Invitations were sent to all dairies in Madera County, the Chowchilla Red Top RCD, Madera RCD, and the San Joaquin Valley RC & D along with the speakers in attendance.  There were 35 in attendance to the program that included Regulatory issues, Dairy cattle barns of the future, writing a Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan, Agricultural Pumping Efficiency Program selling Biomass to PG & E, and Phototrophic lagoon liquids processing.   q       North Fork Community Development Council – Volney Dunavan They held their monthly meeting on March 24 at the Mill Site. At the meeting they elected three new members so they are now working with a full board.  There is a very positive feeling now and they will start moving forward.  q       San Joaquin Valley Resource Conservation & Development – Sandy Wright The next Council meeting is March 27 at 9am at the USFS Supervisor's office in Clovis.  A presentation will be given by Self Help Enterprises on the rural community tour that was funded by SJV for State Legislators to experience infrastructure delinquencies in rural town water and septic systems.  Elissa Brown will be speaking about regional collaboration and capacity building.  California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley will be speaking about their state funded collaboration of county issues.  q       Coarsegold Resource Conservation District – Larry Ballew Their next meeting is March 27 at noon at the Mill Site in North Fork. They will be discussing all of their partners projects as well as their upcoming “Living Among the Oaks” workshop.  8.     Pending Grants & Grant Proposals       DOC/CalFed Watershed Coordinator Grant Program No word from the DOC on the results of the grant application for the Watershed Coordinator.  There should be an announcement at the end of March  9.     Legislative/Regulatory Updates California Volunteers announced a piece of legislation that is important to all volunteer and service organizations in California. On Wednesday, March 26th, the Senate Labor and Industrial Relations Committee will hear SB 1345 (Ashburn). This legislation is intended to permanently create a prevailing wage exemption for any work performed on a public works project by a volunteer or service member.    10.   Adjourn – 11:55.

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The mission of the Central Sierra Watershed Committee is to promote the quality, quantity, and aesthetic values of our water resources through the conservation and restoration of our watershed

 

Return to TOC Central Sierra Watershed Management

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