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Stewards of the Land

Newsletter of Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District


Summer 2007 Protecting our natural resources benefits our economy and environment, contributing to our quality of life, now and in the future. Volume 7, Issue 1

WatershedPlanninginSalmonCreekaPriorityfor ResourceAgencies

TheGoldRidgeResourceConservationDistrict(RCD)re centlyreceivedfundingfromtheStateWaterResources ControlBoardtodevelopawatershedmanagementplan fortheSalmonCreekWatershed.Theobjectiveofthisplan istopromotevoluntarymanagementandrestorationin SalmonCreek.Thiswillbeaccomplishedbyhavinga landownerdrivenplanthatwillincludedataforphysical, hydrologic,andbiologicalfeaturesofthewatershedwhile alsoprovidingawiderangeofpracticalmanagement strategiestomaintainorimprovethehealthofthewater shed.TheRCDwouldlikeyourinputandparticipationon writingaplanthatwilldefinethevisionandgoalsofthe SalmonCreekWatershed.Communityinvolvementisof utmostimportancetothesuccessofthisproject.
Formoreinformation,pleasecontactLisaHulette,GoldRidge RCDExecutiveDirectorat(707)8742907orgoldrdge@sonic.net

SalmonCreekWatershedManagementPlan ProjectGoals Developaplanforlandownerstoguide ourmutualeffortstoimprovewaterqual ityinSalmonCreek; Showpublicagenciesthatimprovedwa terqualitythroughvoluntaryeffortsis possible; Trackcurrentwaterqualitymonitoring andthesuccessofrestorationprojects throughtime,and Writeaplanusinginputfromlandowner workgroups.

Yea, foolish mortals, Noahs flood is not yet subsided; two thirds of the fair world it yet covers Herman Melville
TABLE OF CONTENTS Estero Americano Grant Funding Available Gorse Information Green Valley Roads Asssessment Update Calendar of Events 2 3&4 4 5

Stewards of the Land

Volume 7 Issue 1

GoldRidgeRCDAwarded$1.7MillioninGrantFunding
TheGoldRidgeRCDwasrecentlyawardedaRangelandWater QualityGrantandaSedimentReductiongrant.Bothgrantsaimto improvewaterqualityintheEsteroAmericanowatershed. ThespecificgoalsoftheRangelandGrantare:1)toassistdairy andlivestockoperatorsintheEsteroAmericanoWatershedreach fullcompliancewithcurrentandfuturewaterqualitystandards, 2)toreducenutrientpollutionandsedimentfromenteringthees tuaryanditstributaries,and3)toenhanceforageproductivityand theeconomicviabilityofagricultureinthewatershed. TheprojectwillassistdairyandlivestockoperatorsintheEstero AmericanoWatershedtodevelopconservationranchplansand willfundinfrastructureimprovementstoenhancepastureman agementandtoenhancewaterqualityprotection.Duringthe planningprocess,operatorswillworkwithaconservationplanner toidentifybestmanagementpracticesandneededinfrastructure improvementssuchasoffchannelwaterdevelopment,cross fencing,animalwalkways,streambankstabilizationandriparian pasturedevelopmentthatwillresultinimprovedwaterquality conditionsinthewatershed.Theprojectwillalsofundawater shedwaterqualitymonitoringprogram. TheSedimentGrantalsoaddressesEsteroAmericanowaterqual ityconcerns.ThegoaloftheSedimentGrantistoreducesediment loadingsfromuplandsourcesinthewatershed.Theprojectwill reducesedimentloadingstotheestuaryanditstributariesthrough restorationand/ormitigationofactivelyerodingdrainagegullies locatedalongtheestuaryoroneofitsmajortributaries.Priority gullyrestoration/mitigationsiteswillbeselectedbasedonthelike lihoodofsedimentdeliverytotheestuary.Acarefulassessmentof soils,slope,vegetation,andhydrologicconnectivityaboveand belowselectedsiteswillbeusedtodeterminepotentialsediment delivery.Prioritysiteswillbelimitedtoerosionproblemsthatare managementinduced,andhavethehighestmitigationpotential. Aranchroaderosionassessmentwillalsobeconductedtoesti matesedimentloadingsfromthesesourcesandtoidentifyneeded roadimprovementsinthewatershed. IfyouliveintheEsteroAmericanowatershedandareinterested inparticipatingineitherofournewgrants,pleasecontactusat 7078742907.

Allprogramparticipantswillbe encouragedtoapplyforNRCS, EQIPfundinginordertoprovide costshareforprojectsfunded underthisprogram.Livestock operatorswithEQIPcontracts willreceiveconservationplan ningassistancethroughthe NRCS,PetalumaFieldOffice. Pleasecall(707)7941242x3for moreinformation.
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Stewards of the Land

Volume 7 Issue 1

Weed Management Area and Gold Ridge RCD Focus on Gorse Removal
Whatisaweedmanagementarea?WeedManagement Areas(WMAs)arelocalorganizationsthatbringtogether landownersandlandmanagerstocoordinateinvasive weedcontrolefforts.WMAsareuniquebecausetheyat tempttoaddressagriculturalandwildlandweedsunder onelocalumbrellaoforganization.WMAshaveprinted weedI.D./controlbrochures,organizedweededucation events,writtenandobtainedgrants,coordinateddemon strationplots,andinstitutedjointeradication,mapping, outreach,andothereffectiveweedmanagementprojects. MarinSonomaWeedManagementArea:Ourlocal MarinSonomaWeedManagementareaisbasedoutof theMarinCountyAgCommissionersofficeinNovato. Memberskeepaneyeoutforearlysignsofinvadingspe ciesandkeepeachotherinformedaboutnewweedre latedresearch. WhatisGorseandWhyisitaProblem? GorseisaweedofconcerninMarinandSonomaCoun ties.Itisaspinyevergreenshrubwithbrightyellowpea likeflowers.InCalifornia,ittypicallygrows36feettall andiscommononinfertilesoilsanddisturbedareas,es peciallyinoldfieldsandovergrazedpastures.Italsohas theabilitytopenetrateundisturbedsitesinopenareas. GorselookssimilartoScotchbroom,butthespinesarea suregiveaway.Gorsegrowsoutwardfromthecenter, formingverydensestandsandobstructswildlifemove ment.Plantoilsandconcentrateddeadmaterialatthe centeroftheplantmakegorsehighlyflammable.Its seedsareknowntobeviableforupto30years(some havesuggestedthatgorseseedisviableupto100years) andthevegetationcanresproutifdamaged. Formoreinformationcontact:LaurelThomassinatthe MarinCountyAgCommissionersofficeat4154996700. Gorse(Ulexeuropeaus)isbecomingacommonpartofthe landscapeinwesternSonomaCounty.Asdescribedin thepreviousparagraph,gorseisathreattoourbeautiful coastallandscape.Gorseformsflammable,thorny,im penetrablestands,sometimescoveringmanyacres.Itis threattoourbiodiversityandlocalagriculturallivelihood. Thereisnotalotofinformationnonthemosteffective waytoremovegorse.ThiswintertheGoldRidgeRCD developedasmallprojecttotestsomemethodsofremoval toseehoweffectiveandcostefficientitcanbeinourarea. GoldRidgeRCDpartneredwithDougGoreofDragonfly StreamEnhancementandtheBodegaVolunteerFireDe partment,usingamethodoffirstexcavating,andthen burninggorseonaranchpropertyintheEsteroAmeri canoWatershed.Asofthismonth,theremovallookssuc cessful.Nosproutsorseedlingsweredetectedatanyof thesites.Weareexpecting,however,thatafterafewrains theseedsinthesoilwillgerminateandwewillneedto continuetheexcavating/burningprocess.

Gorseeradication,withthehelpoftheBodegaVolunteer FireDepartmentandlocallandowners,intheEstero AmericanoWatershed.

Stewards of the Land

SedimentReductionintheGreenValleyCreekWatershed
Excesssedimentinwaterwaysfromerosionandroadrunoffis alimitingfactorforspawningandrearingsteelheadtroutand cohosalmon.Toaddressthisproblem,theCaliforniaDepart mentofFishandGame(DFG)isfundingsedimentreduction effortsinwatershedsthatcontainhabitatforthesesalmonid species.TheDFGhasrecentlyawardedtheGoldRidgeRe sourceConservationDistrict(RCD)$69,000ingrantfunding toassessruralroadsintheGreenValleyCreekWatershed. GreenValleyCreekisoneofonlyfiveremainingstreamsin theRussianRiverWatershedwherewildpopulationsofcoho salmonareknowntoexist.Sedimentfromroadscanresultin reducedgrowthandspawningsuccess,increasedmortality, andtheeliminationofimportantwinterrefuge. OnbehalfoftheRCD,PacificWatershedAssociates(PWA) willconductaroadandsedimentsourcesurveythisfall.Ru ralroadsthataredeterminedbyPWAtoproducelarge amountsofsedimentwillbeconsideredhighprioritysitesfor futureupgradeandmitigationwork.Oncethesesiteshave beenidentified,theRCDwillpursueadditionalfundingto completethiswork,whichmayincludeculvertreplacement, outslopingofroads,andditchreliefculverts. TheRCDandPWAwillbeholdingtwoinformationalpublic meetingspriortothestartoftheroadssurvey. TheSonomaCountyWaterAgencyhasprovided additionalfundingfortheseeducationalworkshops aspartofitseffortsinsupportingcohosalmonre coveryintheGreenValleyCreekWatershed.The firstmeetingwillbeheldAugust8,2007from6:30 to8:00pm.ThesecondwillbeheldinOctober2007 justbeforePWAbeginssurveying.Postcardswill besenttolandownersandwatershedresidents closertothedateoftheworkshop.Tosignupto haveyourroadsurveyedorformoreinformation pleasecontactBrittanyHeckat(707)8742907or rcdasst@sonic.net

CONTACT INFORMATION Gold Ridge RCD PO Box 1064 Phone: 707-874-2907 Fax: 707-874-9607 Email: goldrdge@sonic.net

Undersizedculverthaspluggedandisnow floodingtheroadandparkinglot.

PRE Treatment

RCD Website: www.goldridgercd.org NRCS Sonoma-Marin Office 1301 Redwood Way, Ste 170 Petaluma, CA 94954 Phone: 707-794-1242 ext.3 NRCS Russian River Office 405 South Orchard Ave Ukiah, CA 95482 Phone: 707-468-9223 ext.3

POST Treatment

Undersizedculvertwasremoved.Theproper culvertwastheninstalledandsetatgrade. Theflaredoutletswillpreventtheculvertfrom plugging. 4

Stewards of the Land

Volume 7 Issue 1

Gold Ridge RCD Hires New Range Manager


DeviiRao(right)recentlygraduated fromUCBerkeleywithaM.S.in RangeManagement.Shereceived herB.A.inEnvironmentalStudies withaminorinEconomicsfromUC SantaCruz. Deviihasspentthelast10years workingonavarietyofprojectsrangingfromgrasslandecologyto habitatrestoration.SheisexcitedtobeemployedatGoldRidge RCDwhereshecanworktowardherdualgoalsofmaintainingbio diversityandenhancingtheviabilityoflocalagriculture.Deviiwill beworkingwithLisaBush,CaliforniaCertifiedRangelandManager (left),onprojectsfortheRCD.

CHECKOUTTHENEWGOLD RIDGERESOURCECONSERVA TIONDISTRICTWEBSITEAT WWW.GOLDRIDGERCD.ORG. THEREARECURRENTGOLD RIDGERCDPROGRAMINFOR MATION,UPCOMINGGRANT OPPORTUNITIES,ANDWATER SHEDDOCUMENTS AVAILABLE. WEVALUEYOURINPUTAND COMMENTS.

CALENDSAR OF EVENTS
RCDBoardofDirectorsMeetings ThethirdThursdayofeverymonth,7pm9pmattheRCDOffice. GoldRidgeResourceConservationDistrictWillBeClosed! FromJune27thtoJuly6ththeRCDwillbeclosedbecausewearerelocatingour officeto14775ThirdStreetinOccidental. GreenValleyRoadsPublicWorkshop GoldRidgeRCDandPacificWatershedAssociates(PWA)willbehostingapublicmeetingonAugust 8th.Wehopeallinterestedresidentswillattendtolearnwhyaroadsassessmentisimportant,howthe roadsurveywilloccur,whoiseligible,andwhatwillhappenafterthesurveyiscompleted.Wewill postaflyeronourwebsitewithmoreinformationwww.goldridgercd.org. ForestStewardshipWorkshops PlannedforSeptember29intheMarkWestCreekWatershed,andOctober13thintheOccidentalarea. Workshoptopicswillinclude: Erosioncontrol(whyrepairingroadsandstreamcrossingsisimportanttohealthywatershedsand fisheries) ABCsoffiresafetyandfuelsmanagement ManagingSuddenOakDeath ContacttheBrittanyHeck,ProjectCoordinatorattheGoldRidgeRCDat(707)8742907or rcdasst@sonic.netformoreinformation.
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Gold Ridge RCD

Presorted Standard US Postage Paid Santa Rosa, CA Permit No. 64

Summer 2007

Volume 7, Issue 1

PO Box 1064 Occidental, CA 95465

RCDMissionandVision:

THE GRRCD STAFF

ThemissionoftheGoldRidgeRCDisto assistlandownersinaddressingconcerns bymaintainingapresenceinnatural resourceconservationworkinall watershedswithintheDistrict.The GRRCDcanprovideaconduitfor landownersthroughwhomlocal,state, andfederalmoniescanbeobtainedto supportandimplementrestoration programsandpractices.TheVisionof ourDistrictistoensurethecontinuation ofstrong,productive,andviable agriculturalendeavorsinWestern SonomaCountybyimprovingsoiland waterqualityinordertoprovidean economicallyandecologicallyviableand healthyagriculturalcommunity.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETINGS: Third Thursday of each month at 7:00 pm At the GRRCD Office 2020 BARLOW LN SEBASTOPOL MEETINGS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Joe Pozzi District Manager Lisa Hulette Executive Director Patricia Hickey
Resource Conservationist

THE NRCS STAFF Charlette Epifanio District Conservationist Eric Kennedy Soil Conservationist (Russian River) Chester Gin Soil Conservation Tech

Brittany Heck Project Coordinator Devii Rao Range Manager Board of Directors John Black Bud Chenoweth Joe Dutton Barry Fisher Don Peterson Associate Directors Diane Nissen

Jessica Sternfels Soil Conservationist Liz Hilkert Agricultural Engineer Kristan Flynn Range Management Specialist

Newsletter support is provided by the USDA Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), California State Coastal Conservancy, California Department of Fish and Game, the State Water Resources Control Board and locally by the Sonoma County Water Agency. 6

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