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Los Amigos de Valles Caldera – San Antonio

Tributaries and Valle Seco Restoration

By Steve Vrooman

Forest Landscape Restoration Act (PL 111-11, Sec. 4003(c)), the natural resources monitoring program objectives are:

(1) contribute toward the restoration of the structure and composition of pre-fire-suppression old growth stands,  (2) reduce the risk of uncharacteristic wildfire, and/or maintain or re-establish natural fire regimes,  (3) improve fish and wildlife habitat, including endangered, threatened and sensitive species,  (4) maintain or improve water quality and watershed function, and  (5) prevent, remediate, or control invasions of exotic species.

Monitoring Objectives:

Restoration using the plug and pond technique

Plug and Pond Construction

1 2

3 4

Removing sod tiles and digging pond Sod tiles saved

Building plug wall using clay from pond

Completed plug and pond with sod tiles covering plug

Benefits and Functions of Rosgen Priority 1 Plug and Ponds

Restoration to a historic channel

Restores water table

Increases wetland area

Retains and Releases runoff slowly

Restores wetland vegetation

PLUG AND POND TECHNIQUE Slow it, Spread it, Sink itPLUG

POND

Change in wetland area as seen from satellite

20142009

Monitoring Methods

Thermographs – placed above and below Plug and Pond structures

Shallow ground wells – placed in rehydrated wetland areas due to PnP

Vegetation transects – Line-Point Intercept with 3 parallel 100 ft lines and 300 points total

Wetland Delineation – throughout the tributary valleys

Photopoints

Monitoring & Plug and Pond Study

Control and Treatment Sites along San Antonio Six Tribs

Monitoring & Plug and Pond Study

Control (RED) and Treatment (GREEN) Sites in Valle Seco headwaters of Sulfur Creek

Preliminary Results Re-hydration is seen

as soon as pond fills

Vegetation changes will take longer to appear, increased % cover is seen in 1st year

Thermograph data from Spring 2014 will show if snowmelt runoff is attenuated from treatment, using Sulphur as control

BEFORE

AFTER