River Partner JOURNAL • Page 1

JOURNALMarch 2013 • Volume 9

River Partners, Team to Set Vision for a Flood Safe Mid-San Joaquin River Region

Merganser chicks. Photo by Ronnie Wilson

Burrowing owl. Photo by David Neubert.

In This Issue

Message from the Board 2Chair: Restoration on the Otay River

Kern River Project 3Gets Funding Boost

Bear River Restoration 4-5Framework for Multi-Benefit Projects

River Partners Puts the 6San Joaquin Valley to Work

River Partners, Reclamation District 2092 (Dos Rios Ranch), and Stanislaus County are

teaming up to work with DWR to write a Regional Flood Management Plan for the Mid San Joaquin River Region. The Plan will describe our “vision for a flood safe region” including multiple benefit projects and collaboration amongst local interests. The planning process will include broad stakeholder engagement

Flooding within RD 2092 (right) and at the San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge (left) in March of 2011.

from landowners to municipalities, irrigation districts to county planners. We have already received 15 letters of support from various partners in the region, and look forward to hearing from even more partners as the process unfolds.

Anyone interested in joining the email list may do so by contacting info@riverpartners.org with RFMP in the subject line.

Celebrating our 15th Year!

Page 2 • River Partner JOURNAL

580 Vallombrosa Ave. 912 11th Street, Ste. LL2Chico, CA 95926 Modesto, CA 95354Ph: 530.894.5401 Ph: 209.521.1700Fx: 530.894.2970 Fx: 209.521.7327

info@riverpartners.org • www.riverpartners.orgThe Journal is published by River Partners, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit public benefit corporation. Our mission is to create wildlife habitat for the benefit of people and the environment.

Page 2 • River Partners JOURNAL

Staff

Board of Directors Kathy Barrett, SynthesisStarlyn BrownJohn Carlon, Sierra Cascade Blueberry FarmKen Grossman, Sierra Nevada Brewing CompanyAllen Hackett, Hackett Farming Mark Kimmelshue, Legacy AssociatesTom Lando, Lando & Associates Suellen Rowlison, R.N. Irving Schiffman, CSUC, Political ScienceMonroe Sprague, M.D.

Message from the Board Chair

Chico Staff:John Carlon, PresidentDavid Neubert, Vice President, New BusinessJessica Bourne, Deputy Director of FinanceTad Alexander, Senior Project ManagerJulie Pokrandt, Public AffairsMona Dagy, Executive AssistantDeborah McLaughlin, Senior Account ManagerDr. Tom Griggs, Senior Restoration EcologistHelen Swagerty, Senior Restoration BiologistMichael Rogner, Associate Restoration BiologistRuben Reynoso, Jr., Restoration Field ManagerLuis Velasquez, Field ForemanChuck Lundgren, IT ManagerMichael Cook, Grant and Contract Coordinator

Field Technicians:Eligio HernandezFrancisco JaureguiJared Hicks

Modesto Staff:Julie Rentner, Central Valley Regional DirectorJohn DiGregoria, Restoration EcologistJeff Holt, Restoration BiologistTrevor Meadows, Restoration BiologistKeegan Aspelund, Project AssistantStephen Sheppard, Director of OperationsSalvador Barragan, Field ForemanFeliciano Degante, Field Technician

By Irv Schiffman

JOURNAL printed on recycled paper.Continued on next page

San Diego Staff:Heyo Tjarks, Project ManagerJose Granados, Field Foreman

Journal design & layout: Tempra Board

As River Partners enters its fifteenth year as a leading provider of riparian restoration, it continues to expand its activities along California rivers while gaining the support of new partners.

During the past few years, we have increased our presence in the southern part of the state by planning and engaging in restoration work with a number of projects there. Several of these projects are located in the Otay River Watershed in southwest San Diego County, namely, the Otay River Delta project, the Rancho Jamul project which includes restoration sites at the Rancho Jamul Ecological Preserve and the Hollenbeck Canyon Wildlife Area. Additionally, we have been awarded a grant from the California Department of Water Resources to begin work on the new project at Upper Otay Reservoir.

The new partners in these efforts are the City of San Diego Public Utilities Department, the San Diego Foundation, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge, Friends of the Otay Valley Regional Park and WILDCOAST, an international conservation group.

The Otay River Delta Habitat Restoration Project, located on the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge, is designed to restore fifty acres of riparian habitat at the point where the Otay River reaches the San Diego Bay. The planting of 19,000 native trees, plants and grasses on the site will improve the quality and continuity of habitat for a variety of neo-tropical migratory and resident birds, including the listed Least Bell’s Vireo and California Gnatcatcher, raptors, as well as other native wildlife.

The completed project will be on view to passengers in the millions of cars annually that go directly by each day on Interstate Highway 5.

The Hollenbeck Canyon Wildlife Area was purchased by the Department of Fish and Game (now Fish and Wildlife) in 2001 and serves as an ecological corridor connecting to the Department’s existing open space reserve (Rancho Jamul Ecological Reserve) immediately to the west, and the BLM’s Otay Mountain Wildlife Management and Wilderness Area immediately to the south. Such corridors are essential to the bringing of a degree of cohesion to otherwise fragmented ecosystems. River Partners has begun work at the Hollenbeck site removing invasive species, creating a habitat restoration plan and contracting with a local native plant nursery to produce seedlings. Planting will begin in the spring of 2013. When completed, this site along with its twin, located on the Rancho Jamul Ecological Preserve, three miles to the west, will provide 178 acres of quality habitat, enhance biodiversity and serve the thirty threatened and endangered species that inhabit the watershed.

The Upper Otay Reservoir restoration project will be implemented in an area where rural San Diego County abruptly meets high density urban development. Urban runoff from landscaping and other urban water sources has significantly

Restoration on the Otay River

Cesar ChavezRicardo NavarroJoel DeLaTorre

River Partners JOURNAL • Page 3

Continued from previous page.

modified this part of the watershed’s hydrology. Additionally, chemicals in the runoff such as herbicides and fertilizers commonly used in landscape maintenance threaten the Upper Otay Reservoir – part of San Diego County’s emergency water supply.

Our Upper Otay project will benefit a number of endangered Neotropical migratory birds that use this area for range and nesting habitat, while at the same time enhancing recreational opportunities and source water protection of the reservoir.

The work of River Partners, begun some 15 years ago, spans 11 watersheds in California, including the Sacramento—San Joaquin River System, the Lower Colorado River, and, now San Diego’s Otay River Watershed. In the years ahead we look forward to expanding our efforts in the south state and continue to grow and maintain close relationships with new and old partners.

Restoration on the Otay River

Project Updates

Kern River Project Gets Funding Boost

From left: Carolyn Belli (KRCE President), John Laird (California Secretary for Resources) and Julie Rentner (CV Regional Director) at the capitol November 28.

On November 28, 2012, River Partners Regional Director Julie Rentner

and Kern River Corridor Endowment President Carolyn Belli accepted a $1,044,000 grant from the California River Parkways Program to design and install nature interpretation elements (signs, benches, trailmarkers, etc) and habitat restoration at Panorama Vista Preserve. The California River Parkways Program is a competitive grant program that was approved by voters in 2006 to

fund projects that improve recreation, habitat, and flood management along rivers and streams throughout California.

The award will complement funding provided by the Central Valley Project Improvement Act Habitat Restoration Program, US Fish and Wildlife Service Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, and California Wildlife Conservation Board to enhance the 935-acre Panorama Vista Preserve for wildlife and for the benefit of the residents of Bakersfield.

On January 26, River Partners and FishBio hosted a volunteer

planting event along the Stanislaus River at Honolulu Bar (Knights Ferry, Stanislaus County, California).

The Honolulu Bar Restoration Project is on lands owned by the Army Corps of Engineers and is funded by the USFWS Anadromous Fish Restoration Program and the Oakdale Irrigation District. This project’s main focus is to create salmon spawning habitat. FishBio graded a side channel of the Stanislaus River and selected the proper substrates to host nesting Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha).

River Partners created the re-vegetation design, incorporating riparian plants that contribute habitat components (eventual shaded riverine aquatic habitat) and food sources (by attracting invertebrates) for Salmonids.

The event was attended by members of the surrounding community (Oakdale, Riverbank and Modesto), the California Native Plant Society, and the San Joaquin Regional Conservation Corps. The volunteers planted Black Willow (Salix gooddingii), Sandbar Willow (Salix exigua) and Cottonwood (Populus fremontii), and Valley Oak (Quercus lobata). The entire 2.4 acre project will be planted through volunteer efforts.

Volunteer Planting Event at Honolulu Bar

Thank You Volunteers!

By Trevor Meadows, Restoration Biologist

Page 4 • River Partners JOURNAL River Partners JOURNAL • Page 5

The mission of River Partners is to “create wildlife habitat for the benefit of people and the

environment.” To this end, over the last 15 years we have restored more than 8,000 acres of floodplain habitat. From the beginning, our organization has embraced the concept of multi-benefit projects – projects that benefit public safety, recreational opportunities, and the environment.

Given our mission and history, River Partners was very encouraged to learn that the Central Valley Flood Protection Board recently adopted the following resolution:

“Wherever feasible, improvements to the State Plan for Flood Control should … provide for multiple benefits through projects designed to improve public safety while achieving other benefits, such as restoration of ecosystem functions and habitats within the flood management system.”

This resolution represents a significant shift in approach within the flood control community and opens the door to exciting opportunities for our organization. River Partners’ innovative habitat projects on California’s two longest rivers, the Sacramento and San Joaquin, are living testament that multiple benefit projects can be successfully implemented. River Partners’ projects can also provide a framework for collaboration that will be required under this new multi-benefit approach to flood management in the state.

Californians expect healthy rivers and flood safe communities. The multi-benefit resolution adopted by the Central Valley Flood Protection Board is direction for everyone working in the floodplain to

Bear River RestorationA Framework for Multi-Benefit Projects and Flood Management

align their programs and projects, to work together, and to comply with all existing codes and regulations.

The Bear River Levee Setback Project is one successful example of this approach in action. In 2005, 9,600 feet of levees were set back at the confluence of the Bear and Feather Rivers and 600 acres of flood-prone farmland were reconnected to the floodplain. The results have been impressive:

levee significantly increases the capacity of the river channel. This increase in channel capacity lowers the height of the river and decreases the velocity of flows during flood events.

Improved Ecosystem Function

When the old levee was demolished and the new setback levee was constructed, an additional 600 acres of floodplain were reconnected to the river. Land that used to be on the dry side of the levee is now part of the active floodplain, inundated at 3-year intervals.

With funding from California Department of Fish and Game (now Department of Fish and Wildlife), River Partners restored this property into riparian forest and grasslands. Salmon, Swainson’s hawk, and several other endangered species are directly benefiting from this newly restored habitat.

Increased Recreational Opportunities

The Bear River Levee Setback Project is located at the confluence of the Bear and Feather Rivers and is adjacent to the Lake of the Woods State Wildlife Area. The 600-acre setback area is ideally suited for hunting, hiking, horseback riding, and bird watching. With over three miles of river access it also provides opportunities for canoeing, swimming, and fishing.

By John Carlon, President

Reduced Flood Risk

The new setback levee provided adjoining communities with 200-year flood protection. The old levees built in the late 1800’s were made of whatever material was at hand, clay and soil or sand and gravel. They were constructed over old creek beds, gravel bars, wetlands, and sand splays – not ideal conditions for the foundation of a levee. The new state-of-the-art setback levee is situated on solid ground, with sound foundations, constructed of engineered materials. By moving back away from the river, the new

Improvements in Water Quality

Before the setback levee was constructed, a significant portion of the floodplain within the old river channel was farmed. Walnuts, prunes, and field crops were produced on the land that is now on the wet-side of the levee. Herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers were part of the normal farming practices, so when heavy rains occurred, there was always the risk that these agricultural chemicals could migrate into the river. Now

that this land has been repurposed from agriculture to habitat, the agricultural chemical applications have stopped and the riparian forests and native grasslands act as a buffer between the river and neighboring farming operations.

Increases in Water Supply Reliability

On average, farming the walnuts, prunes, and field crops in the setback area required roughly 2,400 acre-feet of irrigation water per year. Now that the property has been restored and agriculture discontinued, this water is no longer being removed from the system. In addition, when floods occur the larger channel capacity increases the opportunity (greater surface area over a longer duration of time) for more water to infiltrate into the ground and recharge the aquifer.

Climate Change

Moving the levee back and expanding the channel capacity of the Bear River addressed the potential for climate change in two ways. First, it improves the ability of the system to absorb floodwaters from more frequent and severe events and second, the riparian habitat that River Partners planted on the site will sequester over 150,000 tons of carbon by the time the forest reaches full maturity.

Notwithstanding all of these tangible results, the real genius of moving the levee back along the Bear River is that everyone came together to make this multi-benefit project work. Local leaders emerged armed with a vision of what they wanted for their community and they enlisted the support of local, state, and federal partners. The Bear River Setback Levee Project was funded by many sources, designed for many purposes, and implemented by many partners. Three Rivers Levee Improvement Authority, Yuba County, Reclamation District 784, the Department of Water Resources, Army Corps of Engineers, US Fish and Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Wildlife Conservation Board, and River Partners all contributed to the success of this effort.

The end result of this collaborative effort is a multi-benefit project that improves public safety, restores the environment, enhances the local community, and provides a model for other similar projects throughout the Central Valley.

Left: Bear River site in 2006 just before planting. Above: Bear River site in 2012, a fully functioning ecosystem.

...the real genius of moving the levee back along the Bear River is that everyone came together to make this multi-benefit project work. Local leaders emerged armed with a vision of what they wanted for their community and they enlisted the support of local, state, and federal partners.

Page 6 • River Partners JOURNAL

In 2010, River Partners teamed up with the San Joaquin Parkway and Conservation Trust and

The Nature Conservancy to develop a multiple-benefit project idea to address two key issues in the San Joaquin Valley: the rapid spread of riparian weeds and high rates of unemployment.

The San Joaquin River Invasive Species Management and Jobs Creation Project was pitched to the San Joaquin River Restoration Program (Program) as a way to meet the US Government’s obligation to manage and monitor invasive species along the 150-mile stretch slated for higher river flows, and provide jobs for area residents. The Program will release additional flows from Friant Dam to reconnect the river in Fresno County with the Delta in San Joaquin County – across lands that have been dry for decades, some of which host extensive stands of noxious weeds.

The jobs numbers are in for 2012, and despite most of the year being dominated by permitting and mapping activities, River Partners still managed to provide jobs to 13 individuals, spending over $122,000 in direct compensation to valley residents in addition to job training including such skills as wildland navigation, mapping using GPS and GIS technologies, and permit preparation and filing (hey, paperwork skills are important too!). When you factor in the indirect economic benefits of putting more salary into the hands of valley residents (i.e. they buy more food, pay more rent, and these actions increase income for other valley

By Julie Rentner, Central Valley Regional Director

River Partners Gears up to Put the San Joaquin Valley to WorkArundo, Beware!

residents) well over $250,000 in economic activity was stimulated by this planning and monitoring effort alone.

After a grueling summer of field work, our crews of biologists and field technicians returned with detailed maps

covering over 2,800 acres of floodplains and 40 miles of riverbanks. The maps depict in stark detail how extensive weed infestations are along the river corridor.

These weeds are the heritage of decades of land manipulation including the purposeful planting of giant reed (Arundo donax) along the banks of tributaries to the river back when we thought this plant acted to “stabilize” banks from erosion.

Giant reed (Arundo donax) grows in extensive stands long the banks of the lower San Joaquin River. This weed along with other problematic weeds like red sesbania (Sesbania punicea), salt cedar (Tamarisk spp), perennial pepperweed (Lepidium latifolia), and others will be removed in the coming years.

We have since learned that arundo actually exacerbates erosion as the large but shallow root masses eventually break free during high flow events, and take the banks with them. Other problematic weeds include perennial pepperweed which is an aggressive competitor in the floodplain that can accumulate heavy metals in the soil and its own tissues, causing problems for grazing animals.

As we look to 2013, we expect to provide dozens of jobs continuing the mapping and monitoring while also beginning treatments across hundreds of acres. Treatments include removing plants by hand, treating them with herbicides, and replanting competitive native forbs where possible.

...well over $250,000 in economic activity was stimulated by this planning and monitoring effort alone.

River Partners JOURNAL • Page 7

Please send your check made out to: “River Partners” 580 Vallombrosa Ave., Chico CA 95926. Thank you for your tax-deductible contribution. River Partners is a 501(c)3 nonprofit. Online Credit Card payments at RiverPartners.org. Phone orders at (530) 894-5401 x 222.

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Once again Girl Scout Troop 5912 tackled another service project at the San Diego Bay NWR,

where River Partners is restoring 55 acres along the Bayshore Bikeway. More than 20 girls and parents, led by Lisa Cox of the USFWS, helped plant native trees at this important public access site at the South Bay unit. In addition to coming out in the rain in January, Troop 5912 has created a bilingual wildlife mural for the project and participated in the groundbreaking celebration in July 2012.

River Partners’ Otay Delta restoration project at the San Diego Bay NWR is a $1.17 million project funded by the Wildlife Conservation Board, the Natural

Pink Hats Rock at Otay Delta Project

Resources Agency (through Caltrans), The San Diego Foundation, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation through Walmart, and the USFWS. The restoration effort

has benefitted from broad community involvement thanks to the San Diego Bay NWR Refuge, WiLDCOAST, and Friends of the OVRP.

L to R: Jose Granados, River Partners field foreman, Girl Scout Troop 5912, and Lisa Cox, USFWS. Photo by Horacio Renteria.

Become a River Partner or Adopt A TreeJoin us in our mission to create wildlife habitat for the benefit of people and the environment. Your contribution will support our work to restore and protect the rivers of California. You will receive our quarterly Journal, a River Partners membership decal, and invitations to special tours and events.

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Our Modesto office is looking for qualified students to help us at our habitat restoration projects on the San Joaquin, Tuolumne, Kern, and Stanislaus Rivers. Summer interns spend time hiking outdoors and collecting and

analyzing plant and wildlife usage data which helps us design better habitat restoration projects in the future.

To qualify, you must be a student working towards a degree in biology, natural resources or related field.

This is a paid opportunity for a minimum of six weeks (possibly extending to 10) over the summer of 2013. We will be accepting applications until April 12.

To apply send your resume & cover letter to:

River Partners Attn: Internship 2013 912 11th Street Suite LL2 Modesto, California 95354 Or e-mail Trevor Meadows at: tmeadows@riverpartners.org

Want to spend your summer having fun and helping the environment?Apply for a Summer Internship