summer 1997 conservation almanac newsletter, trinity county resource conservation district

8/3/2019 Summer 1997 Conservation Almanac Newsletter, Trinity County Resource Conservation District

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CoCoCoConservation Almanacnservation Almanacnservation Almanacnservation AlmanacTrinity County Resource Conservation District

Summer 1997 Vol. VI No. 3

In This Issue

RCD Revegetation Workshop

East Fork/Smokey Creek Watershed Analysi

New Uses for Spoiled San

Keeping Cattle In and Ou

Employee Featur

CRMP Projects in the SouthFork Trinity River

TTTThe South Fork Trinity RiverCoordinated ResourceManagement Plan (CRMP)group has been very active

this year coordinating andsponsoring erosion-control projectsin the South Fork Trinity Riverwatershed. These projects reflect theCRMPs emphasis on innovativepartnerships to get on-the-groundsediment-reduction projects

implemented. This is in line with theCRMPs stated goal of developingandimplementing acoordinatedresourcemanagementplan for therecovery offisheries and economies in theSouth Fork Trinity River Basin.

One project involves the

Natural Resources ConservationService (NRCS) working closely with

Simpson Timber, a CRMPparticipant, on their private lands

in thePelletreauCreekwatershed.The projectwill upgradeundersized

culverts, which tend to plug andfail with high storm flows,causing road fill to enter thecreek as sediment. The NRCSprovides designs and technical

support for the Trinity CountyResource ConservationDistrict (RCD), which isimplementing the project.

The ground was laidfor this effort in PelletreauCreek watershed by theNorthwest EmergencyAssistance Program (NEAP),which provided funds toinventory roads and assessthe

(Continued on page 7)

People who live, work, and recreate on

a given piece of land are the people

who are most interested in and capable

of developing plans for sustainable use.

Storm Damage: Hidden Valley Ranch (left) and River Spirit (right) both had

roads washed out by the storms of January this year.

Native plants are crucial for restorationbecause they have evolved with local site

conditions and are uniquely adapted to thelocal environment.(See page 6 for more)


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Page 2 Trinity County Resource Conservation District Summer Issue 1997

RevegetationRevegetationRevegetationRevegetation

Workshop InformsWorkshop InformsWorkshop InformsWorkshop Informs

Resource ConservationResource ConservationResource ConservationResource Conservation

ProfessionalsProfessionalsProfessionalsProfessionals

On June 6th the RCDpresented a one-day workshopon the revegetation techniques

utilized in its restoration workin the Grass Valley Creekwatershed. The workshop wasdirected towards naturalresource professionals whoare involved in restorationprojects, with interestedparticipants coming from suchagencies as the US ForestService, AmeriCorps,California Department ofForestry, and the National

Park Service. Several privateconsultants also participated.

The workshopconsisted of a morning lecturesession where basicrevegetation techniques werepresented, including seeding,mulching, fertilizing, and

planting. DanaSandifer,RevegetationCoordinator for theRCD, described theprocess ofcollecting native

seeds, cones, andacorns, as well asestablishing asmall-scale nativeplant nursery.Christina Veverka,the RCDRevegetationManager, describedthe use ofhardwood cuttings

such as willow

stakes forrevegetating riparianareas, as well as the

monitoring program that iscurrently being used toevaluate revegetation projects.In addition to the workshopitself, all participants receiveda draft of the Grass ValleyCreek Restoration Projectmanual, which will be availableto the public by the end of this

summer (see the sidebar fordetails).

In the afternoon theworkshop participants went tovisit the RCDs native plantnursery adjacent to IndianCreek, and they continued onto the Grass Valley Creekwatershed to practice some ofthe techniques they hadlearned during the morningsession.

The responses fromworkshop participants werequite positive, with mostfinding the workshopinformative and useful for therestoration work they areimplementing in various partsof Northern California. !

Grass Valley CreekWatershed Restoration

Manual

The RCD and the NaturalResources ConservationService have completed a draft

version of the Grass ValleyCreek Watershed RestorationProject: A Study in Large-ScaleRestoration for review andcomment by other agenciesand individuals involved orinterested in the project. Themanual is intended todocument all aspects of thelarge-scale, multi-yearrestoration project undertakenin Grass Valley Creek

watershed, a tributaryhistorically known to deliverlarge amounts of sediment tothe mainstem of the TrinityRiver. This manual is anhistorical account of therestoration project andsummarizes what has beenlearned to-date and prescribestreatments for the conditionsfound in this watershed. TheRCD has been involved in this

project for over five years, butstudies, inventories, and othersolutions such as sedimentcatchment dams and basinshave been part of an ongoingfifteen-year project intended toreduce the amount of sedimententering the Trinity River fromGrass Valley Creek.

It is hoped that the finalversion of the manual will becompleted by August. We are

providing copies to thoseinterested at the cost to makecopies--$10. Please give us acall if you are interested inreceiving a copy of the manual.

Participants in the Revegetation Workshop get hands-on

experience in the Grass Valley Creek Watershed.

(916) 623-6004


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watershed analysis is publicinput during the process.Several public meetings wereheld to discuss planning andin-progress work for theanalysis. The public canprovide valuable insights and

information not readilyavailable to theinterdisciplinary team.Particularly valuable are first-hand accounts fromlandowners and long-termresidents of the study area,which can provide informationonthe watersheds, particularlyinformation related to humanuse of the areahistorically.

The watershed analysisis slated to continue intoAugust, with a draft copy offindings and recommendationsdelivered to the USFS laterduring the summer. If youhave any questions orcomments on the watershedanalysis, or if you areinterested in attending futurepublic meetings, contact JimSpear at 623-3991 or Scott

Brennan-Smith at 623-6004.

Note: All quotes for this articleare from Ecosystem Analysisat the Watershed Scale:Federal Guide for Watershed

Analysis

adjacent watersheds andshare many characteristics.

Watershed analysisseeks to understand thehuman, aquatic, riparian, andterrestrial features, conditions,processes, and

interactions (ecosystemelements) in a watershed. Theprocess is not undertaken,however, to merely gather asmuch information about awatershed as possible.Watershed analysis is issuedriven and is conducted inorder to provide information formanagement decisions at alater date. As part of theprocess, the analysis team

makes recommendations forfuture management activities,which include ecologicallysustainable programs toproduce water, timber,recreation, and othercommodities. Because of thesensitive nature of the EastFork and Smoky Creekwatersheds, theinterdisciplinary team isidentifying restoration

opportunities to highlight aspart of its recommendations forfuture management activities.

The importance ofrestoration in these keywatersheds is underscored bythe fact that the project isfunded through the TrinityRiver Restoration Program.Watershed analyses areusually funded and undertakenby the USFS alone. This

unique partnership wasenvisioned by the USFS inorder to speed up the analysisprocess. The participatingagencies and contractors haverepeatedly demonstrated theirability to produce high-qualitywork in a short amount of time.

One component of

Unique Partnershipfor Watershed

AnalysisUndertaken

AAAAWatershed Analysis

is currentlyunderway to studythe Smoky Creek

and East Fork tributaries of theSouth Fork Trinity River.This watershed analysisincludes several aspectsunique to the process. Onesignificant way this project isdifferent is that it is a jointundertaking of the UnitedStates Forest Service (USFS)and the South ForkCoordinated ResourceManagement Plan, and itcombines specialists from adiverse array of agencies andorganizations who worktogether as an inter-disciplinary team. Teammembers are drawn from theUSDA Natural ResourcesConservation Service, theRCD, the US Fish and WildlifeService, Humboldt StateUniversity, and PacificWatershed Associates, as wellas the USFS, which typicallyundertakes such projectsalone. Several privateconsultants, including aRegistered ProfessionalForester, are also involved inthe project.

The project is unusualalso because it seeks toanalyze past, present, andfuture desired conditions oftwo watersheds, instead ofone. The interdisciplinary teamdecided that a watershedanalysis of both these areaswas feasible because they are

Cheat Sheet for AcronymsCheat Sheet for AcronymsCheat Sheet for AcronymsCheat Sheet for Acronyms

CRMP Coordinated Resource

Management Plan

NEAP Northwest Emergency

Asistance Program NRCS Natural Resources

Conservation Service

PUD Public Utilities DistrictRCD Resource Conservation

District

RC&D Resource Conservation

and Development Council

USFS United States Forest

Service


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New Uses for SpoiledSand

TTTT

he RCD recentlyfound a home forunwanted sand. The

sand is decomposedgranite sediment that isperiodically dredged fromcatchment ponds near themouth ofGrass ValleyCreek andelsewhere inthewatershed.The RCD hasdone quite a

lot of workover theyears,implementingmeasures toprevent thesedimentfrom enteringthe TrinityRiver, whichdegrades fishhabitat in the

river. Sediment ponds at theconfluence of Grass ValleyCreek and the Trinity River,known as Hamilton Ponds,as well as other sedimentponds throughout thewatershed, are designed tocatch and hold sediment toprevent its further migrationdownstream into the TrinityRiver. The ponds do exactly

what they are designed to dobut fill up with sediment in theprocess, particularly after largestorms, such as those we sawin January of this year. Theponds have to be dredged ofaccumulated sediment toremain effective.

The ponds have beenfilling more slowly in recentyears as upstream sedimentreduction efforts in thewatershed have proven moreand more effective.Nevertheless, The Hamilton

Ponds have to be dredgedevery year or two. In the past,dredged sand has beenspoiled (deposited) on flats

near the ponds and seeded

with grasses to keep them inplace. These flat areas havefilled up over the years, andthe RCD, with the assistanceof the Trinity County ResourceConservation andDevelopment (RC&D)Councils Scott Eberly, hasfound some creative ways touse the sand.

One such recentproject, The Clark Springs

Beach project, useddecomposed granite toreplenish the sand swimmingbeach on Trinity Lake near aboat ramp and campground

just off Highway 3, past theStewarts Fork confluence withTrinity Lake. The beach is part

of an upgrade of facilities atthe Clark Springs site(approximately 17 miles northof Weaverville), which alsoincludes a bath house andparking as well as the boatramp, campground, and

beach. The RCD isadministering the contracts forthe project and the US ForestService will be the on-sightcoordinator for construction.The RC&D is a co-sponsorand is coordinating the project.The contract for hauling thesand was put out to sealed bidin May, and YinglingConstruction was awarded thecontract in early June.

Clark Springs is thefirst of three proposed projectsto restore beaches on TrinityLake. Two other potential sitesfor spoiling decomposedgranite sand are the TanneryGulch and Hayward Flatcampgrounds.

Trinity Lake wasdeveloped for recreation backin the 1970s following theconstruction of Trinity Dam,

but wave action over the yearshas washed away sand

(Continued on next page)

Decomposed granite sand awaiting use

for Lee Fong Park vollyball court.

The site at Clark Springs Beach ready for sand spoiled from

Grass Valley Creek watershed.


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ranchs operations.Ms. Hardt contacted the

RCD with a request for thefencing because she wanted toprevent her 26 head of cattle,which typically tramplevegetation alongside streams,

from entering the riparian areaalong the creek. The riparian

zone is still in a very pristinecondition--heavily canopiedwith lush undergrowth and thesoothing sound of rushing

water.The RCD undertook the

project because a healthycanopy of streamsidevegetation is important formaintaining suitable habitat forsalmon and steelhead, whichrequire the cool watertemperatures provided by shadystreambanks to survive.Funding for these projects wasprovided by the US Fish and

Wildlife Services Jobs-in-the-Woods financial assistanceprogram. Related riparianenhancement or restorationprojects, including cattle-exclusion fencing, have beenundertaken in Hayfork Valley forthe same reason.

The 160-acre ranch issignificant also in that it liesbelow the burned area onBrowns Mountain and iscomprised of very unstabledecomposed granite soils,which are subject to high rates

of erosion. Because of the1994 Browns Mountain fire,

increasedrunoff fromstorms hasdiverted asmall creek,Snow Gulch,into a meadowon the Ranchand createdother erosional

andsedimentationproblemscharacteristicof this type ofsoil.

TheRanch and the

RCD, in conjunction with theNatural ResourcesConservation Service, arecurrently investigating

sediment-reduction measureson the property to reduce oreliminate sediment delivery toRush Creek, which would reachthe mainstem of the TrinityRiver and impact salmon andsteelhead spawning and rearinghabitat just below Trinity Dam.

In the meantime, thepotential for destruction ofstream-side vegetation by cattlehas been averted by the

installation of the fencing alongRush Creek. !

(Continued from page 4)

previously deposited along theshore. The new beaches willthus have to be periodically re-stocked with sand to maintainideal recreation conditions.Hughes Management, a

concessionaire responsible forcollecting fees and maintainingfacilities at Trinity Lake, will beresponsible for long-termmaintenance of the beaches.

In another project, theWeaverville/Douglas City Parksand Recreation District arrangedto have 300 cubic yards ofdecomposed granite transportedto Lee Fong Park in Weavervilleto provide a base for the

volleyball court. Such uses forthe sand are seen as win-winsolutions to the sedimentationproblem in Grass Valley Creek:the sediment is prevented fromimpacting fish habitat in theTrinity River and benefits thecitizens and visitors of TrinityCounty by enhancing recreationprojects around the county. !

The new fence at The Ranch along Rush Creek is designed

to keep cattle away from the riparian area.

Keeping CattleIn--and Out

This spring the RCDcompleted construction ofcattle-exclusion fencing on aranch alongside Rush Creek,near Lewiston. 2,200 feet ofbarb-wire fence was installedon the west side of the creek,which has lush riparian

vegetation, a haven for manyspecies of plants, birds, andanimals.

The Ranch, as it isknown, is owned by GenieHardt, who operates what shecalls a bunk and biscuit (bedand breakfast) inn as part of the


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Featured Employee:Christina Veverka

What do restorationecology, competitive mountainbike racing, and world travelhave in common?

Christina Veverka, theRCDs Revegetation Manageris as interested in fun andadventure as in plant ecology.Christina brings a sense ofhumor and serious dedicationas a professional to theworking climate of the RCD.

Christina startedworking for the RCD in Marchof 1996 as an ecologist/botanist and was promoted toRevegetation Manager inDecember of that year. Ashead of the revegetationprogram, Christina isresponsible for planning andmonitoring progress on theRCDs revegetation program inGrass Valley and IndianCreeks, as well as in Hayfork.She also does quite a bit ofwriting, creating technicalreports and articles onrevegetation and restorationecology. One of her assignedroles is to write the plantecology sections of the East

Fork/Smoky Creek watershedanalysis currently underway(see the related article in thisissue).

Christina has madeseveral presentations toprofessional organizations and

at conferences regarding therevegetation efforts the RCDhas implemented in GrassValley Creek watershed. WithDana Sandifer, she alsoplanned and presented theJune Revegetation Workshopthe RCD held at the VictorianInn (see the related article inthis issue.)

Christina has long beeninterested in plants in general

and in restoration ecologyspecifically. She receivedBachelors and Mastersdegrees in biology from theUniversity of San Diego andIdaho State University,respectively. Her decision tospecialize in restorationecology is embodied in hermasters thesis on the subject.She is particularly interested inthe valuable role native plants

can play in restoration ecology:Natives are crucial forrestoration because they haveevolved with local siteconditions and are uniquelyadapted to the localenvironment. In using nativesone is maintaining biodiversity,which contributes to the long-term health of localecosystems. Exotic plantsmay out-compete natives in

the short run, but fail to providesuitable habitat and healthydevelopment to other speciesin the area in the long run.

Working with plantshas suited her need to beoutside much of the time, andthis need is further met by herpersonal interests, which

include mountain biking andtravel.

Christina has been aserious cyclist for about twoyears, and has begunmountain biking competitivelyduring the past year. She took

second place in the Sportdivision of the LaGrangeClassic here in May of thisyear.

Christina spent twomonths backpacking in NewZealand this past winter whereshe explored the native plantcommunities of that country,hiking in lush, evergreenforests, alpine grasslands, anddense beech forests. She has

also traveled to CentralAmerica, Thailand and Nepal,Alaska, the Caribbean, andEurope.

Whatever she does,Christina loves most to beoutside. This is the thread thatruns through her interests,whether they be personal orprofessional, and hercommitment to enhancing thebeauty and health of the world

around her is part of her loveof the outdoors.!

Christina races down a slope on the

La Grange Classic Bike race track.


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(Continued from page 1)

need for culvert upgrades atstream crossings. NEAP is aprogram to provide assistanceand training to displacedfishermen in the wake of

serious declines in fisherieshabitat. Over the years fishstocks have fallen inwatersheds throughout thenorthwest as a result of habitatdegradation and harvestmanagement. NEAP wasinitiated in 1994 by the ClintonAdministration to provide relieffor fishermen impacted by thisdecline.

In another project, the

RCD has been working withPost Mountain Public UtilitiesDistrict (PUD) to reducesediment delivery in the PostMountain area. Sedimentationfrom eroded roads has thepotential to enter tributaries toRattlesnake Creek and work itsway into the South Fork TrinityRiver, adversely affectingfisheries in this importantspawning and rearing habitat.

The stream crossingsand roads in the Post Mountainsubdivision were inventoried bythe RCD in 1996. Roadsurfaces in Post Mountain willbe upgraded by the installationof rolling dips to improvedrainage and reduce sedimentdelivery. Poorly drained roadsoften erode when water runoffwashes away road surfacesthemselves. A few culverts will

also be upgraded to withstandhigher flows during seriousstorms.

Other projects wereundertaken at the request oftwo private land owners in theSouth Fork--Hidden ValleyRanch and River Spirit--torepair damage to roads inflicted

by the January 1997 storms. Insome places, entire sections ofroad on these properties werewashed out where culvertsplugged and water ran downthe road for extendeddistances. Similar upgrades to

culverts and road surfacesdiscussed above are beingundertaken by the RCD onthese properties because of thedirect impact sediment fromroad crossing failures has onthe South Fork Trinity River.Both properties are locatedadjacent to the South ForkTrinity River itself, so sedimentdelivery to the river ispotentially very large when

erosion does occur.All of these projectsreflect the CRMPs philosophythat people who live, work, andrecreate on a given piece ofland are the people who aremost interested in and capableof developing plans for itssustainable use. Sustainableuse also includes reducingimpact to streams and rivers bycontrolling sediment, which

seriously affects fish habitat, assand from upland sourcescovers the bottoms ofwatercourses. Spawning fishneed course, gravely riverbottoms to lay their eggs.Because fine sand coating riverbottoms does not allow water tocirculate freely, eggs laid insand suffocate, further reducingthe number of alreadythreatened fish populations in

creeks and rivers around theNorth State. The CRMPwelcomes opportunities tocreate partnerships betweenprivate landowners such asSimpson Timber, Hidden ValleyRanch, and River Spirit andlocal, state, and federalagencies in order to meet the

needs of all parties involvedand to protect and enhancevaluable resources in theprocess. !

RCD at the County Fair

TTTThis summer, the RCDwill again beparticipating in theTrinity County Fair.

The Fair will be held at HayforkFairgrounds on August 22, 23,and 24. The RCD will haveseveral displays highlightingtheir resource conservationwork and educationalprograms.

Among the displays, the

RCD will show off their newNo-Till Drill, which helpsfarmers and ranchers seedfields and pastures with little tono disturbance to soils. TheRCD will also highlight itsparticipation in the CaliforniaEnvirothon, a yearlycompetition for high schoolstudents that tests theirknowledge of various resourceconservation and

environmental issues. Look forus at the Fair. Well be there!

IllustrationbyScottBrennan-Smith

summer 1997 conservation almanac newsletter, trinity county resource conservation district

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