Watershed Stewardship Program

Marin CountyMarin CountyWatershed Stewardship PlanWatershed Stewardship Plan

Watershed Stewardship Program

Countywide Watershed Countywide Watershed ProgramProgram

The watershed program provides a framework to integrate flood protection, creek and wetland restoration, fish passage and water quality improvements with public and private partners to protect and enhance Marin’s watersheds.

Watershed Stewardship Program

Watershed-Focused Stakeholder Watershed-Focused Stakeholder OutreachOutreachMarin Cities and Towns

Marin County Parks and Open Space DistrictMarin County Community Development AgencyMarin County Fire DepartmentMarin County Service AreasFlood Zone Advisory BoardsMarin Municipal Water DistrictNorth Marin Water DistrictStinson Beach Water DistrictInverness Public Utility DistrictSanitary DistrictsCommunity Service DistrictsWatershed GroupsFederal Regulatory AgenciesState Regulatory AgenciesNational Park ServiceState ParksNBWA and Watershed CouncilThe Bay Institute

Watershed Stewardship Program

Benefits of Watershed ApproachBenefits of Watershed Approach

Supports and guides protection and enhancement of Marin County’s significant natural resources.

Incorporates experience gained from Ross Valley Program.

Supports integrated efforts to comply with Federal and State environmental regulations.

Identifies critical projects and assists with funding and permitting.

Facilitates flow of State and Federal funds to local municipalities.

Acknowledges interconnectedness of dynamic natural processes and human use.

Integrates policy, water management, land use practices and education to effect change.

Watershed Stewardship Program

Purpose of the Stewardship Purpose of the Stewardship PlanPlan

Collect existing conditions information for each watershed and water management infrastructure in one place.

Synthesize information into key issues for each watershed; for example, water management and ecological issues.

Assess watershed health and use as a tool to guide project prioritization.

Explore opportunities for integrated watershed management.

Provide information, criteria, and prioritized actions to support the Marin County Department of Public Works and other stakeholders’ efforts to promote watershed health.

Demonstrate the elements and process of creating a watershed work plan that identifies specific, prioritized, multi-benefit projects.

Watershed Stewardship Program

WSP Planning AreaWSP Planning AreaWatershed Cities and Towns Flood Zones and

County Service Areas

Richardson Bay Mill Valley, Tam Valley, Marin City, Bel Aire,

Sausalito and Tiburon

3 and 4

Corte Madera Creek Ross, Larkspur, San Anselmo, Fairfax

9

Las Gallinas Creek Santa Venetia, San Rafael Meadows, San Rafael

6 and 7, CSA 6

Miller Creek Lucas Valley and San Rafael No zone, CSA 13

Novato Creek Novato 1

Easkoot Creek Stinson Beach 5

Inverness Inverness and Inverness Park

10

Watershed Stewardship Program

Watershed Stewardship Program

Watershed Stewardship Program

Draft Planning PrinciplesDraft Planning Principles

Our well-being is directly related to the health of our Our well-being is directly related to the health of our watersheds, bays, and the Pacific Ocean.watersheds, bays, and the Pacific Ocean.

Collaboration strengthens watershed stewardship. Interagency Collaboration strengthens watershed stewardship. Interagency coordination and partnerships with local residents bring coordination and partnerships with local residents bring multiple perspectives and durability to watershed efforts.multiple perspectives and durability to watershed efforts.

Working with natural systems is the most cost-effective way to Working with natural systems is the most cost-effective way to manage our streams and wetlands. manage our streams and wetlands.

Stewardship requires continual adaptation. Watershed health Stewardship requires continual adaptation. Watershed health indicators and monitoring help target efforts and track indicators and monitoring help target efforts and track progress.progress.

Habitat connectivity is key for biodiversity and species Habitat connectivity is key for biodiversity and species protection.protection.

Photo from Brock Dolman

Watershed Stewardship Program

Stewardship Plan Stewardship Plan ElementsElements

Stakeholder Meetings and Outreach

Existing Conditions Reports

Watershed Health Evaluations

Multi-Benefit Project Criteria and Guidelines

Watershed-Specific Priorities

Watershed Workplan Template

Watershed Stewardship Program

Existing Conditions Existing Conditions OverviewOverview

Land UseLand Use

Water Management Water Management supply, flood protection, stormwater, waste managementsupply, flood protection, stormwater, waste management

Physical Characteristics Physical Characteristics hydrology, channel morphology, erosion, climate changehydrology, channel morphology, erosion, climate change

Biological ResourcesBiological Resources

Current Management & Enhancement EffortsCurrent Management & Enhancement Efforts

Summary of Identified Watershed Stewardship Key Summary of Identified Watershed Stewardship Key Issues Issues

synthesized from personal interviews, NBWA IRWMP planning synthesized from personal interviews, NBWA IRWMP planning processes and other recent planning and assessment effortsprocesses and other recent planning and assessment efforts

Watershed Stewardship Program

Watershed Stewardship Program

Watershed Health Watershed Health Evaluation:Evaluation:

ApproachApproach Science based, reasonable, and reproducible.

Designed to assess overall watershed health, not just meet individual regulatory requirements.

Informs and is informed by clear, measurable goals, objectives, and benchmarks.

Incorporates a process to evaluate progress toward the goals.

Provides guidance in the development of ecological enhancement priorities and actions.

(adapted from Portland Watershed Management Plan, 2005)

Watershed Stewardship Program

Watershed Health Watershed Health Evaluation:Evaluation:

Structure and ProcessStructure and Process Establish Watershed Health Definition

Set Goals for watershed health in primary resource areas

• Develop Objectives for each goal based on issues and concerns (may differ per watershed)

Indicator or metric for each objective (at least one) set benchmark value for indicator evaluation of existing condition score – will help lead to priorities and action

items

Watershed Stewardship Program

Watershed Health Watershed Health Evaluation: Evaluation: Sample GoalsSample Goals

Hydrology Move toward normative flow conditions.

Physical HabitatProtect, enhance, and restore aquatic and terrestrial habitat conditions to support key ecological functions and the vitality of populations and communities.

Water QualityProtect and improve surface water and groundwater quality.

Watershed Stewardship Program

Watershed Health Watershed Health Evaluation: Evaluation: Objectives andObjectives and

IndicatorsIndicators Hydrologic

Conditions

Physical Conditions

Water Quality

Biological Conditions

Watershed Stewardship Program

Hydrologic ConditionsHydrologic Conditions

Watershed Stewardship Program

Multi-Benefit Project Criteria Multi-Benefit Project Criteria and Guidelinesand Guidelines

Will be used to evaluate and rank multi-functional benefits and specific project contributions to watershed health.

Will be based on watershed health evaluations and key issues from existing conditions report.

Will assist with project selection to address ecological as well as infrastructure needs.

Watershed Stewardship Program

Watershed-Specific Watershed-Specific PrioritiesPriorities

Actions can include: projects resource assessments management measures education and outreach policy recommendations

Watershed Stewardship Program

Watershed Work Plan Watershed Work Plan FrameworkFramework

Partnerships

Project Timelines

Outreach

Environmental Compliance

Financing

Work PlanTemplate

Watershed Stewardship Program

Next stepsNext steps Existing Conditions

reports completed

Watershed Health Evaluations developed

Meetings with Policy Advisory Committee and Finance Committee

Technical Work Group meetings later this summer

Flood Zone Advisory Board meetingsWatershed Stewardship Program

Watershed Stewardship Program

Your Participation in the Your Participation in the WSP Planning ProcessWSP Planning Process

Existing Conditions information welcome

(photos, reports, maps, contact people in your watershed)

Links to questionnaire and website will be sent to you by email soon

Contact Chris Choo with questions (415) 499-7586