March 3, 2005 Meeting Minutes

Black Butte Elementary, Shingletown

Present: Glen Aldridge, Foster Brovan, Larry & Pat Brown, Carl Weidert, Stan Weidert, Eda Eggeman-CDFG, Aric Lester-DWR, Beth Doolittle-Norby-RWQCB, , Shiloe Braxton-WSRCD Project Coordinator, James Moller-WSRCD Watershed Coordinator, Barbara Davis-Cow Creek Watershed Management Group

James Moller called the meeting to order at 6:35PM .

Review of Last Months Minutes:

• No comments were made.

Project Coordinator Report:

• Shiloe informed the group that Justin Moffet from ENPLAN has accepted a new position in Oregon . Don Burk the Principle of ENPLAN will do the completion of the assessment.
• The Watershed Assessment update: A Watershed Assessment TAC meeting is scheduled for March 16. ENPLAN will be addressing the TAC in regards to Checkpoint 3. The first Administrative draft of the completed document will be due at the end of May 2005.

Watershed Coordinator Report:

• James Moller discussed the different activities and meetings that he has been attending this past month, like the Rangeland Water Quality Conference and the Cow Creek Watershed Demonstration Projects (CCWDP) Field Tour that he facilitated. This tour demonstrated how the Cow Creek Water Management Group (CCWMG) on-the-ground projects will be beneficial to the watershed. The three demonstration projects consist of one Tailwater retention pond and two Fish Screens. Most of the TAC members were present for the tour we were able to get a better understanding of the different projects and how they are going to benefit the watershed.

  The Cow Creek Watershed Demonstration Projects (CCWDP) are the first “on-the-ground” demonstration projects in the Cow Creek watershed. These three (3) projects will serve as demonstration projects that the CCWMG can build upon in the future. Also they will establish acceptable protocols for future fisheries, water quality/quantity enhancement projects in the watershed.

  The TAC group visited four project locations, a tailwater retention pond at the Williams Ranch, a ditch piping feasibility study and possible tailwater return pond at the Strawn Ranch, and two fish screening projects one on the Woodman Ditch and the other on the Cook and Butcher Ditch.

Marketing the Watershed Group:

• Have you visited www.bearcreekwatershed.com lately? Our Webmaster, Foster Brovan, made some changes to the site making it more accessible to the reader along with posting every month’s agenda and minutes.
• James Moller, the Bear Creek Watershed Coordinator, along with Foster Brovan, the Webmaster, is going to look into web page funding from the Sacramento River Watershed Program. Eda Eggeman informed the group of the possibility of funding to improve design and development along with maintenance training.
• Below are the hits comparison from January to February.

  Foster Brovan provided the access statistics for the web site for the months of January and February. After looking over the statistics page you can see that there is an increase from month to month. This number is rising and will continue thanks to the efforts of the watershed group members.

• Community flyers (posters to be displayed at local stores) are on hold. The plan is to see how the Cow Creek Watershed Management Group develops and displays their community posters.
• Members are still encouraged to think about the text to be displayed on the poster. We want to increase landowner involvement by producing these community outreach posters.
• Mailed meeting announcement will be sent in the month of April for the designated 6 members that attend regularly and do not have e-mail. This funding is generated by members of the group to keep every one active.

Stan and Carl Weidert donated $20 to start the mailing fund. Thank you Carl and Stan!

New Business:

• Forming a formal group for the Bear Creek watershed. Barbara Davis, one of the originators of the Cow Creek Watershed Management Group, was able to attend and explain how to form and operate a 501(c)(3).

  The Cow Creek group used success for consensus to form a self sufficient group. Before forming a watershed group they focused on making the board members relate to the demographics of the area. The Board was split into thirds, 1/3 timber, 1/3 agriculture and 1/3 residential. All members involved in the forming of the group had the same concerns and one main concern and that was water and water rights. After becoming a non-profit organization they were able to work as a prominent partner to the WSRCD. Being a 501(c)(3) they were able to receive more grants to complete more projects in the watershed.

  After the group was formed they were able to work collaboratively and protest against a developer in 2001. This developer was trying to open an old water right and produce a power plant of his own. This would have resulted in the closure of an existing power plant.

  The Cow Creek Watershed Management Group has no legal authority, but the ability to raise awareness on pertinent issues within the watershed is on a greater level as a formal group rather then a group of individuals.

• NOAA fisheries critical habitat changes for the Bear Creek watershed. Aric Lester clarified the changes to the Summary of Critical Habitat for Central Valley Steelhead and Spring-run Chinook. Specific words were changed, accessible to occupied, and instead of adjacent riparian zones defined as habitat, it now reads bankful width is the critical habitat.

Old Business:

• What is happening to keep fuel breaks clear?

The WSRCD has applied for a grant from the USFS/RAC. This Grant will be used for maintenance on the Shasta Forest Village fuel break.

• What is happening with the Shingletown chipping program? Is there going to be one this year and if not what are they supposed to do with the piles accumulating along road sides?

The Shingletown chipping program was not funded this year. Many grants were applied for to continue the brush collection and chipping program. Due to the increase in state deficit, and many other hurtles, the WSRCD was not granted funds to proceed.

Landowners that are piling and waiting for the chipping to begin, don’t wait. Call your local fire agencies and burn during designated burn days to reduce the amount of brush that is accumulating in everyone’s yards.

Question and Answer:

• All other concerns were discussed throughout the duration of the meeting

Next Meeting Agenda Items:

• ENPLAN Update
• Speaker from a Coordinated Resource Management Planning Group (CRMP) to discuss how they operate and the structure of their group.
• Fuel Breaks and the Chipping program
• Management plan opportunities from the watershed grants that are coming out

Meeting adjourned 8:05 PM

The next meeting will be April 7th, 2005 at 6:30 PM .