Shasta River Watershed

Stewardship Approach:

A Water Quality Partnership CARCD Annual

Conference

November 14, 2014

Ventura, CA

Adriane Garayalde – Shasta Vly RCDClayton Creager - NCRWQCB

Presentation Overview

The Shasta River Watershed Shasta Valley RCD mission and purpose Shasta River TMDL – Temperature & DO The Watershed Stewardship Approach Shasta Valley Watershed Stewardship Partners Shasta Valley Watershed Management Issues Watershed Stewardship Projects Will the Stewardship Approach Work for Other

RCDs?

Shasta Valley RCD Mission and Purpose

Mission Statement To work with interested landowners on a voluntary basis to enhance the

management and sustainable use of natural resources in order to ensure the long term economic viability of the community.

 

Vision Statement

We believe that by working together with landowners we can help the people within the District to meet the environmental and economic challenges they face.

 

Value Statement

The Shasta Valley Resource Conservation District will approach all interactions with funders, partners, agencies and members of the public with professionalism, integrity, fairness, respectfulness and an open mind.

Klamath Basin TMDLs

2010

Sprague, Williamson, Upper Klamath Lake, 2002 (temp, DO, pH, Chl(a))

Lost River, 2010 (pH, NH3, DO, temp) Klamath, 2010 (pH, nutrients, DO,

temp, Chl(a), microcystin)

Trinity S. Fork, 1998 (sed)

Trinity, 2001 (sed)

Salmon, 2005 (sed, temp)

Scott, 2005 (sed, temp)

Shasta, 2006 (DO, temp) Lost, 2008 (nutrients, pH)

Shasta River Sub-Basin

And TributariesWatershed

Stewardship Area

Shasta River Watershed Shasta River watershed is approximately 800 square

miles Shasta River is a spring-fed river (cold, nutrient rich

water) Dwinnell Dam was constructed in 1928 Shasta Basin - 11% (60,000 acres) of land in irrigated

production and 23% (120,000 acres) in grazed ranchland Surface water resources are over allocated during the

summer months Challenges managing resource needs of threatened

coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch)

Why Watershed Stewardship Approach?

SiskiyouCounty

NCRWQCB

Landowners

CDFW

CA Trout

NOAA NMFS

Shared environmental outcomes

Common management strategies

Leverage available resources

Streamline requirements and process

Forum to resolve misunderstandings and conflicts

Watershed Stewardship Framework

Watershed Stewardship ApproachGoals and Objectives:

Broader participation; Comprehensive assessments to support

problem identification and project priorities; Increased transparency and distribution of

watershed stewardship information; Coordinated funding and activities; Improved tracking and documentation; Use of adaptive management principles; and Improved and optimized monitoring networks;

Watershed Stewardship Framework

An approach that supports collaborative outcomes

Adaptive Management Framework

Implement Actions

(All)

Track & Account (KTAP)

Monitor (KBMP)

Evaluate (All)

Adjust(All)

Watershed Stewardship

Teams

Certifies & Registers Projects

Water Quality Conditions

Klamath Basin Monitoring Program Monitoring coordination Common analytical

methods and sampling protocols

Data management Membership organization Watershed stewardship

assessment reports Web Information Portal

(Blue-green Algae Tracker) www.kbmp.net

Klamath Tracking & Accounting Program (KTAP)

KTAP - Program Components

Consistent Protocols

Quantification Methods

Tracking/Registration

Klamath Tracking and Accounting ProgramOctober 2014

Shasta Valley Watershed Stewardship Partnership

Contributors

Shasta Valley RCD Klamath Basin Monitoring

Program Regional Water Board CA Fish & Wildlife The Nature Conservancy US Fish & Wildlife Service City of Yreka NOAA Fisheries Karuk Tribe Cal Trout US EPA Region 9 SWRCB Water Rights Division

USFS – Klamath & Shasta Trinity USGS Individual Landowners /

Ranchers Montague Water Conservation

District

Pending or Planned Outreach City of Weed US BLM CalTrans City of Montague Local Interest Groups Community of Edgewood Community of Shastina

Stewardship Priorities

Grazing impacts Riparian vegetation

management

Minor impoundments

Water Use / TMDL flow objective

Irrigation / Tailwater management

Lake Shastina management

Stormwater Roads Timber harvest Yreka Waste Water

Treatment Plant Spring rehabilitation

Water Quality Issues of Concern

Stewardship Activities

Water Quality Ranch Plans (TMDL Waiver)

Riparian protection / fencing

Tailwater management

Riparian planting

Irrigation management

Water conservation / flow enhancements

Small impoundment mitigation / fish barrier removal

http://www.kbmp.net/stewardship

Watershed Stewardship Report

Tracking Stewardship Activities

Stewardship Project Inventory

Tributary Reach

Project Implementation date

Source Category Addressed

Water Quality Improvement

Project Sponsor

Project Description

Water Quality Ranch Planning

Important tool for landowners to manage for improved water quality

31 ranchers have completed plans

24 water quality ranch plans developed by SVRCD for TMDL purposes

Continue to develop additional water quality ranch plans

TMDL Grants and Contracts Phase I: Grant for tailwater analysis, project priority

setting, tailwater reduction projects, and minor impoundment removal (2006-2007)

Phase II: Tailwater Reduction (2009) Riparian Protection and Restoration (2011) Assessment and Planning Analysis in High Priority

Area (2013) Phase III: Irrigation Water Management and

Watershed Stewardship Project (2013) Annual small contracts to SVRCD (2006 – 2013 for

coordinating work supportive of the TMDL)

Watershed Stewardship

Project Example

Riparian Protection

Shasta River at Louie Rd Bridge (RM 33.9).

Fenced 2009

1997

2011

Watershed StewardshipPilot Project

ExampleRiparian Planting

Watershed Stewardship

PilotProject

Example

Tailwater Projects

465 ac-ft

126 ac-ft

Hidden Valley Ranch

TailwaterProject

Watershed Stewardship

PilotProject Example

Minor Impoundment

Removal

Watershed Stewardship Monitoring Plan

Shasta Valley RCD The Nature

Conservancy / UC Davis

US Forest Service CDFW McBain and Trush

(CA SCC) Sierra Pacific

Industries Emmerson

NOAA Fisheries Watercourse Engineering Montague Water

Conservation District Karuk Tribe Regional Water Board /

US EPA IX City of Yreka

Existing Monitoring Entities:

Reach Breakpoints Shasta River

1) Mouth to Yreka Creek

2) Yreka Creek to Little Shasta River

3) Little Shasta River to Willow Creek

4) Willow Creek to Big Springs Creek

5) Big Springs Creek to Parks Creek

6) Parks Creek to Dwinnell Outlet

7) Lake Shastina

8) Lake Shastina to Headwaters Yreka Creek Oregon Slough Little Shasta River Big Springs / Little Springs Creek Parks Creek

Water Quality Monitoring

Sites

Existing and Proposed

Lessons Learned Resources to support outreach, coordination and

communication activities are critical to success Working in a basin that is very polarized has challenges Integrating regulatory requirements into partnership is still

a work in progress Documenting project implementation takes resources but

has real value Adaptive management criteria remains to be completed Tracking status and trends takes several years of

monitoring data The pilot project is generally viewed as a success in the

watershed

Questions?