Work Season is Underway in the South Fork of the Trinity River
District staff, under the direction of Cynthia Tarwater, have been busy in the South Fork of the Trinity River watershed once again this year. Road decommissioning projects are scheduled in a number of drainages to help the USFS meet its management goals for reducing erosion and the potential to harm fisheries in this critical salmon habitat. The roads are selected through a detailed assessment of the Forest Service’s management needs for an area, the risk that roads and their drainage systems pose to deliver sediment to streams and the public’s comments. In some cases the design is to upgrade the roads (storm-proof) and in others it is to remove the road all together (decommission). The first project this year is on the 28N48A near Pine Root Saddle. Crews and equipment will then move to Wilcox Ridge to finish a project started last year on the 28N50D road. The District’s Board of Directors awarded contracts for the decommissioning of two roads in the Hidden Valley Compartment (1N11B, 1N24A roads) at their June meeting, and for the end of the 28N40 Road in the Upper South Fork Compartment (Hermit Rock) at the July meeting. In addition, approximately 3 miles of high-risk roads will be decommissioned in the Butter Creek watershed, near the Indian Valley Guard station. The USFS has also asked the District to help with the rehabilitation work that they have designed in last year’s Sims Fire.
An essential part of implementing this kind of soil conservation program is building the partnerships necessary to fund the work. Noreen Doyas, the District’s Grants Manager, has assembled an impressive network of partners in the South Fork Trinity River watershed. The District has agreements with the State Water Resources Control Board, managed by the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board, the California Department of Fish and Game, through its California Coastal Salmon Recovery Program, the Trinity County Resource Advisory Committee’s Title II Program and the USFS. The District wishes to thank all of them for their continued support.
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District Manager's Corner
by Pat Frost
Looking through a draft of this issue of the Conservation Almanac reminded me of something I wanted to share. I was struck by the impact that our partnership with the AmeriCorps Watershed Stewards Program has had on the District and the communities we serve.
Laura Murphy and Abbey Stockwell are the current AmeriCorps members serving with us. Look at the various photo essays in this issue and you will see their mark – there they are with the Weaverville Fourth Graders and with the Trinity High School students. The summer day camp is theirs, too. They have brought great energy and creativity to our programs and I want to thank them.
I especially want to acknowledge the inspired work of Laura, who will be leaving us at the end of August to pursue a graduate degree in Soils Sciences at UC Davis. Our Summer Day Camp at Lowden Park was her idea and became a reality, because of Laura’s vision and hard work. The two, 2-week sessions have provided a wonderful, fun-filled and educational experience for many children and job experience for six high school students. Sometimes the impact of AmeriCorps lives on in our communities beyond any member’s service. Take Sandra Perez. She was one of my first AmeriCorps members, moving to rural Trinity County for the greater Los Angeles area. Today she is a member of the Trinity County Planning Department, working on natural resources issues. Elizabeth Gill went on to earn her Teaching Credential at Humboldt State University after finishing her year with the RCD. This September she will begin her teaching career at Coffee Creek School.
I know that the District’s programs and services are richer and more valuable to you, because of AmeriCorps. I also know that working in our communities with all of you and within the awe-inspiring natural beauty of Trinity County gives the AmeriCorps members rich experiences that will benefit them for many years to come. So I thank them for what they give us and I thank all of you for what you give back to them.
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Cynthia Tarwater & Noreen Doyas Discuss Future Projects in the South Fork
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