In cooperation with the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board, the TRRP recently initiated development of an environmental document entitled “Completion of Phase 1 Channel Rehabilitation Projects with Planned Phase 2 Channel Rehabilitation and Sediment Management Projects.” This Master Environmental Assessment /Environmental Impact Report (Master EA/EIR) will be site specific for next year’s (2009) eight channel rehabilitation construction projects and programmatic for the 23 Phase 2 projects that are scheduled for 2010-2012. The Master EA/EIR will also address fine and coarse sediment (gravel) management needs between Lewiston and the North Fork Trinity River. Concepts and rehabilitation designs for the last of the Phase 1 Projects, (also known as the “Remaining 8” group of sites) is now in process within six separate project areas along the river between the Old Bridge and Douglas City. It is expected that the Master EA/EIR will streamline environmental compliance needs so that future TRRP projects, which use proven designs and construction methods, will be more easily reviewed by the public and regulatory agencies. More information on the Remaining 8 sites and the Master EA/EIR is available at: http://www.trrp.net/implementation/remaining8.htm

Ed Solbos, Implementation Branch Chief of the Trinity River Restoration Program retired May 2, 2008. Ed came to the Restoration Program in April 2002 from the Sacramento Office of the Bureau of Reclamation, where he was Regional Engineer for six years. Prior to that time, Ed was Area Manager for the Lahontan Basin in Carson City, NV for four years and Project Manager for the Trinity River Basin Field Office in Weaverville from 1986 to 1991. We will miss him greatly and we wish him a wonderful retirement!

Joe Riess, Civil Engineer, left the Trinity River Restoration Program on March 14, 2008 to accept a position with a private engineering firm. Joe contributed substantially to our accomplishments over the past 3 years and will be missed greatly, but he and his wife Tiffany will remain our neighbors here in Weaverville.

We want to welcome two new members of the TRRP staff. Jennifer Faler, joins us as the Implementation Branch Chief, and David Bandrowski was recently hired to replace Joe Riess and joined the office May 11. You can read more about them in the summer issue of the Conservation Almanac.