Local Conservation District Finds Innovative Solutions To Environmental Challenges

Sotoyome Resource Conservation District is forging links between groups that have a history of political divisiveness: landowners, environmentalists and regulatory agencies. 

That optimistic perspective surfaced last week during a tour of the district by Sonoma County elected officials and the media. District boundaries include the whole Gualala watershed and the northern two-thirds of Sonoma County—including major portions of the Russian River watershed -- including areas around Healdsburg.

According to their website, “Resource Conservation Districts (RCDs) are the states' only grassroots conservation delivery system that identifies local conservation problems and guides solutions on a voluntary basis.”

On the recent field tour, the SRCD hosted Fourth District Supervisor Mike McGuire and Fifth District Supervisor Efren Carrillo.  Each supervisor joined the tour as it covered two recent projects in their respective districts.

The SRCD, described in their website as "a local non-regulatory organization whose mission is to promote responsible natural resource management through voluntary community stewardship and technical assistance,” works on a variety of projects. Those range from watershed monitoring and planning to habitat enhancement to water conservation. 

They also provide adult education on these and other environmental issues.

The tour met at the SRCD office near the Sonoma County Airport.  After loading into SUVs, the group of about 25 individuals went to Grape Creek, off West Dry Creek Road near Healdsburg. 

Valerie Minton, SRCD’s Conservation Program manager, demonstrated the work that has restored the creek flow.

By creating a network of flow gauges to monitor flow they were able to determine which parts of the creek received less water than needed.  They understood there was too little water but in order to create a solution they needed to know, “how much too little water,” according to Minton.

The in-stream restoration included the creation of deep pools and added large woody debris for shade to the creek to encourage a healthy habitat for fish.

The landowner in this case participated freely in all aspects of the restoration work from start to finish.  Where once they created a flashboard dam water diversion to use for frost protection, SRCD helped the vineyard owner seek and receive the $25,000 needed to purchase and install a fan to prevent inversion frosts.

In return, the landowner will no longer draw water from Grape Creek for frost protection. 

“Growers are looking to get out of the creeks," Minton said.

Minton said that such projects of flow recovery augment the populations of Coho salmon, an endangered species.

“In the spring of 2010, the decision was made to reintroduce Coho," she said. "Five adults [Coho] returned to the stream this year -- these were not planted fish. 

“This is the kind of success story we are looking for,” Minton added. McGuire told Minton he was impressed with the project and thanked the SRCD staff and the other participants for their work.

In this instance, the landowner reached out to SRCD. 

At other times, the organization might do work that a regulatory organization such as the California Department of Fish and Game has deemed necessary.  When that is the case, SRCD will act as a liaison between the landowner and the regulatory agency.

In all cases, the landowner voluntarily works with Sotoyome Resource Conservation District.

Currently, SRCD is working on the property above this one that is completely different. Both Wine Creek and Grape Creek are involved in this project.

Because the land involved is not flat, the wind machine fan will not work.  Instead, drilling a well that does not affect creek water levels to create a pond to use for frost prevention is planned.  This project is much more costly and projected to be about $400,000. 

The National Resource Conservation Service is an important partner in the pond project and they are helping with both technical expertise and funding.

The NRCS is often a partner in these projects.  Under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Agriculture, the “NRCS works with landowners through conservation planning and assistance to benefit the soil, water, air, plants, and animals for productive lands and healthy ecosystems,” according to their website.

There are a number of grant funding sources for these projects.  Some come from the California Department of Fish and Game, some from the federal government;  other environmental agencies provide funds, too.

The tour went south on Westside Road to the Mill Creek Watershed.  Palomar and Felta Creeks flow into Mill Creek that flows into Dry Creek. This area contains some of the best Coho habitat—cool temperatures and upland habitat in the forest.

Naomi Brilliant is the owner of the property on both sides of the creek.  One hundred percent of the property involved in this watershed is privately owned, just as it was in the Wine Creek/Grape Creek area.

Restoration Ecologist Playalina Nelson facilitated the education of tour members on this portion of the watershed. “SRCD is working on the watersheds in a holistic manner,” she said. 

They look at the watershed and the property owners, the data gaps—what information is lacking—and at salmonids. 

“Long-term planning is essential both for success and future funding,” said Kara Heckert, SRCD executive director.

According to SRCD Board President, Earle Cummings, “SRCD has a role as a problem solver to get better together.  Cummings worked in Sacramento for 30 years in different natural resource positions.  “It’s important to get the citizenry engaged with what’s going on,” he continued.

Current projects include Arundo donax (an invasive bamboo-like reedy grass), rural roads improvement projects (to prevent erosion and sedimentation of creeks) and the SRCD runs a mobile water lab that offers free evaluations of water usage among other things.

McGuire left the tour at this point.  At the next stop, Guerneville River Park, Efren Carrillo joined the excursion.

During lunch, Heckert explained how the SRCD became involved with the Safe Septics Program in the lower river area. Their areas of expertise include ambient water quality monitoring, landowner pollution prevention, septic evaluation and technical assistance and the completion of demonstration septic repair projects.

The final stop was at the Austin Creek. This area is covered by the Austin Creek Watershed Restoration Program that includes erosion control projects, habitat enhancement, monitoring and will include the implementation of an additional phase and a rainwater catchment project.

Work completed or in-progress includes 90 miles of road assessment. Twenty-five miles of rural roads funded for sediment control in 2011-2012, bank stabilization projects, stream bank native plant revegetation, water quality monitoring.

During the six-hour tour, the SRCD’s role as a facilitator for conservation through partnerships became clear.  Without their adept handling of delicate landowner-related negotiations, many of these projects would not have been considered, implemented or funded.

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