United States Environmental Protection Agency Office Of Water (4501F) EPA 840-N-93-005 Fall 1993 &EPA Watershed Events ~ An EPA Bulletin on Integrated Aquatic Ecosystem Protection ~ In This Issue... Watershed Activities North Chickamauga Creek (TN) Totten-Little Skookum Water- shed (WA) Bear Creek (OR) Trinity River (CA) Minnesota River (MN) San Franisco Bay (CA) "Know Your Watershed Campaign" Upcoming Conferences Recent Releases Watershed Events is intended to update interested parties on the development and use of watershed protection approaches. Watershed protection approaches are integrated and holistic. That is, they consider the primary threats to human and ecosystem health within the watershed, involve those people most concerned or able to take actions to solve those problems, and then take corrective actions in a comprehensive manner. Direct questions and comments about Watershed Events to the editor: Anne Robertson, (202) 260-9112 Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds U.S. EPA (4501F) 401 M Street, SW Washington, D.C. 20460 A Note from Bob Perciasepe Assistant Administrator for Water U. S. Environmental Protection Agency As I begin my tenure as EPA's caring for the resource. As we are Assistant Administrator for Water, I am excited by the energy and en- thusiasm I have found within the Agency for watershed manage- ment. I am a strong believer in addressing the whole resource rather than focusing on isolated areas or issues. My years of experience in Mary- land have proved to me that we cannot succeed by addressing prob- lems individually. I know of ex- ample after example where we have brought a lake, river, or stream into complete compliance, and yet the resource remains degraded. With- out a more comprehensive evalua- tion of all the problems affecting the resource, we are likely to miss fundamental problems that must be addressed in order to fully re- store the resotfrce. Watershed man- agement provides the framework and the tools we need to success- fully deal with all of the problems affecting our waters. Another aspect of watershed man- agement that I find very important and beneficial is the emphasis placed on involving all parties in all aware, public staff levels and financial resources are limited, and many of the problems that we must now confront are diffuse. No one entity or agency has the resources to protect our waters alone. Suc- cessfully addressing today's prob- lems will require the cooperation of all stakeholders—landowners, businesses, all levels of govern- ment, academic institutions, envi- ronmental/recreational groups, and local community groups. Because stakeholder support and involvement are so important, we at EPA must continue to educate and inform these potential players. As EPA Administrator Browner emphasized during recent remarks to Office of Water staff, we have to make sure that we are communi- cating effectively. Our work and goals must be described in a way that the public clearly understands. My years of work with the Chesa- peake Bay have shown me just how successful and productive we can be when we all work together and take a watershed approach. In the Note-Continued on Page 11 (Xy Recycled/Recyclable Printed wtth Soy/Canola Ink on paper thai <_)<"/ contain* at least SO% recycled tibef ------- Page 2 Watershed Events Fall 1993 Citizens Spur Greenway Development Along the North Chickamauga Creek by Linda K. Hixon, Friends of the North Chickamauga Creek Greenway, Inc. North Chickamauga Creek begins with theunion of two small streams near the crest of Walden Ridge in southeast Tennessee near the City of Chattanooga. The creek flows eastward for a few miles, then be- gins a rapid descent toward the valley floor, cutting a deep central gorge into the sandstone of the pla- teau. Upon entering the valley, the creek winds its way through the heart of the Hixson community before emptying into the Tennes- see River just below Chickamauga Dam. In its 32-mile course from ridgetop to river, the creek drains some 120 square miles of upland and valley land. The Hixson community is one of the fastest growing areas in Hamilton County, Tennessee. Ap- proximately half of the community lies within the boundaries of the City of Chattanooga, the other half lies within an unincorporated sec- tion of the county. Despite the pres- sures of urbanization and the an- nexation of part of the Hixson area by the city, the residents have re- tained a strong sense of commu- nity. In January 1987, responding to sug- gestions from local residents that a public park needed to be estab- lished in the rapidly urbanizing Hixson area, the Hixson Branch of the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce created a park commit- tee. A local attorney chaired the committee and assembled a multidisciplinary team of volun- teers to work on the project that included a librarian, a certified pub- lic accountant, a local business leader, a Tennessee Valley Author- ity (TVA) landscape architect, a se- nior planner with the local plan- ning commission, and a civil engi- neer. Prohibitive land acquisition costs for centrally located tracts of land in the community which would be suitable fordevelopment in thestyle of a traditional, large, rectangular park steered the committee away from that alternative to a better one: the establishment of a greenway along the lower eight miles of North Chickamauga Creek. The green- way would provide a more diverse array of recreational opportunities for the community and would in- clude a hiking/bicycling trail that would generally follow the mean- dering course of North Chick- amauga Creek from the center of the community to the Tennessee riverfront. The greenway and trail would also link the Hixson com- munity with the Tennessee RiverPark, an extensive linear park proposed for development and management by the City of Chatta- nooga and Hamilton County along an 11 mile stretch of the Tennessee River beginning at Chickamauga Dam and extending south of down- town Chattanooga. For the initial segment of the greenway, the park committee fo- cused on a large wooded tract of land bordering the lower mile of the creek. The committee discov- ered the tract while researching prospective park locations. The tract was part of TVA's Chickamauga Dam Reservation. The tract's location at the confluence of the creek with the Tennessee River and the existence of an old roadway that extended through the tract, paralleling the creek, which could be easily converted into a hiking/bicycling trail, made the parcel ideal. Over the next two and a half years, the committee developed, with as- sistance from TV A, Chattanooga's parks department, local planning commission staff, and others, a de- tailed plan for a greenway and a hiking/bicycling trail along the lower eight miles of the creek. A large map was prepared and a writ- ten plan was published. The com- mittee contacted property owners, assisted TV A in preparing a site plan for the initial greenway seg- ment (on the TV A Reservation), helped obtain funding for the project, and rallied public and po- litical support. Key early support was received from the city commis- sioner who administered the city's parks and recreation program, the mayor, U. S. Senators Jim Sasser and A1 Gore, and U. S. Representa- tive Marilyn Lloyd. The Tennessee Department of Conservation also provided assistance to the commit- tee. In 1988, a local artist painted a scene of the creek and donated it to the Chamber of Commerce so that funds for the project could be raised through the sale of prints of the painting. The county's state legis- lative delegation, at the request of Representative Bobby Wood, ear- marked $50,000 of the county's ho- tel-motel tax to support develop- ment of the greenway. Also that year, the park committee was in- strumental in the passage of legis- lation to amend the state's laws that provide certain liability pro- tections for landowners who grant conservation easements to the state to include such protections for land- owners who grant conservation easements to county and munici- pal governments. ------- Fall 1993 Watershed Events In January 1989, a chance encoun- ter between the chairman of the park committee and the director of the National Park Service's (NPS) Rivers and Trails Conservation Assistance Program led to NPS staff becoming involved in the park committee's North Chickamauga Creek project. When the City of Chattanooga created a greenway advisory board in June 1989 to help implement the North Chickamauga Creek Greenway and plan for a system of greenways throughout the Chattanooga area, the NPS staff continued to provide valuable as- sistance. Impressed by the area's scenic qualities and local interest in greenway development, NPS an- nounced in April 1991 a metropoli- tan recreational corridor planning project for the 8-county Chatta- nooga metropolitan area. Work on that project is underway. Also in 1989, TV A began construc- tion of a 1.25 mile paved trail, a picnic pavilion, restroom, and im- proved canoe access point on the 40 acres of the Chickamauga Dam Reservation that would constitute the initial segment of the greenway and designated the remaining 200 acres of that parcel of the Reserva- tion for preservation as a "Small Wild Area." The TV A Small Wild Area has also been designated as an "Urban Wildlife Sanctuary" by The National Institute for Urban Wildlife and as a State Natural Area by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. A local Boy Scout Troop has devel- oped an unsurfaced 1.3-mile loop trail in the area that links with the paved greenway trail. In December 1989, the Chatta- nooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission and the City of Chattanooga formally adopted the North Chickamauga Creek Greenway Plan. Also that year, the Hamilton County Commission adopted a resolution supporting the North Chickamauga Creek Greenway and the general concept of greenways. On May 19,1990, the first segment of the greenway was dedicated, with U. S. Senator Jim Sasser being the keynote speaker. At the dedi- cation, TV A gave the City of Chat- tanooga an easement to manage and maintain the 40 acre tract that makes up this section of the greenway. Several days thereafter, the City Commission authorized the purchase of a 180 acre farm, featuring 2.5 miles of creek front- age, adjoining the northern bound- ary of the initial greenway segment. The City of Chattanooga has ex- tended the greenway trail onto the farm and has developed a couple of canoe access points there. In the summer, the City of Chattanooga operates a popular canoeing pro- gram on the creek. Volunteers from a coalition of neighborhood groups known as H.E.L.P. have promoted use of the farm as an environmen- tal education center. A concept plan has been prepared and the City of Chattanooga plans some limited development of the prop- erty to facilitate such use. To meet the need for a structured, on-going entity to facilitate citizen involvement in the planning and establishment of the North Chickamauga Creek Greenway; to encourage sound land use decisions .throughout the entire watershed area and preservation of the area's significant natural, historic and cultural resources; and to help pro- vide needed funding, four mem- bers of the former Hixson Chamber of Commerce's park committee in- corporated on St. Patrick's Day 1993 a nonprofit organization called Friends of the North Chickamauga Creek Green way, Inc. (FNCCG). A $1,000 American Greenways DuPont Award from the Conser- vation Fund has helped the organi- zation meet initial expenses. Tech- nical assistance has been provided by staff of The Conservation Fund. FNCCG is currently involved in an effort to develop and implement a model protection plan for North Chickamauga Creek's gorge and upper watershed area. Partners in this project include The Conserva- tion Fund, NPS, and American Whitewater Affiliation. One of the large landowners in the gorge, Bowater Incorporated, made a sig- nificant contribution to the effort when it dedicated 1,095 acres in June 1993 as a "Pocket Wilderness Area" and constructed 1.5-mile and 4.5-mile hiking trails for public use. The first phase of the watershed protection project: development of a Conservation Plan which will serve to determine and identify ar- eas of primary and secondary con- servation value, is near completion. Work on the second phase: devel- opment of a Sustainable Land Use Management Plan, will be under- way soon and is being funded by a grant from the Lyndhurst Founda- tion. FNCCG is also assisting the City of Chattanooga by contacting land- owners to encourage donation of the land and easements needed for completion of the greenway and trail plan that the City of Chatta- nooga adopted for the lower eight miles of the creek. With technical assistance from The Conservation Fund and TV A, FNCCG is working with cooperative landowners to prepare conceptual site plans for the greenway segments in their ar- eas. For additional information, contact Linda K. Hixon, President, FNCCG, One N orthgate Park, Suite 303, Chattanooga, TN 37415, (615) 870-8575. ------- Watershed Events Fall 1993 Locals Unite to Maintain Watershed's Rural Character by Commissioner Laura Porter, Mason County, WA The Totten-Little Skookum Water- shed in Washington State is spec- tacular by anyone's standards. It is the second most productive shell- fish growing area in the state. Visu- ally, the watershed presents itself in its natural state with water at its heart, shellfish lined beaches, for- ested banks, quiet rural homes, tim- ber production, and small farm operations. Its "sense of place" is powerful and adds significant meaning to the lives of local resi- dents. Totten-Little Skookum watershed is situated in the southwest corner of Puget Sound in Mason and Thurston Counties. Mason County is experiencing rapid population growth (23 percent since 1990). The pressures of that growth threaten the watershed's physical beauty, shellfish production, and environ- mental health. Because local citizens recognized their watershed was at risk and value water quality, they began a watershed planning process in 1985. Citizens representing diverse interests (including public, busi- ness, individual, and tribal perspec- tives) participated in the planning process. The committee worked together with a staff facilitator for over two years. They shared perspectives, found common definitions of prob- lems, and allowed the chaos of dis- agreement and diverse points of view to freely flow from meeting to meeting. Every resident of the wa- tershed was surveyed and numer- ous town hall meetings with hun- dreds participating were held in the watershed. Over time, this group developed a plan for the area with a central focus: maintaining the rural character of the water- shed. Rural character incorporated many factors for these citizens, in- cluding the general feeling and look of the neighborhoods, interactions of families, resource lands, and water quality. Through this pro- cess neighbors have gotten to know each other and have offered their skills to benefit the watershed. The plan they developed called for major actions to preserve rural char- acter. Those actions required fund- ing for their implementation. In local government, environmental O- action must compete with constitu- tionally mandated criminal justice services for general funds. In this competition, criminal justice nearly always wins. So, the committee recommended formation of a clean water district for the purpose of generating dedicated revenue. They recommended that this rev- enue be collected from each house- hold in the form of an annual fee. With this money, septic systems would be monitored, farms would got needed assistance with imple- menting Best Management Prac- tices, and other important work would be done. Mason County formed this Clean Water District in January 1993. Re- markably, the funding partners for the first three years of District ac- tivities have gone beyond the household fee. The Washington State Department of Ecology granted monies to match local dol- lars. The local shellfish growers contributed $18,000 per year to show their interest in clean water. The U. S. Environmental Protec- tion Agency contributed monies to facilitate formation of an advisory council for the district. This local-state-federal-business partnership has been instrumental in instilling confidence in the im- portance of the new district. Local per-household fees will ensure that state and federal investments will be maintained and enhanced in fu- ture years and for future genera- tions. Because of the new dedicated rev- enue source, Mason County Clean Water District staff are implement- ing the recommendations of the watershed plan and protecting Totten-Little Skookum Water from degradation. For additional infor- mation, contact Laura Porter, Ma- son County Board of Commission- ers, Mason County Coruthouse Building 1,411 North Fifth, Shelton, WA 98584, (206) 427-9670, ext. 419. Request for Submissions Submissions to Watershed Events are always welcome. Submis- sions should be 1-3 pages in length and should include a contact person. Send submis- sions to: Anne Robertson U.S. EPA (4501F) 401 M Street, SW Washington, D.C 20460 (202) 260-9112 FAX (202) 260-2529 ------- Fall 1993 Watershed Events Efforts Underway to Restore Urban Section of Bear Creek In Medford, Oregon the commu- nity has come together to repair a section of Bear Creek that flows through its downtown. This effort is part of a basin-wide attempt to restore the environment, improve water quality and fisheries, enhance wildlife habitat and aesthetics, and increase public awareness of Bear Creek. The Rogue Valley Founda- tion sponsors the Downtown Bear Creek Restoration Project. Man- agement of the project is provided by the Downtown Bear Creek Task Force whose members include vol- unteer community leaders; experts in a wide variety of fields; and local representatives from business, rec- reation, environmental, and gov- ernment groups. The downtown Medford section of Bear Creek serves as the connecting link between the north and south portions of the Jackson County Bear Creek Green way. Together, the Jackson County Greenway and Downtown Bear Creek groups cover Bear Creek from its source at Emigrant Lake to the point where it empties into the Wild and Scenic Rogue River in southern Oregon, a distance of 25 miles. Agriculture is a major activity in this watershed, and local farms de- pend on Bear Creek for their water supply. The Rogue River Valley Irrigation District uses a dam, built on a segment of the creek in down- town Medford, to draw and circu- late water to farms in the Medford vicinity. The dam creates a back- water pool which permits the sun to warm the slower moving water behind it. This warm water is det- rimental for fish migration and spawning. Also, over the years silt had built up both behind the dam and at the foot of the fish ladder, making it difficult for fish to bypass the dam at all, thus making 23 miles of fish spawning habitat inacces- sible. Anadromous fish popula- tions are especially threatened be- cause of the declining spawning areas, a problem that is common throughout the Northwest. Sun- light on the pool behind the dam causes nutrients to grow into oxy- gen-consuming algae. Pollution from storm drains, processed sew- age, agriculture runoff, and Inter- state 5 drainage has earned a "wa- ter quality limited" designation for Bear Creek. In addition, encroach- ing development has eliminated native plants necessary for wildlife habitat and creek preservation. Over a span of five years the Medford Urban Renewal Agency, which originally created the Bear Creek Task Force, developed a pro- posal for restoring the downtown section of Bear Creek. The pro- posal includes modifying the dam; constructing a new diversion; con- structing fish facilities (riprap is- lands, resting pools, state-of-the- art screens, and ladders in the cen- tral channel); planting shade trees near the creek bed to keep water temperatures down; reconstructing and securing the creek banks; cre- ating wetlands to filter contami- nants and sediments; and building creek overlooks and interpretative plant walks to educate the commu- nity. The Medford Urban Renewal Agency provided substantial aid for the planning and engineering phases of the project. To fund implementation of the Bear Creek proposal, the Task Force is seeking assistance from govern- ment agencies, private foundations, and civic organizations. The Medford Rogue Rotary and Medford Rotary Clubs sponsored the creation of two overlooks at the dam. Meanwhile, other local groups are planning contributions of land- scaping, native vegetation pur- chases, and additional o verlookcon- struction. Most recently, the project received $20,000 from lottery funds through the Oregon Governor's Wa- tershed Enhancement Board, with contributions from the Oregon De- partment of Environmental Qual- ity and the U. S. Environmental Pro- tection Agency. Another $1.3 mil- lion is needed to complete the resto- ration. This project benefits from both a high level of support from the community and high visibility. For additional information, contact Marsha Danielson, Medford Urban Rennewal Agency, 411 W. Eighth St., Room 353, Medford, OR 97501, (503) 770-4434. Management and Protection of Coastal Waters: Tools for Local Governments January 27-28,1994 Thibodaux, Louisiana This workshop conducted by the U. S. Environmental Protec- tion Agency is for local officials and citizen leaders and focuses on growth management strate- gies and techniques to protect coastal resources. This work- shop is the first in a series for 1994. Additional sites and dates will be announced in the near future. For more information, contact Macara Lousberg, U. S. EPA (4504F), 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460, (202) 260-9109. ------- Watershed Events Fall 1993 Purchase of 17,000 Acres Furthers Restoration of Trinity River by Kathy Simpson, Soil Conservation Service-Weaverville, CA Field Office and Jim Cooley, Trinity County Resource Conservation District In June 1993, the Trinity River Res- toration Program (TRRP), working through the National Heritage In- stitute (NHI) and the Trust for Pub- lic Land, leveraged a buy-out from Champion International (a timber management corporation) of 17,000 acres in the Grass Valley Creek watershed which is located in Northern California. The buy-out effort was initiated and pursued by the Trinity County Resource Con- servation District (TCRCD). The Trinity River drains the 23,000-acre Grass Valley Creek watershed and empties into the Pacific Ocean. Af- ter the buy-out, the title of the land was turned over to the Bureau of Land Management, whose manage- ment priority is to stabilize the frag- ile and highly erodible soils of the watershed. This land acquisition marks the most recent accomplish- ment in the almost 10 year effort to restore the Trinity River watershed. For the past 30 years, soil erosion has been a major problem in the Trinity River watershed. The con- struction of the Trinity and Lewiston dams on the Trinity River in 1963 resulted in the diversion of nearly 90 percent of the flows for other uses. In the absence of these flushing flows, decomposed gran- ite sediment from Grass Valley Creek watershed began to build up in the river, causing the loss and degradation of much of the fish and wildlife habitat. According to the old-timers, "there was a time when ' you could walk across the (Trinity) River on the backs of the fish." It has been suggested that more than 800,000 salmon and steelhead trout annually came upriver before 1960, while as few as 7,000 were found in 1992. These fish populations have attracted many anglers and camp- ers, making tourism one of the foun- dation industries for Trinity County, California. To address the degradation of the Trinity River, the TRRP, a 10 year, $56 million rehabilitation effort, was funded by Congress in 1984 and was spearheaded by the Trinity River Task Force (TRTF), a group of 14 federal, state, local, and tribal agencies.1 The goal of the TRTF is to restore the fish and wildlife popu- lations to pre-dam levels. The efforts to stem the flow of dam- aging sediments from erosion have been directed at the most signifi- cant sediment contributor—Grass Valley Creek watershed, where 17,000 of the 23,000 acres in this 1 Bureau of Indian Affairs, National Marine Fisheries Service, Soil Conserva- tion Service, U. S. Bureau of Land Man- agement, U. S. Bureau of Reclamation, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U. S. Forest Service, California Department of Fish and Game, California Depart- ment of Forestry and Fire Protection, California Department of Water Re- sources, California Water Resources Control Board, HumboldtCounty,Trin- ity County Board of Supervisors, and Hoopa Valley Tribe. mountainous watershed are erod- ible decomposed granite. Historic timber harvesting practices, a net- work of old logging roads, and off- road vehicle use have all exacer- bated the erosion problems in Grass Valley Creek watershed and led to increased sediment entering the Trinity River. The TRTF put the TCRCD in charge of administering funding for a study by NHI to de- termine different options for man- agement of sediment in the water- shed. Results of this study deter- mined that a change in land man- agement from timber production to watershed viability coupled with conservation practices was neces- sary to keep large amounts of sedi- ment out of the river. At about the same time, studies conducted by the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) from 1981 through 1991 revealed that 230,000 tons of sediment were flowing into the Trinity River an- nually. This amount of sediment was higher than the natural rate and destroys the fish spawning and rearing habitat in the river. The study concluded that, if left un- treated, over 1000 sites in the wa- tershed would deliver 360,000 cu- bic yards of sediment to the river over the next 25 years. The SCS study also concluded that a change in land-use from timber produc- tion to watershed stabilization was necessary to achieve long term sedi- ment reduction and restore forest health. Based on the survey of sediment production in the watershed and because of the unique status of Re- source Conservation Districts (RCD), the TRRP gave the TCRCD the contract to rehabilitate Grass Valley Creek watershed. As spe- ------- Fall 1993 Watershed Events cial local districts, RCDs have the ability to work with both the public and private sector. The RCD uses its own locally-created crews and crews from the California Conser- vation Corps and California De- partment of Forestry's Conserva- tion Camps. RCDs can use force accounts to hire local contractors as part of the team. For these reasons RCDs can get more work done us- ing less of the taxpayer's money. In addition, RCDs are made up of lo- cal people who best know local con- ditions. Efforts to stabilize and revegetate the decomposed granitic areas have provided many challenges and op- portunities to try state-of-the-art techniques. New revegetation strat- egies are being tried using native indigenous plant materials. TCRCD/SCS teams are doing re- connaissance, creating site specific designs, and developing innova- tive treatments. The goal of the TCRCD/SCS team was saving 360,000 cubic yards in danger of entering the river. With the new strategies, the goal now is to save over 1 million cubic yards. Buy-out and title change, recommended by the NHI study as the best option for sediment management in the wa- tershed, has provided opportuni- ties to treat potential sources of sedi- ment—old logging roads, landings, and skids—that are problems. In addition to the work of the RCD, the Bureau of Reclamation con- structed Buckhorn Sediment Dam in 1990 on the upper portion of Grass Valley Creek watershed, and the California Department of Wa- ter Resources built Hamilton Dredging Ponds at its mouth in 1991. The dam captures 25 percent of the sediment output from the Grass ValleyCreekwatershed. Both these projects were engineering measures designed to catch eroded soil after it left the watershed but before it reached the river. Sediment capture techniques are not the only solutions being em- ployed to control erosion. Bioengi- neering, a modern term for tech- niques such as using willow trees to curb soil erosion, which dates back to the 17th Century, is being re-discovered. Above the Trinity River, conservationists are using One of the keys to success for the Trinity River Restoration Pro- gram has been the cooperation of all the agencies and entities involved. willows to build natural check dams. Willow branches are woven together, then driven into the stream bed where they sprout to form living filters for silt and de- bris. The process only requires two or three workers (in contrast to the 10-person crews required to erect comparable dams of man-made materials) and are very low main- tenance, according to Jim Spear, District Conservationist for SCS in Weaverville. The newest tool in the rehabilita- tion effort is the use of heavy equip- ment. Previously thought inap- propriate, treatments using heavy equipment are being used to create the desired hydrologic conditions by returning the natural drainage patterns and removing large roads and landings which represent fill material that was placed in chan- nels. Many groups have been drawn into the rehabilitation process. For in- stance, the TCRCD is in charge of implementation, with SCS provid- ing design and technical assistance. The California Department of Transportation is working with TCRCD/SCS to place more empha- sis on maintenance of roadways including drainage and erosion con- trol systems. The Pacific Gas & Electric Company is working in cooperation with the TCRCD on erosion problems in powerline right-of-ways in the watershed. A unique part of the Trinity River restoration effort is the Adopt-A- Watershed educational program which has been flourishing in the Trinity River Basin. The TRTF rec- ognized the value of education as a means to insure long-term restora- tion efforts and provided a budget of $299,000 to initiate a formal pilot project for developing curriculum for Kindergarten through 12th grades. The TCRCD funds two Education Coordinator positions to support the program. Students help plant trees; work with resource pro- fessionals to do restoration projects in the watershed; and study the streams, plants, and wildlife. Their data is collected and will present a picture of changes over time and a basis for comparison with other areas. One of the keys to success for the TRRP has been the cooperation of all the agencies and entities in- volved. To ensure buy-in from the different groups and selection of the best solutions possible, peer reviews have been instituted and frequent tours have been conducted to inspect the work and get profes- sional input from the technical ex- perts and agencies involved. Those involved realized the futility of turf battles and put their energy into working toward the goals of the project. For additional informa- tion, contact Kathy Simposn, USDA-Soil Conservation Service, #3 Horseshoe Lane, P.O. Box 1414, Weaverville, CA 96093, (916) 623- 3991. ------- Watershed Events Fall 1993 Cooperation on Minnesota River Abounds by Jim Leach, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Minneapolis, MN and Lynne Kolze, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, St. Paul, MN The Minnesota River project has pro vided a new model for conduct- ing watershed assessments and planning and implementing water- shed projects in Minnesota. Rarely has a watershed project of this size and complexity resulted in as much cooperation and as many innova- tive partnerships. Not only do part- nerships exist among federal, state, and local units of government, but grassroots organizations and a citi- zens advisory committee play criti- cal roles as well. The Minnesota River is 330 miles in length, stretching from the South Dakota border to its confluence with the Mississippi River in the Twin Cities in Minnesota. The river ba- sin comprises one-fifth of the total land mass of Minnesota, or 17,000 square miles. Its watershed lies within the prairie pothole region of North America—an area identified as the number one priority of the North American Waterfowl Man- agement Plan. Most of the river basin (92 percent) is agricultural, comprising thousands of feedlot operations, intensive row crop ag- riculture, and extensive drainage systems. The Minnesota River is one of the state's most polluted rivers. The Minnesota River's water quality problems are typical of those you might find in any Midwestern state where agriculture is a significant land use. The river chronically vio- lates water quality standards in its lower reaches, with low dissolved oxygen levels, high turbidity, nu- merous fecal coliform bacteria vio- lations, and elevated ammonia lev- els common during summer, low flow conditions. The Minnesota River causes a serious deteriora- tion of water quality to the Missis- sippi River where the two rivers converge. For four years (1989-93), the Min- nesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has conducted a compre- hensive, basin-wide study of the Minnesota River, involving over 15 different agencies at all levels of government. Special studies were conducted to analyze physical, chemical, and biological param- eters, as well as land use practices. A final report on the findings of this assessment is currently being de- veloped. The cooperative nature of the river assessment process hasspilled over into the implementation phase of the project. A cooperative relation- ship has been established between the professionals who have stud- ied the river and the citizens who are working to develop recommen- dations for the river's restoration. In addition, some coordinated projects aimed at improving the river's water quality have already begun. One unique partnership formed as a result of this project involves the MPCA, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Ser- vice, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources, and private conservation organi- zations. This consortium of agen- cies recognized that drainage ac- tivities have significantly altered natural surface water flow patterns and contribute to nonpoint source pollution. In response, they devel- oped a grant proposal to begin re- storing and acquiring wetlands within key subwatersheds. The grant agreement, for approximately $1.9 million was approved by the North American Wetlands Conser- vation Council in 1992. Waterqual- ity information gathered by MPCA will be used to focus grant dollars in those priority subwatersheds contributing the greatest amount of nonpoint pollution to the Min- nesota River. Wetlands restored and /or acquired through this grant provide multiple benefits includ- ing water quality enhancement, flood abatement, and critical habi- tat for wildlife. The first phase of this effort is to acquire, restore, and protect over 8,300 acres of wetland and associated uplands. The common thread in this part- nership is the realization that simi- lar goals are shared by many agen- cies. While this partnership focuses primarily on wetlands, many other causes of environmental degrada- tion including those that result in nonpoint pollution need a similar approach rather than one of indi- vidual agencies attempting to treat separate symptoms of the problem. Minnesota's Governor Carlson es- tablished a 10 year goal of restoring the river to a fishable and swim- mable status. Innovative and effec- tive partnerships will be the cor- nerstone upon which this goal is achieved. The Minnesota River Watershed Partnership demonstrates that col- Minnesota River-Continued on Page 9 ------- Fall 1993 Watershed Events Approval of San Francisco Bay/Delta Watershed Management Plan Nears by Steve Taylor, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency On November 17,1993, Governor Wilson formally concurred with the San Francisco Comprehensive Con- servation and Management Plan (CCMP); and on December 9,1993, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Carol Browner approved theCCMP. The CCMP is the result of a five year cooperative public-private partner- ship to promote more effective man- agement of the San Francisco Bay/ Delta Estuary and to restore and maintain the Estuary's water qual- ity and natural resources. Comple- tion of the CCMP marks a major milestone for the San Francisco Es- tuary Project (SFEP). EPA estab- lished the SFEP in 1987, as part of its National Estuary Program (NEP), in response to growing pub- lic concern for the health of the San Francisco Bay/Delta. The Project is jointly sponsored by EPA and the Appalachian Rivers and Watersheds Symposium: Shared Perspectives, Sharing Solutions June 2-5,1994 Morgantown, WV This symposium will bring to- gether various leaders and the public to discuss issues and so- lutions to problems facing the rivers and watersheds of Appa- lachia. The purpose of the sym- posium is to encourage integra- tion of socialand ecological con- cerns in the protection of Appa- lachian river resources. For more information, contact: Dr. Steven J. Hollenhorst, Divi- sion of Forestry, West Virginia University, P.O. Box 6125, Morgantown, WV 26506-6125, (304) 293-3721 x441, FAX (304) 293-2441. State of California. It is financed by federal appropriations under the Clean Water Act and matching funds from the state and local enti- ties. San Francisco Bay and the Delta combine to form the West Coast's largest estuary which conveys the waters of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers to the Pacific Ocean. It encompasses roughly 1,600 square miles, drains over 40 per- cent of the state (60,000 square miles), and contains about 5 mil- lion acre-feet of water at mean tide. The Estuary watershed provides drinking water to 20 million Cali- fornians and irrigates 4.5 million acres of farmland. Each year, two- thirds of the state's salmon pass through the Bay / Del ta, as do nearly half of the waterfowl and shore- birds migrating along the Pacific Flyway. In addition, Estuary wa- ters enable the nation's fourth-larg- est metropolitan region to pursue many activities, including shipping, fishing, recreation, and commerce. Managing a watershed as impor- tant and complex as the Estuary is a challenging task. The compelling need for environmental protection must be weighed against compet- ing uses of Estuary waters and re- sources. To address this challenge, the SFEP brought together over 100 representatives from the private and public sectors, including gov- ernment, industry, business, and environmental interests, as well as elected officials from all 12 Bay/ Delta counties. The SFEP's Management Confer- ence identified five critical program areas of environmental concern- decline of biological resources, pol- lutants, freshwater diversions and altered flow regime, dredging and waterway modification, and inten- sified land use~which eventually became program elements con- tained in the CCMP. Subcommit- tees from these five program areas produced status and trends reports that summarized the current state of the watershed's resources and then provided recommendations contained in the CCMP that be- came the basis for action. Through facilitated consensus-building and public participation, the Manage- ment Conference developed the fi- nal CCMP. The NEP is a comprehensive pro- gram that implements the water- shed protection approach through section 320 of the Clean Water Act. Currently, there are 21 estuaries in the program ranging from Casco Bay, Maine to Puget Sound, Wash- ington. The NEP is a cooperative effort among federal, state, and lo- cal entities that jointly plan and implement conservation manage- ment measures reaching far beyond the sole authority of the Clean Wa- ter Act. For more information, con- tact Steve Taylor, U.S. EPA (4504F), 401M St., SW, Washington, DC 20460, (202) 260-6578. Minnesota River-Continued From Page 8 lective efforts can be greater than the sum of individual accomplish- ments. We must approach water- shed and /or ecosystem restoration in this context. For additional in- formation, contact Lynne Kolze or Tim Larson, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, 520 Lafayette Rd., St. Paul, MN 55155-4194, (612) 297- 3825 or (612) 296-7356. For infor- mation about the North American Waterfowl Plan, contact Jim Leach, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Bldg., 1 Federal Dr., Ft. Snelling, MN 55111-4056, (612) 725-3313. ------- Page 10 Watershed Events Fall 1993 Know Your Watershed Campaign Promotes Voluntary Action Through Partnerships by Joan Warren, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency The Conservation Technology In- formation Center (CTIC) has be- gun a project-"Know Your Water- shed"~to enlist rural and agricul- tural communities in the manage- ment of their watersheds. The ba- sic theme of the campaign is "Know Your Watershed, Neighbor with Neighbor, Plan Your Future." The "Know Your Watershed" cam- paign is building a national part- nership of agricultural commodity groups, farm organizations, farm managers, agricultural retailers, industry, government, and others to address the conservation of natu- ral resources, watershed protection, and nonpoint source pollution. Working through the national part- nership, the campaign will provide a leadership role in creating an awareness of the problems and the need for voluntary action. The news media will play a big part in assist- ing with the initiative. The goal of the national partnership is to moti- vate local agricultural leaders to develop landowner or operator/ private-public partnerships to iden- tify specific problems and solutions and to ensure sustainable natural resources within their watersheds. The partnership will identify ways local residents can work together as well as provide tools and sources of assistance. Some of the participants to date include: U. S. Department of Agriculture's Soil Conservation Service, Tennessee Valley Author- ity, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), American Farmland T rust, National Association of Con- servation Districts, and National Association of State Conservation Agencies, as well as the existing CTIC membership. Over 40 orga- nizations and groups have been contacted and are interested in be- coming members of the partner- ship. Because the source of the problems is not limited to agriculture, solu- tions must be found by working within local watersheds to identify all the sources and take action in concert with all neighbors, not just those in the agricultural commu- nity. Early in theproject, CTIC conducted seven focus group meetings to ob- tain some basic information for the campaign: how well is the concept of watershed management under- stood by agricultural producers; and how best to interest producers' in working collaboratively to solve problems that might be present in their watersheds. The results of the focus groups indicate that farmers generally think of a watershed in terms of their own farming experi- ence—limited to their immediate farm. They do not believe agricul- ture is a major contributor to water pollution; they believe that manu- facturing and rural residential growth have a far greater impact on water pollution than agricul- ture. The results of the focus groups fur- ther showed that farmers believe water quality issues are important but overblown and are not as great as they were 20 years ago. Produc- ers feel they have contributed to the solution by using soil conserva- tion measures. They do not believe that nutrients and animal wastes are having a negative effect on wa- ter quality. However, they do be- lieve that public perception of agri- cultural pollutants may outweigh scientific facts, and this misperception will affect them in the future. In addition, a survey conducted by the University of Wisconsin found that nearly 75 percent of agricul- tural producers polled viewed wa- ter pollution as a serious problem nationwide, yet less than 50 per- cent viewed it as serious in their own states, and less than 10 percent saw it as serious on their own land. Over 40 percent believe their farm- ing practices had no impact on water quality in their communi- ties. These perceptions are at odds with the findings being reported by the states. State 305(b) reports to EPA indicate that about 65 percent of nonpoint source water pollution comes from agriculture. The primary pollut- ants are sediments, animal waste, purchased fertilizers, and pesti- cides. Nonpoint source pollution is exacerbated by the loss of wet- lands. As Congress examines amending the Clean Water Act this year and begins to develop the 1995 Farm Bill, these issues are becom- ing more important. Both laws will likely address agriculture-related Campaign—Continued on Page 12 ------- Fall 1993 Watershed Events Page 11 Note-Continued from Page 1 past decade of concentrated effort to restore the Bay, dozens of busi- ness, civic, agricultural, scientific and technical, and environmental organizations; hundreds of federal, state, and local government agen- cies; and thousands of individual citizens have come together and undertaken a multitude of activi- ties to restore the Bay. Achieve- ments include significant increases As I lead the efforts to protect ou r nation's aquatic resources over the next few years, I will make watershed management a top priority. in underwater bay grasses and striped bass (rockfish) populations; adoption of conservation measures to protect fish stocks from overfish- ing; restoration of fish and bird habitat; reduction of nitrogen and phosphorus; implementation of nutrient management plans on farms; passage of growth and man- agement legislation; and the list continues. As I lead the efforts to protect our nation's aquatic resources over the next few years, I will make water- shed management a top priority. Administrator Browner is a strong advocate of this approach too. She and I both recognize the impor- tance of partnerships and the need to work with all parties, particu- larly the states, to maximize our success. Your help will also be needed to build these concepts into a reauthorized Clean Water Act. I look forward to working with all parties as we strive to achieve our common goal of protected and re- stored aquatic resources. Recent Releases Managing Wasteumter in Coastal Urban Areas- This National Re- search Council report describes key issues relating to wastewa- ter and storm water manage- ment and presents case histo- ries for Boston and San Diego. Current wastewater manage- ment approaches in the context of complex coastal issues, such as increasing population pres- sures, significant n On point source pollution, and decreased public funding are examined. An integrated coastal manage- ment framework for evolving coastal environmental manage- ment strategies to successfully consider multiple sources, cost- effective controls, and regional differences is recommended. This report is available in hard- back for $49.95 from the Na- tional Academy Press, 2101 Con- stitution Avenue, NW, Box 285, Washington, DC 20005, (202) 334-3313 or 1-800-624-6242. Native Willow Varieties for the Pacific Northwest - This booklet details the various uses and spe- cies of willow trees. Contact USDA SCS, Public Affairs, 2121 - C 2nd Street, Davis, CA 95616. Using Nonprofit Organizations to Advance Estuary Program Goals - This paper examines the role nonprofit organizations (NPOs) can play in carrying out the rec- ommendations for action iden- tified in the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plans that are being developed for the 21 estuaries in the Na- tional Estuary Program, the paper covers the ability of NPOs to attract funding and carry out implementation, oversight, and federal consistency activities. Types of NPOs and advantages and disadvantages of using an existing N PO versus a newNPO are also discussed. The issues and recommendations in this paper are also relevant to most ecosystem and watershed man- agement programs. Contact Betsy Tam, U. S. EPA (4504F), 401 M Street SW, Washington, DC 20460. Water-Related GISs (Geographic information Systems) Along the United States-Mexico Border - This looseleaf catalog identifies 26 existing or proposed GISs within about 62 miles of the border. The catalog is intended to help border governments better man- age water resources and share CIS information that may help sol ve border environment prob- lems. Contact Betty Ford or Eliot Tucker, U.S. EPA (4204), 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460. WETLANDS AND HIGHWAYS: A Natural Approach - This 40- page, full-color brochure on wetlands mitigation and miti- gation banking published by the Federal Highway Administra- tion (FHWA) focuses on the problem of vanishing wetlands and 10 state "success stories." Contact FHWA, 400 Seventh Street, SW, H EP-40 (Room3240), Wahsington, DC 20590, (202) 366-2069. ------- Campaign-Continued from Page 10 water quality problems and the need for local watershed manage- ment. Agricultural producers' actions af- fect water quality and the produc- tivity and health in their water- sheds. If producers do not begin to voluntarily take action to reduce or prevent agricultural runoff and habitat destruction, they may face regulations and increased litiga- tion. To assist the agricultural commu- nity, the "Know Your Watershed" campaign was launched to increase agriculture's knowledge of its role. Initial products include a brochure, "Forming A Watershed Alliance," that describes a watershed and how human activities may adversely affect water quality. It provides suggestions for starting a local wa- tershed alliance and implementing practices that protect water qual- ity. Three awareness scorecards help landowners and others iden- tify their knowledge of watersheds and the environment: "Scorecard for Rural and Suburban Landown- ers;" "Scorecard for Farmers and Ranchers;" and "What is your Eco- logical Quotient (EQ)?." The "Know Your Watershed" cam- paign is building on the experi- ences and momentum of CTIC's very successful promotion of crop residue management (nonconven- tional or no tillage practices) as a means for meeting the conserva- tion compliance requirements of the 1985 Farm Bill. These require- ments are intended to curb soil ero- sion on highly erodible land. The organization formed an effective alliance with agribusiness, the farm media (print, radio, and TV), and governmental agencies at all levels of government to promote the en- vironmental and economic benefits of crop residue management. CTIC was formed over 10 years ago. It is composed largely of cor- porate and business members of the agricultural community who sponsor a variety of education and outreach efforts on "environmen- tally responsible conservation sys- tems." The organization works closely with land grant colleges and the farm media. For further information contact, Jerry Hytry, Executive Director, CTIC, 1220 Pot- ter Drive, Room 170, West Lafayette, IN 47906, (317) 494-9555. United States Environmental Protection Agency (4501F) 401M Street, SW Washington, D.C. 20460 Official Business Penalty for Private Use $300 FIRST CLASS MAIL Postage and Fees Paid EPA G-35 Pat Ward RC-4100 ------- |