A whirl-wind tour of activity in the watersheds of Napa County

1. A whirl-wind tour of activity in the watersheds of Napa County An Update for the North Bay Watershed Association January 8, 2010 Patrick Lowe, Deputy Planning Director Conservation, Development & Planning Dept. Leigh Sharp, District Manager Resource Conservation District

2. “Educating and supporting the community in its efforts to maintain and improve the health of Napa County’s watershed lands.” www.napawatersheds.org

3. History & Background • Concept of WICC identified • Napa River Watershed Taskforce Report (2000) • WICC Board appointed in 2002 • 17 member Board including elected officials from each municipality & diverse community representation • Technical Advisory Committee • Supported by County staff www.napawatersheds.org

4. Monitor TMDL & State watershed policies • Sediment & Pathogen TMDLs • Stream & Wetland System Protection Policy (RWQCBs) • Instream Flow Policy (SWRCB/DWR) • Support resource protection & restoration • Napa River & countywide restoration projects • Facilitate long-term resource management program • Public outreach & education, monitoring coordination, inventory and assessment, data management www.napawatersheds.org

5. Goals, Priorities and Actions • Improve watershed health • Maintain an informative website • Increase community understanding • Obtain resources for long-term success • Establish partnerships /coordination www.napawatersheds.org

6. Promoting responsible watershed management through voluntary community stewardship and technical assistance since 1945

7. RCDs in the Nation & State • Formed in response the Dust Bowl • Over 3,000 in the Nation • 103 +/- in California, covering 85% of the State • Special Districts with ties to State and County

8. Napa County Resource Conservation District • Formed in 1945 • Guided by a 7-member board of directors • Technical & Educational staff • Work in close partnership with federal NRCS Our Mission: To promote responsible watershed management through voluntary stewardship & technical assistance. www.naparcd.org

9. Achieving our mission through EDUCATION Promoting watershed-based land stewardship of natural resources ASSESSMENT Evaluating watershed conditions and functions PLANNING Providing resource conservation planning services IMPLEMENTATION Implementing resource conservation practices and projects

10. Highlights of Current Efforts

11. Partnerships Implementation of resource conservation and stewardship requires strong and trusting partnerships among conservation and research organizations, community and interest groups, individual landowners and managers, private industry, and government agencies. The partnerships help create meaningful opportunities for natural resource conservation and voluntary stewardship of natural resources.

12. Engaging Youth in Watershed Stewardship • Providing Opportunities for Experience • Classroom visits • Restoration projects • Site tours • Stormdrain stenciling • Creek clean-up events • Internships • Scholarships

13. Natural Resource Awareness in the Community • Workshops, forums, film nights, brown bag lunches • Industry lead Napa Green Winery & Land Program • Watershed exploration through hiking & the outdoors • Citizen science and volunteer opportunities

14. Building Knowledge of Watershed Conditions • Base-line Data Report and DEM • Developing a watershed monitoring strategy • Monitoring in-stream flows & stream conditions • Identifying fish migration barriers • Monitoring fish populations

15. Restoration & Enhancement Projects June 2009 September 2009 Decommissioning Stream Crossings

16. Rolling dips and out slopping roads to avoid concentrated runoff and to encourage infiltration Upgrading culverts & critical dips to handle higher flows and avoid failure Removing unwanted stock ponds and restoring creek channels

17. Removing Barriers to Fish Migration

19. Napa River and Creek Restorations May, 2008 March, 2009 October, 2008

20. Rutherford Reach Restoration

21. Planning for the Future doing more with less…..