The Sacramento River Basin

Transcription

1 The Sacramento River Basin A Roadmap to Watershed Management EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OCTOBER 2010

2 The Roadmap In recent years, non-profit organizations; Resource Conservation Districts; and local, state, and federal natural resource agencies have been heavily involved in watershed management activities throughout the Sacramento River Basin. Assisted by the passage of a series of State Water Bonds, local management organizations have completed numerous watershed assessments and watershed management plans, and implemented on-the-ground projects to improve watershed conditions. In an effort to present a comprehensive look at current conditions and management efforts throughout the Basin, the Sacramento River Watershed Program developed The Sacramento River Basin A Roadmap to Watershed Management (Roadmap). For the Basin as a whole and for 25 key tributaries to the Sacramento River, the Roadmap presents, through text and photos, a discussion of existing conditions (hydrology, water quality, vegetation, fish and wildlife, and social), identification of the principal management issues and objectives, and a brief discussion of the management organizations active in the watershed. The purpose of the Roadmap is to better inform the watershed community and other stakeholders about the past and ongoing efforts of this comprehensive network of management organizations and the challenges we face in protecting and improving watershed conditions for future generations. The report is available on the enclosed CD and the SRWP website at which also includes a series of gigapans, videos, photos, and links to additional resources. Hardcopies are available by contacting the Sacramento River Watershed Program.

3 Sacramento River Basin The Sacramento River Basin is the largest river basin in California covering 27,000 square miles with approximately 31% of the state s total annual surface water runoff. The Sacramento River and its contributing watershed areas are vital to the state s economy, provide drinking water for residents of two-thirds of the state, and required habitat for many hundreds of fish and wildlife species. From the mountains to the valley, small towns and large cities, it is the place where we live, work, and play. In its discussion of existing conditions and management issues, Roadmap divides the Sacramento River Basin into six subregions that are established on the basis of common geography, landscape condition, and management issues. Within each subregion, Roadmap includes a discussion of each individual watershed area. Based on existing assessments and management plans, and visually enhanced through numerous photos, this discussion includes existing conditions, principal management issues and objectives, and active management organizations. Roadmap also includes a brief description of ongoing water quality monitoring programs and Sacramento River Watershed Program s initial efforts to establish a Watershed Health Indicator Program to track watershed conditions over time. The Sacramento River Basin A Roadmap to Watershed Management October 2010

4 Local Management Programs and Issues Given its size and diversity of management concerns, no single agency or organization can undertake responsibility for watershed management within the Sacramento River Basin as a whole. While there are some common themes that exist throughout most of the Sacramento River Basin (e.g. anadromous fish issues, forest health and fuel loads, protecting/improving aquatic habitat conditions), each watershed area has its own set of management concerns and future goals. Over time, the Sacramento River Basin has seen the establishment of a very comprehensive network of local management organizations working to address those concerns and meet those future goals. In addition to improving conditions in their own local watershed area, these organizations and their programs have provided valuable assistance to state and federal resource agencies in achieving their program missions and responsibilities. The table below includes a listing of the individual watersheds featured in Roadmap and a summary of the key management issues that are discussed. Key Management Issues Table Subregion Northeast Westside Eastside Feather American Sac Valley Watershed Upper Sacramento River McCloud River Pit River Clear Creek Cottonwood Creek Tehama West Stony Creek Cache Creek Putah Creek Tehama East Stillwater/Churn Creeks Cow Creek Bear Creek Battle Creek Mill Creek Deer Creek Big Chico Creek Butte Creek Upper Feather River Lower Feather River Upper American River Lower American River Yuba River Bear River Sac River Mainstem Salmon/ Steelhead Wild Trout Forest Health/Fuels Management Key Management Issues Aquatic/ Riparian Habitat Water Quality Water Supply Flood Mgmt. Open Space/Land Conservation Erosion/ Natural Stream Function Invasive Species

5 Watershed Projects Concurrent with the completion of numerous watershed assessments and management plans, management organizations in cooperation with state and federal resource agencies, have implemented many on-the-ground projects to improve watershed conditions. These projects address water quality, habitat conditions, forest health, flood management, anadromous fish passage, and overall watershed education/stewardship. Within the Roadmap report, a series of projects throughout the Sacramento River Basin are featured as examples of the work underway by management organizations to bring about real improvements in watershed health. Project Map Subregions view Northeast Eastside O R E G O N Sacramento Valley C A L I F O R N I A Westside Goose 5 Feather Featured Projects: 0 97 Yuba, American & Bear 20 Miles Lassen Creek Stream and Meadow Restoration Alturas Pit River Channel Erosion 299 ive 395 r Shasta R iver S acrame 101 Iron Mountain Mine Superfund Cleanup M c C lo Bear Creek Meadow Restoration ud n to R Riv e r Pi t R i ve r Mt Shasta RCD Cooperative Sagebrush Steppe Iniatitive Butte Creek Project Burney Pit C o t t o n w oo d Cow Creek Bassett Diversion Fish Passage Project Honey Almanor Red Bluff Battle Creek Restoration Project 395 T ho mes. Cr to ny en Sto Chico Oroville Rive r Antelope Creek Watershed101 Stewardship Lassen National Forest 5 Sac ra m The Sunflower Coordinated Resource Management Program Thermalito Res R a Yub Colu tte sa Su a r Byp in ss D ra a Fe a t h e r Clear Yuba City Tahoe River Bear ge Auburn Ca che Red Clover Creek Restoration Project 80 Berryessa HFQLG Forest Recovery Act, Pilot Project Woodland Folsom 505 Sacramento A mer Davis Bear River Setback Levee Project Lower American River Sunrise Side Channel Project 80 ive R i ve r But Hamilton City Levee Setback School Based Watershed Education Upper Feather River Truckee r te Red Bluff Diversion Dam Fish Passage Improvement Vallejo 5 i ca n 50 Placerville 50 N E V A D A Eagle Redding Lower Clear Creek Floodway Rehabilitation C A L I F O R N I A 299 Redding Allied Stream Team

6 Sacramento River Basin Partnerships Sacramento River Basin Facts The Sacramento River is the dominant source of fresh water critical to the longterm health of its watershed and the San Francisco Bay and Delta ecosystems. It provides nearly all of the water for the State and federal water projects. The major land uses in the watershed are forestry, agriculture, urban settlement, mining, and recreation. The watershed s urban population is projected to double over the next 50 years. Two million acres, about 12 percent of the watershed, are currently irrigated, producing economically significant yields of rice, fruits, nuts, alfalfa, grain, and tomatoes. Its rivers and streams support a multitude of important resident and anadromous fisheries. It also supports numerous additional beneficial uses, including local drinking and industrial water supplies, wildlife habitat, and recreation.