Watershed Stewardship Program

Status of Marin County Public Works Watershed Status of Marin County Public Works Watershed ProgramProgram

11/7/0811/7/08

Watershed Stewardship Program

Benefits of a Watershed Approach Benefits of a Watershed Approach Establishes a blueprint

for prioritizing projects and programs

Maximize benefits of flood and water management projects

Holistic approach to creek bank stabilization and erosion control

Establish creek and water management practices that are physically and financially sustainable

Watershed Stewardship Program

Benefits of a Watershed ApproachBenefits of a Watershed Approach Improves funding and

partnership opportunities

Incorporates local knowledge including key watershed stakeholders

Develop an integrated

process to guide watershed project implementation

An integrated, coordinated approach to environmental regulations

Watershed Stewardship Program

Board of Supervisors of the Flood Control and Water Conservation

District

Policy Advisory Committee: •BOS FC District rep•City Council reps•Flood Zone Advisory Board reps•Water and Sanitary Board reps

Operations and Finance Committee: City Managers & County PW director

Technical Working Group:•Municipal Directors •Local, State & Federal Agency reps •Watershed Groups •Homeowners Association reps

Stakeholder Outreach CommitteesStakeholder Outreach Committees

Watershed Stewardship Program

Land Use-Land Use-historical and existinghistorical and existing

Water Management Strategies-Water Management Strategies-flood protection, flood protection, stormwater, stormwater, supply, water treatment and re-usesupply, water treatment and re-use

Physical Characteristics-Physical Characteristics-hydrology, channel hydrology, channel morphology, morphology, erosion, climate changeerosion, climate change

Biological Resources-Biological Resources-diversity & distribution of rare, diversity & distribution of rare, threatened and threatened and endangered speciesendangered species

Current Management & Enhancement EffortsCurrent Management & Enhancement Efforts

Summary of Identified Watershed Issues-Summary of Identified Watershed Issues-synthesized from synthesized from personal interviews, NBWA planning personal interviews, NBWA planning processes and other processes and other recent planning and assessment recent planning and assessment effortsefforts

Existing Conditions Existing Conditions OverviewOverview

Watershed Stewardship ProgramWatershed Stewardship Program

Watershed Work PlanWatershed Work Plan

Partnerships& Multi-benefit

Projects

Watershed Health

Evaluations

Outreachand Education

Environmental ComplianceStrategies

FinancingPrograms

Watershed Specific

Work Plans

Watershed Stewardship Program

Approach to PlanningApproach to Planning

Watershed Work PlanWatershed Work Plan

Multiple-Benefit CriteriaMultiple-Benefit Criteriafor Projectsfor Projects

Watershed HealthWatershed HealthEvaluationsEvaluations

WebsiteWebsiteBackground ConditionsBackground Conditions

and Conceptsand Concepts

Watershed Stewardship Program

WebsiteWebsite

The Watershed Program website will The Watershed Program website will maintain background information for maintain background information for all watersheds in Marin Countyall watersheds in Marin County

It will provide the context for It will provide the context for watershed-based planningwatershed-based planning

The site will encourage interactivity The site will encourage interactivity and visual representations of the and visual representations of the information collectedinformation collected

Input is requested for desired Input is requested for desired contentcontent

Watershed Stewardship Program

Watershed Health Watershed Health EvaluationsEvaluations

Watershed health evaluations will use existing information to assess conditions and needs of the watersheds

Biological, physical, hydrological, and human factors like community involvement will be evaluated

Watershed health will be tracked to demonstrate effectiveness of projects and programs and to inform future decisions

Watershed Stewardship Program

Multiple Benefit Project Multiple Benefit Project CriteriaCriteria

Criteria will help staff and their partners evaluate and rank project contributions to creek and stormwater protection and environmental restoration

Promotes an integrated multi-agency approach to problem solving

Criteria and watershed health together creates a feedback cycle for assessing and selecting projects

Watershed Stewardship Program

Multiple Benefit ProjectsMultiple Benefit ProjectsVineyard Creek Channel EnhancementVineyard Creek Channel Enhancement

Before A

f

t

e

r

Increased flow capacity and

easier to create better fish

habitat

Watershed Stewardship Program

Lower Novato CreekLower Novato Creek Flood Protection, Wetland Restoration and Water ReuseFlood Protection, Wetland Restoration and Water Reuse

Watershed Stewardship Program

UpdatesUpdates

Ross Valley Flood and Stormwater Master PlanThe three main focus areas include: Detention Basins – Conduct feasibility study to determine

location, routing method, model runs for large storm runoff control or attenuation

Dredging Analysis – Evaluate sediment loading, channel form and flood flows to assess options for maintenance of the lower channel

Bank Stabilization – Conduct geomorphic creek reconnaissance to identify solutions to erosion that support increasing channel width to reduce flooding

San Geronimo Valley Salmon Enhancement Plan Plan will produce a set of actions and strategies to enhance

and protect habitat for Coho salmon and steelhead in the San Geronimo watershed and to prioritize opportunities to restore the natural biological and hydrological functions in the watershed

Includes a public outreach process and is to be completed by 10/1/09

Pilot effort to provide guidance for the enhancement of fishery habitat throughout Marin

Watershed Stewardship Program

Next StepsNext Steps City Council and Local Agency Meetings

Identify members of Policy Advisory Committee

Identify Technical Work Group members for each watershed

Community outreach meetings in each watershed

Financing Program-An election process may be recommended in some watersheds to fund implementation

Watershed Stewardship Program

For more information contact:Chris Choo, Senior Plannercchoo@co.marin.ca.us499-7586

Liz Lewis, Principal Planner lizlewis@co.marin.ca.us499-7226

Website under constructionwww.marinwatersheds.org