|
Location:
Feather River College; Hwy 70 and Spanish
Creek
|
|
Sponsors:
Feather River College; U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service; USDA NRCS;
Feather River RCD |
|
Project Type:
Land Management/ Monitoring/Education |
|
Est. Cost:
$104,110 Amount Funded: $92,453
Majority “A” Funds |
|
Est. Start
Date:
June 2005
Est. End Date: June 2009 |
|
Project
Description:
The college is seeking funding from Plumas County’s Watershed Forum
for construction of additional dry lots as part of a rotational
grazing plan and to install riparian fencing and off stream water
developments along drainages through their meadow.
The project will improve the water quality in the Feather River
College watershed before it enters Spanish Creek and utilize a “Best
Practice” Field Station to instruct community members and college
students in various watershed restoration and livestock grazing
techniques, and pastureland management. The completed project will
help protect riparian and wetland resources on the Feather River
College campus by excluding livestock from access to three separate
drainages and a pond on approximately 75 acres of meadow that
borders Spanish Creek in American Valley. Off-stream watering
facilities will be installed for livestock use in the fields
bordering the riparian and wetland areas, and will help restore
approximately 15 acres of riparian corridor and native meadow.
Overland flow across the meadow will be enhanced by the installation
of two culverts on an existing access road, which bisects the
meadow, and in-stream hydrology will be improved by increasing size
of existing culverts along the creek. Fencing will be used to
create vegetative buffers along riparian corridors, which will
provide wildlife habitat for aquatic and terrestrial species,
stabilize stream banks, and filter sediment and nutrients for water
quality benefits. The College will incorporate restoration and
monitoring of riparian corridors and wetland areas into course
curriculums. Additional uses of wildlife areas will be as
demonstration projects for workshops and tours, ensuring no conflict
with wildlife uses (nesting, fawning, spawning, etc.).
College students will restore native plant communities in their
meadow pastures, and develop a livestock-grazing plan, utilizing dry
lots and livestock rotation. The students will also assist in
evaluating the day-to-day operations of the college’s Fish Hatchery,
which would include monitoring water quality and temperature.
|
|
Project
Goals/Objectives:
Restore and
improve management of the water resources of the upper Feather River
watershed. The dry lots will help the college facilitate better
grazing management and allow for deferred grazing on sensitive
native pastures bordering drainages and a pond, which empties
directly into Spanish Creek (fork of the east branch of the Feather
River). Improve water storage, timing and quality in the upper
watershed of the Feather River through riparian and meadow
vegetative restoration. Additional dry lots available to the college
will allow for improved grazing management and establishment of
native grasses in sensitive pastures. Improved native pasture
health and vigor will increase water infiltration and storage
throughout the existing meadow and restored riparian corridor
connecting to Spanish Creek. |
|
Project
Activities:
June 2005 – October 2005:
Expansion of dry lots completed; dry lots in use. Fencing
constructed to restrict livestock access to existing water courses;
off stream water sources installed for each paddock/pasture. Water
sampling done to create baseline for data collection of water
quality. Photos taken to document riparian habitat conditions. Held
first of three grazing practice workshops during Headwater
Festival. Begin work on grazing management plan; should begin using
grazing plan during spring of 2006. Installation of culverts should
be completed during December 2005.
January 2006 – September 2006:
Trenched, plumbed, wired and installed watering troughs in the new
drylots and pastures. Contracted w/ Henrici Water Laboratory for 5
years of water testing and analysis; testing will include sampling
at three sites and evaluation of pH, conductance, turbidity,
suspended solids, coliform and temperature.
Expenditures through September 30,2006: $90,230.67 |
|
