September 2009 Watershed Watch

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VOL 1 No. 4

COTTONWOOD CREEKCERTIFIED FARMERS MARKET & ARTISAN FAIR UPDATEANDVENDOR PROFILE ...........2

NEWGRANTFORSEDIMENTBUDGETPROJECT ...........3

SEPTEMBERCOMMUNITYSTAKEHOLDERMEETING.. . 4

WatershedwatchADDRESSING THE NEW EST I SSUES EFFECT ING T HE

COTTONWOOD CREEK WATERSHED

Announcing the final date of the Cottonwood Certified Farmers Market

& Artisan Fair Season and 1st Annual Fall Harvest Celebration and

Scarecrow Contest

1ST ANNUAL FALLHARVESTCELEBRATION

Fall is coming.and so is our 1st Annual FallHarvest Celebration and Scarecrow Contest.

The Cottonwood Creek Certified Farmers Mar-ket & Artisan Fair will be holding the 1st AnnualFall Harvest Celebration on October 23rd from 3-7 p.m. on Main Street in Cottonwood. Join usfor activities for children and families, live enter-tainment, farm fresh produce, handmade goodsand hot foods.

Entrance into this fun filled family event isfree! There will be kids games, raffles and

prizes! Tickets will be available for local beerand wine tasting for those 21 and over.

We will also be having a food drive to supportour local community. Community members whodonate one non perishable food item will receive

a free raffle ticket entry for prizes (maximum of5 tickets).

Have you always wanted to create your veryown scarecrow? Heres a chance for you to let

your imagination run wild, and compete forprizes in the process.

Gather up your supplies and enter the Cotton-wood Creek 1st Annual Scarecrow Contest!There is NO entry fee! The scarecrow contestexhibit area is family friendly. Scarecrowsshould be whimsical, humorous, mischievous or

lovable and NOT frightening. Especially scarymonsters, violent, gruesome, or bloody entrieswill be disqualified.

Our First Annual Scarecrow Contest is open toall ages, individuals, families, clubs, groups &

businesses. Each person, family or group mayonly submit one entry. There will be two cate-gories: one for those 14 and under, and one foradults. For entry forms please contact CCWG

by calling 347-6637 or email [email protected] may also stop by our information booth atthe Farmers Market on Fridays from 3-7p.m.

The Fall Harvest Celebration will mark thefinal date of the Market this season. As of September 4th, Market booth fees will be $10 untilthe end of the season. For more information

regarding the Market please contact CCWG at347-6637.

Watch for more information soon.

Dove Hollow Farms will be present at the Fall Harvest Celebration offering horse

drawn wagon rides. The wagon will pick you up in front of the Etc. Mercantile store and

take you on a tour through Historic Downtown Cottonwood for just $5.00 a ride. Horse

drawn wagon rides are a great way to bring the family together, so bring the family down to

the 1st Annual Fall Harvest Celebration on October 23rd from 3-7pm in Downtown Cotton-

wood.

September 2009


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FARMERS MARKET VENDOR PROFILE:HACIENDA FARMS

When Sherry Rosen and Robert Haleybought their Cottonwood property, theydreamed that some day they would be able tohave a viable organic farm, so that they couldshare delicious vegetables with their friendsand neighbors, and hopefully, make someincome, too. Now, seven years later, theirdream is becoming a reality. After plantingtheir largest garden ever this spring, theylearned about the upcoming CottonwoodFarmers Market, and decided that this would

be the perfect venue for their small farm.Hacienda Farms has participated in the mar-

ket almost every Friday since opening day,and have had a great season. The peoplehave been very enthusiastic about the market,and many have become regular visitors, com-ing back each week for produce. Sherry andRobert are very committed to having theCottonwood Farmers Market succeed.

Hacienda Farms features a variety of pro-

duce, including leafy steaming greens, heir-loom tomatoes, summer squash in manyshapes and sizes, string beans, garlic, hot andsweet peppers, Japanese eggplant and spa-ghetti squash. Their four varieties of cherry

tomatoes were a Market favorite, with sunnyyellow Sungolds winning their taste test.Plans for next season include many favorites,

plus some new and unusual varieties. Haci-enda Farms winter garden includes manyvarieties of beets, garlic, onions, carrots, andlots of leafy greens. They also hold a licenseto sell Nursery stock, and will soon haveherbs and miniature container gardens avail-able.

Planning and plowing have already begunfor next summer. The ground will receive anorganic cover crop, which will grow through-out the winter to be plowed under in spring.During the upcoming rainy season, the couplewill be applying for their Organic Certifica-tion.

Hacienda Farms is located in the Cotton-wood Creek Watershed, just across AdobeRoad from Cottonwood Creek. The garden iswatered primarily by A.C.I.D. irrigation wa-

ter, though they do need to supplement withwell water on the second week of their irriga-tion cycle. The soil is rich with silt fromirrigation and the creek. Thanks to the al-ready great soil and the benefits of cover-

cropping, no additional soil amendments areneeded.

Sherry has been growing her own food all ofher adult life, initially having hugely success-ful gardens in San Francisco, and then par-ticipating in a community garden in SonomaCounty. She has always grown organically,and finds it difficult to buy produce in storesafter experiencing how delicious food iswhen it is grown in your own backyard.

Robert is retired after 25 years as an ac-countant and tax preparer, while Sherryscareer has been in marketing. Before step-

ping back to work full-time on their garden,Sherry served as the Marketing Director atWyntour Gardens, promoting the nurseryacross the North State. Both Sherry andRobert are having much more fun workingtheir garden than they do working at theirdesks.

If you would like additional information

about Hacienda Farms, or are interested inpurchasing vegetables, visit them at the Cot-tonwood Creek Certified Farmers Market &Artisan Fair or contact them by calling (530)347-6570.

CROWLEY GULCH PROJECT UPDATEThe Crowley Gulch Waterway Improvement Project is an environmental restoration project to correct negative human influences

on riparian waterway. The major human influence is illegal dumping and camping, with associated pollution and biological haz-ards. What makes the area so attractive for illegal camping and dumping is the overgrowth of vegetation, resulting in near un-

penetrateable riparian area. This project, by discouraging illegal dumping and camping, will improve downstream water quality foanadromous fish habitat in Lower Cottonwood Creek. This project is being made possible by the FishAmerica Foundation, TheAmerican Sport Fishing Association, and The NOAA Restoration Center.

CCWG is seeking volunteers who are willing and able to assist in picking up trash, removing overgrown blackberry bushes andreplant native plant species. Project date has yet to be announced but will take place later in the fall. If youre interested or would

like more information please contact CCWG by calling 347-6637.

OAK WOODLANDREFORESTATION PROJECTCCWG will be planting an estimated 2000 oak trees in the Cottonwood

Creek Watershed

As a landowner, you make many manage-ment choices that inevitably affect nearbywildlife. Oak habitats are among the most

productive ecosystems in California. Theyprovide food and shelter to many animals,and support diverse communities of wildlife.

CCWG has recently been approved for anOak Woodlands Reforestation Grant thatwill allow them to assist local landowners inreplacing downed, diseased oaks or thosewho have had a loss of oaks for other rea-sons.

Gray Pines Nursery has kindly donatedover 1,000 oak tree seedlings towards this

project. The remaining seedlings neededwill be planted by CCWG staff from acornscollected by local school aged children.

CCWG is still accepting applications fromlocal landowners who live in the Cotton-wood Creek Watershed and have a need foroak replacements. Several applications have

been received, but we still have room formore to participate in the program.

Planting of the oak seedlings will be donelate fall to mid winter, weather permitting.Seedlings will need to be sheltered fromgrazing cattle and deer. A guide will be

provided to each participating landowner toensure successful transplant.

Applications to apply for the reforestationare available by contacting the group at 347-

6637 or by emailing [email protected].


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NEW GRANT FOR SEDIMENTBUDGET PROJECTCCWG receives a grant from Fish & Wildlife Service to carry out a Sedi-

ment Budget Project

Severe stream bank erosionalong the main channels, par-ticularly in the lower water-

shed, is prompting landownersto implement piecemealemergency responses toreduce loss and damage of

property. Implementation ofthese piecemeal projects,which can include significant

bank armoring, may cause newproblems or exacerbate exist-ing problems elsewhere alongthe channel.

The goal of the project is todevelop a sediment budget forCottonwood Creek based upongeomorphological data from1939 to present; quantify spa-tial and temporal characteris-tics of sediment supply, stor-age, and transport in the sys-tem, and to identify the effects

of sediment transport dynamics

on perceived channel and wa-tershed changes. The projectwill include the collection of

needed additional data; andsynthesis of currently availabledata and the collected dataneeded to complete the sedi-ment budget and answer sev-eral questions:

1. How stable is thestream channel givenhistoric and current natu-ral conditions and landmanagement?

2. What roles do in-channelislands play and howmight the practice ofmoving these islandsaffect the upstream anddownstream channel andhabitat conditions?

3. Is current channel con-figuration a limiting fac-tor to aquatic or terrestrialorganisms of concern?

4. Is the channel instabilitydue to the amount of ag-gregate being removed bygravel mining?

5. Are current land use prac-tices affecting the sedi-

ment budget in such a

way as to create channelinstability, and if so, how?The main concern is thechannel instability of thelower watershed and howthe bed material budgetmay be affecting channelresponse to differing flowevents.

CCWG will be using a con-tracted firm to put stream flowgages into the creek in variousareas to record activity duringthe next several months. Sedi-ment transport will also berecorded. The data will then banalyzed, interpreted and will

be made available to agenciesand the public during a futureStakeholders meeting, timeand date to be announced.

The Cottonwood Creek Watershed Group

(CCWG) is formally announcing that the

Elections Committee will be accepting appli-

cations from individuals who wish to be con-

sidered for election to the board at CCWGs

Annual Meeting in January 2010.

People interested in being placed on the

ballot for the 2010 Annual Meeting, should

contact Brynn Nolan, Executive Director at

347-6637 or [email protected] who will

provide them with the application form.

Eligible applicants are those which reside or

own property within the Cottonwood Creek

Watershed boundries.

CCWG continues to apply for an receive

grants for habitat enhancement, restoration of

stream banks, eradication of invasive non-

native plants like Arundo and Tamarisk, and

fuels reductions projects to name a few. We

are reaching out to support our rural water-

shed communities with sustainable agricul-

tural practices, a farmers market, and the de-

velopment of after-school programs where

children can learn to appreciate and protect

this special un-dammed watershed.

The CCWG Board of Directors

meet on the second Thursday of each month

at 5:30 p.m., at their office on Gas Point Road

in Cottonwood. Stakeholder meetings are

generally held on the fourth Wednesday of

every other month at 6:30 p.m., and tours for

stakeholders are usually held once a year.

CCWG SEEKS BOARD OFDIRECTOR APPLICATIONSCurrently accepting Board of Director applications from the community

members to be placed on the 2010 ballot

TIPS ON SAVING WATER

Avoid watering your landscapeduring the hottest hours of theday (10 am until 6 pm) to mini-mize evaporation.

Water your lawn only when itneeds it. If you leave footprintson the grass, it is usually time towater.

Try planting drought-tolerantand regionally adapted plants inareas that are hard to water orthat receive little use. This mayinclude narrow strips near side-

walks or driveways and steephills.

Recycle and reuse the water infountains and other ornamentalwater fixtures.


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SEPTEMBER COMMUNITYSTAKEHOLDERS MEETINGCottonwood Creek Watershed Group Community Stakeholder Meeting,

September 23rd, 6:30pm at 20404 Gas Point Road, Cottonwood

Monitoring of the recently completed bank

stabilization project off of Middle Fork Cotton-

wood Creek out Gas Point Road has proven

that the project is a success. A flock of Tur-

keys frequent the re-planted riparian zone.

Hoof prints from deer also litter the ground

site. Currently there has been a 90% survival

rate of native plants, 80% was the original goal.

The area will be irrigated by a sprinkler system

for the next three years. All plants have grown

vigorously since the project was completed.

Please take a look at the pictures of the project

site. The pictures show what the area looked

like prior to the project beginning in May, after

the dozer work was completed, when the plant-

ing was completed early June and the most

recent picture is from the last week of July.CCWG is truly pleased with the success of the

project and would like to once again thank:Tehama Environmental Services, Gray Pine

Nursery, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Partners Pro-gram, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Heath Centeremployees and all the volunteers who helped toensure this project was a success.

BANK STABILIZATIONPROJECT UPDATEProject has proven to be a success! There has been a 90% survival rates of

plants, 80% was the original goal.

Todd Manley, Director of GovernmentRelations, from the Northern California

Water Association (NCWA) will be join-ing us on September 23rd as the SeptemberCommunity Stakeholder Meeting guestspeaker. NCWA is a non-profit that wasformed in 1992 to present a unified voiceto ensure that this region has water sup-

plies to sustain these various purposes--both now and into the future. NCWAseeks to protect the region's water rightsand supplies by implementing an inte-grated regional water management planacross this diverse region and by workingwith Congress, the State Legislature, stateand federal agencies and various Stake-holders.

Mr. Manley works with NCWA memberson issues at the local, state and federallevels. He also coordinates with govern-ment agencies, urban and agricultural wa-

ter interests, and environmental organiza-tions on various issues, including imple-

mentation of the Sacramento Valley Inte-grated Regional Water Management Plan,Central Valley Project Improvement Act(CVPIA), CALFED Bay-Delta Program,Endangered Species Act regulations, legis-lative negotiations and appropriations.

He will be speaking to our Stakeholdersregarding our local water rights in additionto the 50 new water rights bills that areabout to pass through the capital. Therewill be time for discussion, questions andcomments from the audience.

The meeting will be located at the Cotton-wood Assembly of God Church on GasPoint Road at 6:30p.m. If you have any

questions please contact CCWG by calling347-6637. For more information on

NCWA please visit their website atwww.norcalwater.org.


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EL NIO ARRIVESExpected to persist through Winter 2009-10

AS REPORTED BY THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND

ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION (NOAA)

NOAA scientists announced inJuly the arrival of El Nio, aclimate phenomenon with a sig-

nificant influence on globalweather, ocean conditions andmarine fisheries. El Nio, the

periodic warming of central andeastern tropical Pacific waters,occurs on average every two tofive years and typically lastsabout 12 months.NOAA expects this El Nio to

continue developing during thenext several months, with furtherstrengthening possible. The eventis expected to last through winter2009-10.

Advanced climate scienceallows us to alert industries, gov-ernments and emergency manag-ers about the weather conditionsEl Nio may bring so these can

be factored into decision-makingand ultimately protect life, prop-erty and the economy, said JaneLubchenco, Ph.D., under secre-tary of commerce for oceans andatmosphere and NOAA adminis-

trator.El Nio's impacts depend on a

variety of factors, such as inten-

sity and extent of ocean warming,and the time of year. Contrary to

popular belief, not all effects arenegative. On the positive side, El

Nio can help to suppress Atlan-tic hurricane activity. In theUnited States, it typically brings

beneficial winter precipitation tothe arid Southwest, less wintryweather across the North, and areduced risk of Florida wildfires.

El Nios negative impacts haveincluded damaging winter stormsin California and increased

storminess across the southernUnited States. Some past El Ni-os also have produced severeflooding and mudslides in Cen-tral and South America, anddrought in Indonesia.

An El Nio event may signifi-cantly diminish ocean productiv-ity off the west coast by limitingweather patterns that cause up-welling, or nutrient circulation in

the ocean. These nutrients arethe foundation of a vibrant ma-rine food web and could nega-

tively impact food sources forseveral types of birds, fish andmarine mammals.

In its monthly El Nio diagnos-tics discussion today, scientistswith the NOAA NationalWeather Service Climate Predic-tion Center noted weekly easternequatorial Pacific sea surfacetemperatures were at least 1.0degree C above average at theend of June. The most recent El

Nio occurred in 2006.El Nio includes weaker trade

winds, increased rainfall over thecentral tropical Pacific, and de-creased rainfall in Indonesia.These vast rainfall patterns in thetropics are responsible for manyof El Nios global effects onweather patterns.NOAA understands and predicts

changes in the Earths environ-ment, from the depths of theocean to the surface of the sun,

and conserves and manages ourcoastal and marine resources.

El Nio Effects on the United

States:

Warmer winters across th

Northern US

Gulf states cooler and wet

ter California can be wetter o

drier

Pacific salmon and other

fisheries disrupted

Fewer hurricanes in the

Atlantic

A PUBLICATION OF:Cottonwood CreekWatershed Group

Brynn NolanExecutive Director

P.O. Box 119820404 Gas Point Rd. Ste. A

Cottonwood, CA 96022Office (530) 347-6637

Fax (530) 347-6346www.ccwgrp.org

[email protected]

PRODUCED BY:Sheri Curry

SEPTEMBER 3rd - The City of Red-

dings 4th Annual Community Creek

Clean Up09. Located at the Diestel-

horst Bridge from 8-noon. For More

information go to

www.shastacreeks.com.

SEPTEMBER 4th - The Cottonwood

Creek Certified Farmers Market &

Artisan Fair open from 3-7pm on Main

St.

SEPTEMBER 10th - CCWG Board

Meeting located at the Cottonwood

Assembly of God off Gas Point Rd. at

5:30pm.

SEPTEMBER 11th - The Cottonwood


Artisan Fair open from 3-7pm on Main

St.

SEPTEMBER 12th - Hot Rod &

Hogs Car Show. 9 am-3pm on Front St.

SEPTEMBER 12th - 1st Annual

Lipsey Memorial 5K. 8-9am at the

North Cottonwood School. For Mo

Info call (530)218-1393.

SEPTEMBER 18th - The Cottonw


Artisan Fair open from 3-7pm on M

St.

SEPTEMBER 23rd - CCWG Com

munity Stakeholders Meeting locatat the Cottonwood Assembly of Go

off Gas Point Rd. at 6:30pm

SEPTEMBER 28th - The Cottonw


Artisan Fair open from 3-7pm on M

St.

OCTOBER 3rd - Cottonwood Ol

West, Art, Wine and Music Festiva

10am-9pm on Front St.

UPCOMING EVENTSABOUT US

The Cottonwood CreekWatershed Group(CCWG) is an organizedassociation of landown-ers, residential homeowners, business owners,and other private parties.

The groups goal is to

work together to main-tain, conserve and restorea healthy and productiveCottonwood Creek Wa-tershed. CCWG willwork to preserve theenvironment, private

property and waterrights, and the economicresources of CottonwoodCreek Watershedthrough responsiblestewardship, liaison,cooperation and educa-tion.
http://www.ccwgrp.org/http://www.ccwgrp.org/http://www.ccwgrp.org/

September 2009 Watershed Watch

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