The Contra Costa Watershed Forum

A Partnership Focused on the Creeks and Watersheds of Contra Costa County

John Kopchik, CCC Community Development Department

Phone: 925-335-1227 / E-mail:jkopc@cd.cccounty.us

www.cocowaterweb.org

Quick look at the Presentation

History of the CCWFhow it all started

About the CCWFMission, Participants, Staffing/Funding

Programs of the CCWFSignage, Data Collection, Publications

What Works…and what we are still working on

About Watershed Activities

• Contra Costa County has about 20 “community-sized” watersheds (& 2 big ones)

• Grassroots interest in local creeks has been present for years

• Many subregional activities – monitoring, clean-ups, env. education, restoration, native plantings, etc.

Patricia Mathews

History

Watersheds of Contra Costa County

Evolution of the CCWF

• Fall 1998: County’s Fish & Wildlife Committee initiated planning for a county-wide creek symposium

• April 1999: More than 300 people attended symposium in April of 1999

• Summer/Fall 1999: Symposium planning group evolved into the CCWF

• 2000: CCC Board of Supervisors recognized the Forum and authorized staff time to support Forum activities

History

Mission of the CCWF

The mission of the Contra Costa Watershed Forum is to identify common principles among parties involved in creek and watershed issues

and promote actions that transform these principles into multi-objective enhancements

of creeks and watersheds throughout the county.

About CCWF

• Local governments• Watershed planning groups• Friends of creek groups• Special districts

– RCD– Flood Control– Water Districts– Park Districts – Sanitary Districts– Mosquito Abatement, etc.

• Environmental education organizations

• Private landowners• Farmers and Ranchers• Developers• Regulatory agencies

About CCWF

Who is Involved

Funding and Staffing

About CCWF

• CCC Community Development Department provides most staffing within its Water Agency

• One FT Volunteer Creek Monitoring Coordinator

• Three additional staff FT staff work PT with CCWF

• Flood Control / Public Works provide additional support and staff leadership

• Some CCWF activities are managed by others

• Most funding is project by project (generally)• CALFED, Prop 13/SWRCB (2), County Water Agency funds, CC Clean Water Program, GIS grant, CCC Fish and Wildlife Committee, SF Foundation…

• Regular bi-monthly meetings (+ committees)

• Creek and Watershed Signage• Volunteer GPS Data Collection/ BMI Surveys• Publications: Watershed Atlas, Databook• Historical Ecology (new project)• Mitigation Coordination• Quadrennial Countywide Symposium • Periodic Regional Symposia (evenings) • Awards program• Website:www.cocowaterweb.org

Programs

Activities

• RCD staff conceived of the idea of developing a countywide creek signage program

• CCWF very receptive and a subcommittee was formed to brainstorm the details

• RCD submitted grant application on behalf of CCWF and implemented program

• Posting of signs is an on-going process that started in Winter 2003 (approx 600 signs)

Creek Signage

Programs

• In 2001, CCWF launched a creek survey program using GPS technology and volunteers

• Survey focuses on physical characteristics of creeks: bank composition, substrate, shade cover, exotic plant patches, outfalls, drops, etc.

• Survey developed in conjunction with agency scientists and creek groupleaders

• In 2004, CCWF hired a full-time Volunteer Creek Monitoring Coordinator

Programs

Volunteer Data CollectionGPS Mapping

• Program benefits:– Basic data on creek

locations– Growing, detailed picture

of the physical vital signs of our creeks

– Analysis spin-offs– Public education and

outreach

Programs

GPS Mapping Creek bank

composition and large erosion sites

Bioassessment Surveys

• Clean Water Program initiated in 2001.

•Partnered with CCWF in 2004.

•1st Volunteer training was Spring 2005

• In cooperation with the Clean Water Program, CCWF is continuing and expanding the bio-assessment survey program

Programs

Aquatic benthic macroinvertebrates (bugs) are indicators of water quality and overall watershed health. By monitoring their presence (or absence) and diversity we can learn about the effectiveness of policies and programs

Programs

Volunteers Collect Data (and lots of it!)

- 600 hours - 42 sites - 2005 and 2006 - 50 volunteers

- 5,000 hours - ~20 miles - 2001-2005 - 500 volunteers

GPS Bioassessment

Data Compilation,

Publication & Distribution

Programs

Programs

Programs

Publications

Contra Costa County Watershed AtlasA countywide reference document on creeks and watersheds filled with maps, data tables, contact

information, restoration projects.

Programs

Chapter Overview

• Creeks and Watersheds

• Political Boundaries

• Planned Land Use

• Population

• Topography

• Earthquake Faults, Landslides, Flood Plains

• Soils, Slope, Aspect, Land Cover

• Temperature, Rainfall

• Impervious Surface

• Present and Historical Steelhead Population

• Resources, Volunteer Opportunities

Overview of AtlasPrograms

Watershed Overview

• Color Aerials

• Creek Channel Conditions

• Topography

• Hydrology

Overview of Atlas• Political Boundaries

• Population Density

• Planned Land Use

• Protected Lands

• Volunteer Activities & Resources

Watershed Overview

• Color Aerials

• Creek Channel Conditions

• Topography

• Hydrology

• Political Boundaries

• Population Density

• Planned Land Use

• Protected Lands

• Volunteer Activities & Resources

Overview of Atlas

Watershed Overview

• Color Aerials

• Creek Channel Conditions

• Topography

• Hydrology

• Political Boundaries

• Population Density

• Planned Land Use

• Protected Lands

• Volunteer Activities & Resources

Overview of Atlas

Watershed Overview

• Color Aerials

• Creek Channel Conditions

• Topography

• Hydrology

• Political Boundaries

• Population Density

• Planned Land Use

• Protected Lands

• Volunteer Activities & Resources

Overview of Atlas

Watershed Overview

• Color Aerials

• Creek Channel Conditions

• Topography

• Hydrology

• Political Boundaries

• Population Density

• Planned Land Use

• Protected Lands

• Volunteer Activities & Resources

Overview of Atlas

Watershed Overview

• Color Aerials

• Creek Channel Conditions

• Topography

• Hydrology

• Political Boundaries

• Population Density

• Planned Land Use

• Protected Lands

• Volunteer Activities & Resources

Overview of Atlas

Historical EcologyPrograms

New Project!

Other regions have similar projects: Santa Clara Water District, SFEI, Sonoma Ecology Center and others

• Watershed planning and restoration tool

• New (old) perspective on landscape

• Lots of CCWF stakeholder interest

• Looking for funding…

What’s Worked…• Committed, creative and effective volunteers and stakeholders

•Decision-making by casual consensus

• Committees for special projects

• Good meeting attendance (daytime mtgs)

• More than a “Forum” - there is always a group project (data collection, publication, study, etc.)

• Buy-in from County government (wish we had more from the cities)

• Not taking policy positions

…and what we are still working on

• Not taking policy positions

• Better connection to decision makers

• Permanent funding

• Extra-regional coordination

• Mitigation coordination

• Closing the gap between the amount of monitoring performed and the amount needed

John Kopchik

CCC Community Development Department

Phone: 925-335-1227

E-mail:jkopc@cd.cccounty.us

www.cocowaterweb.org