Winter 2007 Tomales Bay Watershed Council Newsletter

8/3/2019 Winter 2007 Tomales Bay Watershed Council Newsletter

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Water reminds us of our connections to the naturalworld and to one another. Everything we do and produceand consume belongs to the ow of rainfall throughstreams and groundwater to the nearshore marineenvironment. In western Marin County, a large land areadrains into Tomales Bay. In 1986, the bays once-pristinewaters were found to be compromised, leading to thefounding, in 2000, of Tomales Bay Watershed Council.

is annual newsletter, TBWCs sixth, reports onsome big news, including the Councils receipt of stategrant funds to spearhead collaborative eorts to protect

Tomales Bay. Here are some highlights, and I encourageyou to nd more details on the pages inside.

TBWC and Point Reyes National Seashore togetherwon a $1.5 million state grantthe Council for a long-term Water Quality Monitoring Program, the Seashorefor the Giacomini Wetlands Restoration Project (inmy experience, a most signicant natural resourcerestoration project in our watershed and beyond).

With other state funding, TBWC and our partnersare developing an Integrated Coastal Water ManagementPlan, due to be nished this summer. Along witha prioritized list of projects for future funding and

implementation, this eort will produce a rst-ever planthat includes water supply and associated needs in ourcommunities around Tomales Bay and in Bolinas.

A breakthrough restoration plan is taking shapefor Chicken Ranch Beach, a microcosm of the TomalesBay ecosystem, with responsible agencies and privateproperty owners working together through TBWC.

We are helping Inverness Association and thecommunity of Woodacre to enlist homeowners in thecare of our septic systems, for improved water qualitythroughout the watershed.

While much more work lies ahead, these and othermilestones to date are encouraging. Perhaps mostimportant: our very real achievements draw strengthfrom a committed consensus approach. TBWC, in its roleas convenor, has eectively provided the forum for allinterested parties to understand the problems regardingthe health, water quality, and ecology of the watershedand to work together towards nding solutions.

My hope is that our children and grandchildren willenjoy this precious placeand will have every reasonto build upon our present eorts and continue in itsstewardship.

TOMALES BAY WATERSHED COUNCIL

BulletinNumber 6Spring 2007

working

collaboratively

to protect

and restore

the waters

and lands of

Tomales Bay

watershed

a report

to residents

and visitors

throughout

the Tomales

Bay regions

lands and

waters

Consensus for a Healthy Watershed

by Carlos Porrata, Council Chair


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Tomales Bay Watershed Council Bulletin Spring 2007

See you at the Beach!us concludes a newsletter from the Inverness

Waterfront Committee, a citizen group working to

regain public access to a beloved local beach.e yearwas 1972, and a 10-year campaign had just ended insuccess. Committee members were ofor a celebratoryswim at the shoreline north of Inverness known asChicken Ranch Beach.

is local splash sent ripples far beyond TomalesBay. Besides the Committees eort, a neighboringproperty owner brought suit aer Chicken Ranch waspurchased and declared o-limits (see Time Line below).e litigation, Marks v. Whitney, reached the CaliforniaSupreme Court, which handed down a landmarkdecision in 1972. e ruling established the right of

people throughout the state to access any shorelinebelow the mean high-tide line. Ever since, Californiatidelands have been part of the commonsa resourcebelonging to the public.

But the saga of Chicken Ranch Beach was far fromover. e ecosystem in this little watershed has beenbarraged with successive impacts over the years, fromdumping of dredge spoils, to development on the wetmeadow, to mechanized dredging in the creek.

Fortunately for this commons in Tomales Baywatershed, stewardship eorts on the part of manypeople and organizations have persisted over the

decades.e challenge has been to sort out and solve theproblems aecting the mosaic of wet meadow, ripariangrove, owing stream, miniature estuary, sandbar, andtidal at -found at Chicken Ranch Beach.

Restoration Planning

Tomales Bay Watershed Council is writing a newchapter in this storyan integrated plan to restorethe valley and covewith the cooperation of involvedagencies, activists, and neighboring private propertyowners.

e new chapter begins with a collaborative proposalfor the funding to launch Phase I of a restoration projectat Chicken Ranch Beach in the coming year. Localprivate, state, and federal partners are helping developthis proposal, which includes:

community outreach to develop long-termproject goals and objectives;

collecting eld data to understand site conditions(already in progress);

Restoration of the Commons

A New Chapter for Chicken Ranch Beach

From a trench dug in the oorof Tomales Bay, for a power linefrom Hwy 1 to northern Invernessand Sea Haven, dredge spoilsare deposited on Chicken RanchBeach. This elevation changeblocks most tidal exchangebetween the Bay and what hadbeen a small lagoon near themouth of Third Valley Creek.

Marks purchases ThirdValley and adjacent ChickenRanch Beach property.Leases meadow in summerfor horse grazing. Winterrains turn it into freshwatermarsh. Marks envisions aprivate marina in the cove,fences the beach, and postsNo Trespassing signs.

Inverness WaterfrontCommittee forms,les suit to pursuepublics right toBeach access.Peter Whitney,owner of thewaterfront property

just north of LarryMarks, les suit.

Marks v.Whitneyresolved:statewideprecedent.Marksdeedsland toMarinCounty.

Newowners ofpropertybehindBeachbegindevelop-ment.

Landslideresultingfrom oodrains addssedimentthat createa deltawetland.

1952 ~1962 196667 1971 1980 1982

2

Propertyownersues MariCountyand forceCounty toprovidedrainage.

1988

TomGaman

Em

ilyGaman

Left: Aerial view to SWGolden Hinde marina (far left),

Chicken Ranch Beach, and Third Valley (diagonal cleft).

Kay Holbrook (R), a leader of the 1960s Waterfront

Committee and a lifelong environmentalist, participates in

community action at Chicken Ranch Beach in 1998.


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modeling various restoration options;

securing the required permits and environmentalcompliance; and

bringing these elements to a nal design so thatthe TBWC may seek implementation fundingwithin three years.

e overall aim is restoration of a self-sustainingwetland system in the lower reaches ofird ValleyCreek watershed. e projects design will likelyinclude a blend of habitatsa riparian stream corridor,

a terraced oodplain, a seasonal/perennial freshwatermarsh, and possibly a tidal/saltwater marshin areasthat have been signicantly degraded by humanalterations in the past 150 years.

Among the project objectives:

reduced sedimentation and bacteria in Tomales Bay;

improved wetland habitats in the project area,expanding the patchwork of wetlands along theTomales Bay shoreline;

a functional oodplain along the bottom reachesofird Valley Creek with no increase in ooding

potential on adjacent lands; and

improved aquatic habitat in the system.

Potential project partners and adjacent privatelandowners have expressed strong support andenthusiasm for the plan. (Public access to the tidelands,of course, is guaranteed!) TBWC is a catalyst, making

possible a new consensus drawn from good informationand a shared commitment.

e eort required for a successful restoration islarge; the challenges are complex.is would come asno surprise to the Waterfront Committee of 40 yearsago, and to the dozens of people whose unagging workin the past has given present and future generations atreasured commons to protect and restore.

See you at the Beach!

Tom Baty, Tom Gaman, Michael Mery, andMairi Pileggi helped prepare this article.

Who Uses Chicken Ranch Beach?

Along with the 100-plus beachgoers likely to visitChicken Ranch Beach on a sunny August day, to swim,

play in the sand, walk dogs, or launch kayaks, many others

species inhabit and visit the beach and Third Valley Creek.

TBWCs Habitat Committee is developing a list of

species that may occur in this area and that are protected

by state and federal law. Included are the California black

rail, northern spotted owl, tidewater goby, steelhead

salmon, California red-legged frog, and many plant

species.

Already using habitats here are scores of sandpipers,

cormorants, herons, intertidal invertebrates, and small

mammals. Recently a river otter was sighted in Third

Valley Creek.

Wildlife abundance and diversity would likely increase

in response to habitat improvements resulting from

future restoration and conservation.

Property ownersll wetlandand alter creekchannel becauseof drainageproblems.Legal actionfrom CoastalCommission.

Propertyowner forcesMarin Countyto bulldoze

Third ValleyCreek toimprovedrainage.

198990 1994

Property owner digs a trenchthrough Beach to allow sedimentsto ow directly into Bay. Thiswashes out the central portion ofBeach and forms extensive sandbars. Later, 40 citizens turn out withhand tools to restore the drainagesnatural location. Marin Countysheris halt this work.

1998

County alertsbeach-goersthat bacteriaconcentrationssometimesexceed healthstandards. MarinCounty beginswater qualitymonitoring.

2000

3

KathleenGoodwin

Marin Countyestablishes aCounty parkat ChickenRanch;AdvisoryCommittee isformed.

2002

New adjacent prop-erty owners relocateleach eld to hillsideabove valley oor. Allparties begin cooperative development ofa restoration plan forthe complete mosaicof habitats at ChickenRanch Beach area.

2005-07

Morning fog on Tomales Bay; Chicken Ranch Beach at high tide.


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e consensus to act on behalf of healthy watersupplies and ecosystems, embodied by Tomales BayWatershed Council (TBWC), has drawn recognition and

support from the State of California. In the past year,new fundinghas enabled Council partners to undertakeambitious planning eorts, focused on water, for thecommunities around Tomales Bay, in San GeronimoValley, and in Bolinas. e same sourceProp 50funding (explained below)provides for current andprojected implementation projects, from restoring vitalwetlands to ensuring water supplies for residential,agricultural and other needs in the watershed.

In January 2006, the State Water Resources ControlBoard awarded TBWC a $460,000 planning grant underthe Water Security, Clean Drinking Water, Coastal and

Beach Protection Act of 2002Proposition 50. Our Prop50 grant funds a four-fold, cooperative eort spanningmore than a year and coordinated by a new TBWC staperson Katie Burdick. e project components are:

development of an Integrated Coastal WaterManagement Plan (ICWMP);

septic solutions outreach;

a municipal stormwater assessment andrecommendations reports; and

assessments of four important Areas of SpecialBiological Signicance.

e Council will undertake a public review processduring June and July 2007, with formal adoption of theICWMP by the Council slated for August.

Complementing planning eorts, Prop 50 also fundsimplementation projects. Such funding represents thepotential to improve water supply, water security, andwater quality for the Tomales Bay region, paying (forexample) for improvements to poorly functioning stormdrains and culverts, remediation of problem septicsystems, improvements to water supply and storage, andhabitat and water quality improvements.

As this Bulletin goes to press, the IntegratedCoastal Water Management Plan is well under way, andpreparing this plan involves several steps: gathering and analyzing existing management

plans in order to address water supply and watermanagement issueswater supply reliability, oodmanagement, recreation and public access, wetlandenhancement, non-point source pollution control,and wastewater treatment;

developing a clear set of management issues,objectives, and strategies (three major components of

the plan) to guide watershed management over thecoming decades;

development of a prioritized list of projectsboth

for implementation grant funding and for fundingvia other government grant programs now and intothe future; and

identication of issues of controversy within thewatershed.

As part of the focus on septic system solutionswithin the watershed, the Inverness Association, withgrant support, is producing a brochure called SepticSystem Monitoring and Maintenance for distributionto residents within the Inverness Ridge Planning Area.Some of this material is included in the removable guide

included in this newsletter. In Woodacre, a group ofcitizens has convened to engage in a community-widedialogue about options for addressing septic systemsthroughout the community.

As part of this planning eort, since January 2007,Ed Strausser, TBWC water technician has been out in theeld collecting water quality samples in Tomales, PointReyes, and Woodacre. Last fall the County of Marinmapped stormwater networks in these three villages,and our monitoring will collect information to help usidentify issues and needs associated with water qualityand stormwater networks.

We have also assessed four local Areas of SpecialBiological SignicanceBird Rock, Point ReyesHeadlands, Double Point, and Duxbury Reef. Partnersand consultants conducted site visits in October 2006,and reports detailing the existing conditions for eacharea are currently in an internal review cycle.

In order to support all the activities associated withplanning, TBWC hired a team of consultants to assistwith researching, writing and developing the ICWMP.In addition, for this eort, Bolinas Community PublicUtility District joined the Tomales Bay WatershedCouncil. Working together since 2000, TBWC now has31 members who represent the full spectrum of regionalinterests and jurisdictions (see page 9 for the currentroster).

Public involvement in this vital planning processis welcome. Each TBWC meeting through August willhave a section dedicated to the Integrated Coastal WaterManagement Plan.

For more information please contact Neysa King,Watershed Coordinator, at 415-868-9081 or [email protected]

Major New Work Funded by State Grants

Water and Wetlands: Planning and Implementation

4


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In a regional eort of huge conservation importance,the Point Reyes National Seashore and its Association(PRNSA) has partnered with the Tomales Bay Watershed

Council for a combined grant of $1.55 million in Prop50 implementation funding, and work is scheduled tobegin this summer.

e Tomales Bay Wetlands Restoration andMonitoring Program (the title of this collaborative grant)is a community-driven watershed initiative, consistentwith the planning priorities of TBWC, the Point ReyesNational Seashore, the Tomales Bay Shellsh TechnicalAdvisory Committee, and the dra Marin CountyWatershed Plan. It includes two major elementsthe Giacomini Wetland Restoration Program(Restoration, below) and the TBWC Water Quality

Monitoring Program (Monitoring).e Restoration element, focused on the conuence

of Lagunitas and Olema Creeks where theyowinto Tomales Bay, may be the single most importantmeasure to reestablish hydrologic function and facilitateimprovements to water quality and aquatic/riparianhabitat in the watershed. Among the organisms tobenet substantially from more and better habitat: a hostof estuarine and marine aquatic invertebrates; shorebirdsand waterfowl; and shanadromous salmonids,especially. Each year more than 1,000 endangeredcoho salmon adults migrate through this area on their

spawning run up Lagunitas and Olema Creeks.By removing levees and tidegates on a 563-acre diked

dairy, this project will restore oodplain and intertidalhabitat to an area conveying more than two-thirds of thefreshwater inow to the Bay. e amount of vegetatedintertidal wetland habitat within the baysalt marsh, forexamplewill be doubled as a result.

Extensive ecological evaluations and hydrologicmodeling eorts show that the proposed project willreestablish important uvial, tidal, and estuarine

dynamics, while providing extensive ood relief toprivate residences adjacent to the project area. erestoration aims to achieve substantial and long-lasting

ecological and water quality benets within and farbeyond the property boundaries.e Monitoringelement of the program involves

implementing comprehensive water quality datacollection and analysis. Focusing both on long-termtrends and on source areas, this eort will measureindicator bacteria, dissolved oxygen, nutrients, acidity(pH), conductivity, salinity, temperature, turbidity,and suspended sediment levels and duration. Trendmonitoring will generate water quality data to assesslong-term shis in water quality within Tomales Bayand tributaries. Source area monitoring will focus on

identifying sources and quantities of water pollutants toTomales Bay and its freshwater tributaries, to evaluateand prioritize past and future water quality improvementeorts.

One result will be a baseline of stream and bay waterquality conditions. Such information, scientically soundand reliable, is needed in order to evaluate the totalmaximum daily load (TMDL) in Tomales Bay waters,whether of pathogens, sediments, or nutrientsthefactors known to be compromising water quality.Monitoring data will help multiple watershed partnersmake local and regional management and planning

decisions.e combined proposal holds an exceptional

opportunity for us to establish and conduct monitoringat the watershed scale and, ultimately, to quantifypotential response of Tomales Bay water quality tothe largest wetland restoration project opportunitywithin the watershed. All this as we watch oodwatersspread over a transformed oodplain and the throngsof wetland dependent wildlife returning to restoredhabitats.

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Partnering for Wetlands Restoration and Watershed Monitoring


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e State of California hasrecognized the potential ofcooperative eorts to protect andrestore the Tomales Bay Watershed,granting support for large-scaleplanning and implementationprojects. State funding from theWater Security, Clean DrinkingWater, Coastal and Beach ProtectionAct of 2002Proposition 50isnow driving unprecedented eorts,whether coordinated by Tomales Bay

Watershed Council or initiated andcarried out by associate organizations.

e Marin ResourceConservation District (MRCD)this year will receive one milliondollars in Prop 50 funding for aproject called Conserving OurWatersheds (COW): TMDL1 Implementation in TomalesBay and Stemple Creek watershed. To improve theenvironment, the goal of the COW program is tosupport ranchers implementing 20 to 30 successful,voluntary conservation practices on agricultural landsin the Tomales Bay and Stemple Creek watersheds. Itis anticipated that many of these projects will result inreduced sediment delivery into Tomales Bay by as muchas 75-95% from gullies and streambanks and by 50-75%from riparian fencing and revegetation projects.

Another important goal of COW is to continue tobuild excellent stewardship practices into the everydaywork of ranching and farming in west Marin Countypractices that will protect Tomales Bay, the Estero de SanAntonio, and their tributaries far into the future. iswork will expand upon the eorts of a large number

of producers in the Tomales Bay, Walker, and StempleCreek watersheds who are already tackling erosion andwater quality projects on their land. rough voluntaryparticipation in the COW program, landowners will beable to continue their proactive approach.

e COW program will utilize the Marin CoastalPermit Coordination Program (MCPCP), whichprovides coordinated regulatory review of 16 types

of conservation and restoration practices for grazinglands, intended to reduce erosion, enhance aquaticand terrestrial habitat, and assist ranchers with soundstewardship in the Marin County coastal watersheds.ese practices include access roads, animal trails and

walkways, critical area plantings, lter strips, sh streamimprovements, grade stabilization structures, grassedwaterways, lined waterways, sediment basins, springdevelopments, and stream channel stabilization.

Projects will be selected through a process that hasproven highly successful for other recent MRCD grantprograms. Landowners will submit candidate projectsthrough an open proposal process; a Technical AdvisoryCommittee will then review and rank the projectsand make a recommendation to the MRCD Board.Each producer will have the opportunity to obtainassistance with 1) project planning and permitting, 2)

technical/engineering expertise, 3) construction, and 4)maintenance and monitoring.

If you are a rancher interested in being notied ofthis funding opportunity, please call the Marin RCDoce at 415-663-1170.

Nancy Scolari, Marin RCD

6

Helping ranchers and theenvironment

1 TMDL stands for total maximum daily loadof sediments and nutrients entering a body of water such as Tomales Bay. A key standard set by theState Water Quality Control Board for assessing water quality, TMDL is the responsibility of everyone inhabiting and using the watershed.

Prop 50 Implementation: COW Grant for Grazing Lands


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Q: What does it mean to rely on aseptic systemas is the case formuch developed property within theTomales Bay watershed?

uWhat goes down your draineverything washed away by yourplumbingis notcarried to a a distant

treatment plant. It stays on yourproperty, owing rst into your septictank and from there to a draineld.Wastewater then seeps into theground, and some enters our streamsand estuaries.

Q: Whos responsible for keeping thesystem working well?

u You, the resident. Property ownersneed to communicate how-toinstruction (see checklist, reverse)

to tenants. A failed system can costmany thousands of dollars to repair,can reduce property values, andcan pollute creeks and Tomales Bay,damaging the ecosystem. The goodnews: regular maintenance can ensurethat your system stays healthy.

Q: How does a septic system work?

uUnseen by you, your onsite sewagetreatment and disposal system sortsout and processes the waste and

water it receives from your drain pipes.From your houses main pipeline,your euent arrives in your septictanka watertight containertypically made of concrete,berglass or polyethylene, buriedunderground. There, in the rst of twocompartments, wastewater settlesinto solids (sludge) below and uids(contaminated water, etc.) above.

High in the dividing wall inside theseptic tank is an opening throughwhich uids can ow into the secondcompartment. Then gravity ow or apump sends wastewater out to thedraineld. Some tanks also have ascreened lter to keep solids out ofthe draineld.

Typical septic tanks have twocovered manholes (access ports) inthe top, one for each compartment,for inspection and service (pumping).Older tanks are often entirely buried,including the tank lid and access ports.Newer ones have riserswide vertical

tubesthat extend from the tank lidto ground surface, facilitating tanklocation and access.

Q: What happens to my wastewaterunderground?

uAs new water enters your septic

tank, wastewater ows out into thedraineld (or leacheld). Here, pipeswith holes in them distribute waterultimately into the surrounding soil.Each so-called leach line is a trench4 to 6 feet deep, slightly sloping

Many of us living in rural watersheds are unfamiliar with the backyard ecosystems at work for us, buried in

the ground: our septic systems. Yet were responsible for what leaves our home and ultimately rejoins the large

ow of water through the environment. What does one need to know in order to keep a septic system healthyand performing well? Here are some commonly asked questions and some answers you maynd helpful. Plea

detach and save this page.

Either it works or you do!

Keeping Your Septic System

(and Our Watershed) Healthy

Sept

icQ+Awww.tomalesbaywatershed.o

rg

{over}

I l l u s t r a t i o n s b y P e t e r A s c h w a n d e n r e p r i n t e d w i t h p e r m i s s i o n f r o m T h e S e p t i c

Cut-away view of a

healthy septic tank

A simplied drain eld


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downhill, lined with drain rockand holding the perforated 4-inch drain pipe. As the euentpercolates through the eld,it enters the soil, a wonderfulnatural lter. Eventually, yourtreated wastewater reenters the

hydrologic cycle, either by plantuptake, evaporation or ow intounderlying groundwater.

Q: Why is periodic maintenance socritical?

uIf the septic tank is not pumpedperiodically, solids can ow intothe leacheld, plugging up theow and necessitating expensiverepair or replacement.

Q: How do you know if your septicsystem is in trouble?

uSymptoms include: slowlydraining sinks or toilets, gurglingsounds in your plumbing, backups,sewage odors and worse!

Q: What are the ramications of afailing septic system?

uDuring storms, your euent canrun ointo a neighbors yard, alocal creek or an estuary.

The health of your family, yourcommunity, local stream habitats,and Tomales Bays ecosystem canbe compromised.

A neighborhood with failingtanks can experience propertyvalue decline.

Q: Do you know where your tankis?

uNeed help nding your losttank? A sketch may have beenincluded with the original septicsystem permit. If no sketch isavailable, then you will need tocall upon your plumber or a localcommercial septic system company:professionals can help you locate bothyour tank and your leacheld.

Q: Where can I learn more aboutseptic systems and how to maintainthem?

Small ows Clearing House

www.nesc.wvu.edu/nsfc/nsfc_index.htm

US EPAwww.epa.gov/npdes/pubs/

homeowner_guide_long_customize.pdf

http://cfpub.epa.gov/owm/septic/index.cfm

County of Marin Septic Matters

www.septicmatters.org

The Septic System Owners Manualby

Lloyd Kahn, Revised Edition, (c) 2007 by

Lloyd Kahn. Shelter Publications, Inc.,

Bolinas, Calif.

uTo request more information contactTomales Bay Watershed Council:www.tomalesbaywatershed.orgor 415-868-9081.

Q: How can I keep my system in good working order?

uKeep and use this checklist!

Have your tank inspected regularlyat least every two years.

Pump your tank regularly, based on the suggestion of your septic systemmaintenance company. (Pumping a tank can cost around $300, while repairinga failed leacheld can cost $1040,000!)

Do notuse septic tank additives. According to the US EPA, they either do nothelp or can interfere with a healthy system.

Control water use: repair plumbing leaks (like drippy sinks); install and usewater-conserving toilets, showerheads, etc.

Dont overload your system. Spread your washing activities throughout the dayor week (no more than 2 loads per day, e.g.).

Use biodegradable soaps and detergents whenever possible. Dont use harshcleansers, bleach, soaps and detergents.

Do not use lye or lye-containing products as they kill othe goodbacteria inyour septic tank ecosystem.

Neverdispose of paint, medications, chemicals, fat/grease, paper (other thantoilet paper) or food in your drains or toilets.

No coee grounds, dental oss, disposable diapers, cat box litter, cigarettebutts, tampons/sanitary napkins, plastics, facial tissues, and paper towels. Theseare not digestible by your septic system.

Putne-mesh strainers in your sinks and drains to catch lint, hair and food

particles

Do not drain your hot tub into your septic tank

Do not plant trees over your leachlines: tree roots will damage the lines.

Dont park on, drive on or store heavy things on your leach eld.

Avoidusing a garbage disposal (or use it sparingly).

Scrape and rinse food particles from your dishes, into your sink strainer, beforewashing them.

The source for this page is the Septic Sense brochure developed by the Inverness Association and TBWC with Prop 50 ICWMP funding.


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by Suzanne OlyarnikIts a calm, quiet morning on Tomales Bay; the water

is motionless and glassy as the sun peeks over the hills.

A sudden, silveryash at the surface breaks the stillnessfor just a moment, sending a ripple across the water andreminding us that beneath the quiet surface there is anunseen world teeming with life. At its heart is eelgrass(Zostera marina), a unique plant that has adapted toliving submerged in salty coastal waters.

In places like Tomales Bay, where conditions arefavorable, eelgrass forms thick beds with thousands ofsimple, long, green, ribbon-like leaves all but lling thewater column. It looks much as you might expectliketall grass underwaterbut its unassuming appearancebelies the important role eelgrass plays in the bay

ecosystem. Eelgrass meadows can stretch for milesunderwater, supporting a rich diversity ofsh andwildlife, including many commercially and recreationallyimportant sh species, shorebirds, waterfowl, crabs,shrimp, and many other invertebrates. Ten- to 100-timesmore animals can be found in eelgrass beds comparedto adjacent sandy and muddy habitats. e three-dimensional structure that eelgrass provides is a havenfor hundreds of species. Some spend their entire livesin the eelgrass beds, while others use them as a nurseryground or as a stop on a long migratory journey.

Consider coho, for example. Estuaries such asTomales Bay play a vital role in the salmon life cycle.Coho salmon and steelhead trout use streams that owinto Tomales Bay for spawning. In the estuary, returningadults and migrating smolts (juvenile salmon) can adjustto changes in the salinity of the water as they movefrom saltwater to freshwater and back again. When theyare big enough, juvenile salmon move down from thestreams and into the eelgrass beds of the bay where theyfeed on tiny invertebrates. To avoid becoming a meal

themselves, young salmon hide among the eelgrassleaves.

Eelgrass beds also supply a nursery area for Pacicherring, a favorite salmon snack. Herring spawn in theestuary in late winter, leaving tens of thousands of stickyeggs that attach to eelgrass blades and other surfaces.Many of these eggs get eaten by diving waterfowlincluding surf scoters and greater scaup.

Black brant, also known as the Pacic sea goose, isanother key member of the eelgrass community. Brant

use California eelgrass bedsincluding those in TomalesBayduring their extensive migration from the highArctic to Mexico. ese refueling stops help the birdssurvive the rigors of migration to produce next yearsospring. Brant are one of the few species that consumeeelgrass directly, and they depend on it as a major foodsource in their diet. Because eelgrass is available onlyat key sites, the entire population of brant is vulnerableto eelgrass losses at a single location. Eelgrass declinesin other areas have resulted in reduced numbers of thisbeautiful bird.

Many other species of birds, including great blue

herons, marbled godwits, willets, dunlins, brownpelicans, and black scoters, feed on sh and invertebrateshere, too. With their rich food resources, eelgrass bedssupport a huge population of birds year round.

A Key Species Between Land and Sea

Drawing on the nutrients available in both thecoastal sediments and the rich coastal waters, eelgrassis a highly productive plant, generating more plant

Unsung Heros of Habitat

Seagrasses in Tomales Bay

please turn to page 8

7

CourtesySuzanneOlyarnik


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material per acre than a fertilized corneld. In addition,each blade of eelgrass provides a substrate for diatoms,bacteria, and detritus (decaying plant and animalmatter). ese things provide food for many marineinvertebrates, small bug-like creatures such as isopods,and amphipods, as well as polychaete worms, clams,snails, anemones, and many others. e large numbersof these invertebrates makes eelgrass beds rich feedinggrounds for sh and birds. As eelgrass dies, bacteria andfungi feed on the dead leaves, breaking some of themdown into tiny bits. ese particles of plant materialprovide vital nutrients for the coastal food web. A

signicant amount of eelgrass oen gets transported todeeper, oshore areas, providing important resources tothose habitats as well.

Eelgrass provides many services for people, too.Like other plants, eelgrass photosynthesizes, usingenergy from the sun to convert water, carbon dioxide,and minerals into food. During this process, oxygen isreleased; it literally bubbles out of the plants, providingoxygen for sh and other animals living nearby. Bysequestering carbon dioxide, eelgrass is contributing to

the reduction of greenhouse gases; its estimated that one

acre of eelgrass sequesters 7,401 pounds of carbon peryear, which equals the carbon dioxide emissions froman automobile traveling 3,860 miles. Eelgrass meadowsguard against shoreline erosion by dampening waveenergy and storms. By trapping sediments and nutrients,eelgrass improves water quality. Its estimated that oneacre of eelgrass absorbs the equivalent of treated euentfrom 490 people.

Because it occurs in coastal areas, eelgrass feelseects from both land and sea. A decline in eelgrasscan alert us to greater problems in the coastal habitat.Because eelgrass needs sunlight to survive, water clarity

is important. Nutrient pollution is one of the mainthreats; sewage and fertilizers from land runoproduceexcess nutrients that stimulate growth of microscopicplants. ese phytoplankton cloud the water,diminishing sunlight that the eelgrass requires in orderto grow. Other threats include physical disturbances(dredging, damage from boating activities), invasion ofnonnative species, disease, and harmful algal blooms.

e next time you explore Tomales Bay, whetherfrom the shoreline or out on the water, consider thehidden wealth below its glimmering surface. Evidencethat eelgrass meadows are serving the ecosystem is

everywhere: a ash of silver on the surface, a harborseal diving for a sh, a pelican dipping its bill under thewater, a icker of a bat ray, the dorsal n of a leopardshark, a hovering osprey there are so many dierentanimals to encounter on a given day. ey are thereminders that eelgrass is underneath it all, supplyingfood, providing habitat, cleaning the water, andenhancing the entire bay ecosystem.

Suzanne Olyarnik is a PhD candidate at BodegaMarine Lab, University of California Davis

8

Proposed Seagrass Protection Zones forTomales Bay

The Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary

recently concluded a public comment period on its

proposed management plan and regulatory changes. One

of the proposed regulations aims to protect seagrass by

creating no-anchor zones in Tomales Bay. The proposed

regulation includes a prohibition on anchoring a vessel

in a designated seagrass protection zone in Tomales Bay,

except as necessary for mariculture operations conducted

pursuant to a valid lease, permit or license. Coordinates for

the no-anchoring zones can be found on page 218 of the

Draft Environmental Impact Statement, downloaded at

http://sanctuaries.nos.noaa.gov/jointplan/.

Eelgrass from page 7

CourtesyGulfoftheFarallonesNationalMarineSanctuary


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Jerry Abbott, Inverness Yacht ClubGordon Bennett, Sierra ClubBob Berner, Marin Agricultural Land

TrustPaola Bouley, Salmon Protection andWatershed Network (SPAWN)

Maria Brown, Gulf of the FarallonesNational Marine Sanctuary

Russ Citlau, California State ParksLiza Crosse, Marin County Supervisor

Steve KinseySharon Doughty, Tomales Bay

Agricultural GroupJohn Finger, Hog Island Oyster

Company

Alex Forman, Marin Municipal WaterDistrict

Ken Fox, Tomales Bay Association

Kaaren Gann, Inverness Public UtilityDistrictTom Gardali, PRBO Conservation

ScienceRobert Giacomini, Marin RCDStan Gillmar, Inverness AssociationHenry Grossi, Sonoma-Marin

Cattlemens AssociationAnn Grymes, East Shore Planning

GroupAlex Hinds, Marin County Community

Development Agency

Dale Hopkins, San Francisco RegionalWater Quality Control Board

John Kelly, Cypress Grove Research

Center, Audubon Canyon RanchGregg Langlois, CaliforniaDepartment of Health Services

David Lewis, U.C. CooperativeExtension

Jack McClellan, Bolinas CommunityPublic Utility District

Mike McMaster, North Marin WaterDistrict

Michael Mery, Watershed StakeholderJulie Monson, League of Women

Voters

Don Neubacher, Point Reyes NationalSeashore

Mairi Pileggi, Watershed Stakeholder

Carlos Porrata, Watershed StakeholdeSally Pozzi, Marin County Farm BureauGail Seymour, California Department

of Fish and GameFred Smith, Environmental Action

Committee of West Marin

TBWC Foundation BoardRobert Berner, CEOJerry AbbottGordon BennettRobert GiacominiStan Gillmar

Tomales Bay Watershed Council Members & Aliations

Water Quality Monitoring

9

To evaluate actions aimed atimproving water quality in TomalesBay, we need baseline information

and ongoing monitoring. In April2006, TBWC began collecting water samples at four sitesin the watershed. is is a report on our rst year ofmonitoring.

In collaboration with the County of Marin and theirBeach Monitoring Program, and in order to increasethe communitys understanding of local water qualityconditions and problems at some of the most popularswimming and wading beaches, this year we sampled atthree sites in the Lagunitas Creek drainage: the GreenBridge in Point Reyes Station; Samuel P. Taylor Park;and Ink Wells in San Geronimo Valley. We collected

samples weekly from April through October, measuredseveral water quality parameters in the eld, and sentthe samples in to be tested for E. coli and Enterococcusbacteria. As a result, advisory signs were posted at somesites to inform the public that, because of high bacterialevels, water quality conditions did not meet statestandards for recreational contact.

We also sampled at Chicken Ranch Beach and thewatershed that feeds it, ird Valley in Inverness. Testsin previous years had detected excessive levels ofE. colibacteria at the beach and in an adjacent drainage ditchwhere people are oen seen wading and playing. Similarto the freshwater sites along Lagunitas Creek, both thebeach water and Channel B Ditch at the north endof the beach occasionally exceeded state standards forcontact recreation and required posting of advisory signsto inform the public.

In an expanded eort to furtherdocument bacteria levels at the beachand to also evaluate potential sources of

bacteria upstream, from April throughOctober we collected samples from 1) two additionalsections of the beach, 2) the main channel ofirdValley Creek, and 3) several upstream locations alongird Valley Creek and the Channel B Ditch. ese siteswere selected in consideration of the watershed anddrainage system as well as a local eort that evaluatedthree adjacent private septic systems as potential sourcesof bacteria contamination (see pages 56). We continuedmonitoring at the Chicken Ranch Beach area untilMarch 2007, in order to better understand water qualityconditions throughout the year. Among the ndings:

At Chicken Ranch, the highest bacteria levels, bothin 2006 and in previous years, occurred in theChannel B Ditch.

Bacteria levels in the bay water and the main channelofird Valley Creek at the beach have generallybeen below advisory levels (i.e., acceptable).

In 2006, bacteria levels at locations upstream fromthe Channel B Ditch andird Valley Creek werealso generally below advisory levels.

Test results and observations from Chicken RanchBeach will provide necessary information to guidefurther testing and restoration eorts. TBWC willcontinue the Water Quality Monitoring Program so thatdata will be available to identify water quality problemsand document the results of stewardship activities in thewatershed.

Ed Strausser, TBWC Water Quality Technician, helped prepare this report.

Publication of this Bulletin was possible thanks to funding from: California Department of Fish and Game, California Coastal Salmon Recovery Program;

State Water Resources Control Board, Water Security, Clean Drinking Water, Coastal and Beach Protection Act of 2002; and the Switzer Foundation.

Editing and design by Claire Peaslee. Tomales Bay Watershed Council 2007. Printed on recycled paper.


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Tomales Bay, astride the San Andreas Fault, is

about 12 miles long and 1 mile wide.

The land area draining into it (within the black

outline on map) is nearly 20 times the size of

the Bay itself. The watershed area is 219 square

miles. Its upper boundary is made up of coastal

ridgelinesa rim of sorts, measuring 142 miles.

Creeksow into Tomales Bay from Mt.

Tamalpais and Bolinas Ridge to the south,

Inverness Ridge to the west, and Walker Creek

watershed to the east.

There are hundreds oftributaries associated

with the three largest creeks. Waters ow into

Tomales Bay through wildlands, dairy ranches,

forests, parks, and human communities.

The watershed can be viewed as a vast

circulatory system, connecting all the plant,

animal, and human inhabitants.

Tomales Bay Watershed Council

P.O. Box 447

Point Reyes Station CA 94956

(415) 868-9081

www.tomalesbaywatershed.org

TBWC will be hiring a Water Quality Program Managerand

a Bookkeeper/Accountantthis spring-summer. Interested

individuals should contact Neysa King, Watershed Coordinator

at [email protected] or 415-868-9081.

Special thanks for many of the photographs illustrating

this Bulletin go to Richard Blair and Kathleen Goodwin,

residents of Tomales Bay watershed. Information about

their publications, notes about nature, and galleries of their

artwork can be found at www.pointreyesvisions.com.

Tomales Bay Watershed Council

P.O. Box 447Point Reyes Station, CA 94956

STD LTRS

U.S. POSTAGE PAID

PERMIT NO. 30

POINT REYES STATION, C

Postal Patron

Pacic Ocean

Tomales

Bay

Support the CouncilGet Involved

General meetings of Tomales Bay Watershed Council, on

the third Tuesday of each month, are open to the public.

Find out more about the Councils mission,

current activities, and meeting schedule online

at www.tomalesbaywatershed.org.

Financial donations to Tomales Bay Watershed CouncilFoundation are tax-deductible and support the implemen-

tation of a Stewardship Plan for Tomales Bay. To learn how

your contribution can make a dierence, contact Water-

shed Coordinator Neysa King at (415) 868-9081.

Joseph

Kinyon,PacicCoastScience

andLearnin

gCenter

Winter 2007 Tomales Bay Watershed Council Newsletter

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Transcript of Winter 2007 Tomales Bay Watershed Council Newsletter