AMERICAN RIVER WATERSHED GROUP

January 20, 2005

The meeting of the American River Watershed Group (ARWG) meeting was called to order by Bill Templin, American River Watershed Coordinator at 10:04 a.m. at Placer County Water Agency’s American River Room located at 144 Ferguson Road, Auburn.

Present: Bill Templin, American River Watershed Coordinator; Stan MacDonald, Stewart Feldman, and Katie Maloney, Placer County Resource Conservation District (PCRCD); Mal Toy and Marie Davis, Placer County Water Agency (PCWA); Tim Dabney, US Forest Service (USFS) Eldorado Nat’l Forest (NF) District Ranger; Christine Mai, USFS Hydrologist; Matt Triggs, USFS Wildlife Biologist-American River Ranger District, Tahoe NF ; Marilyn Jasper, Clover Valley Foundation and Sierra Club; Eric Nichol, CA Dept. of Water Resources (DWR) Engineer; Mike Hunerlach, US Geological Survey (USGS) Geologist; Shana Avalos, Bureau of Reclamation American River Water Education Center Natural Resource Specialist; Liz Mansfield, El Dorado Irrigation District (EID) Watershed Coordinator; Carol Kennedy, USFS Tahoe NF Watershed Program Manager; and John Lane, Teichert Environmental Engineer.

Check-In:

Bill Templin led the “Check-In” procedure that entails telling meeting participants who you are, how you are, any time constraints, the identification of desired stakeholders not present, emergent issues, and individual expectations.

Review & Approval of Minutes:

No changes were made to the minutes.

Additions to the Agenda:

No additions were made to the agenda.

Guest Speaker – John Lane:

Bill Templin announced a tour of the Cool Cave Quarry Site to be held on February 9^th at 10 a.m. and thanked John Lane for Teichert’s hospitality.

Bill turned the floor over to John who serves as an Environmental Engineer for Teichert. John gave the group a Power Point presentation about Teichert and Teichert Aggregates Cool Quarry operations; excerpts of the presentation follow:

• Teichert was established as a family owned business in 1887 and is the oldest family owned firm still in business in the state of CA

• What Teichert does…?

  • Construction

  • Aggregates

  • Asphalt

  • Ready mix

  • Heavy & highway construction

  • Precast

• Teichert owns eleven active sand & gravel mines

• CA leads the nation in sand & gravel production

• Limestone is the chief mineral product of El Dorado County

• Cool Cave Quarry History:

  • Established in 1880’s and originally known at the Mountain Quarries with the principal product being limestone of a quality just a hair below pharmaceutical grade

• Historical and present day products include limestone block, rip-rap, lime, limestone product for sugar refining, and construction aggregate

  • 1880-1910 limestone/lime production

  • 1910-1960 added production of sugar refining limestone product

  • 1960-2002 limestone & sugar refining limestone product

  • 2002-present aggregate & limestone

Mountain Quarries Bridge, also known as No Hands Bridge, which spans the American River, was built for the primary purpose of carrying limestone products from the Cool Cave Quarries to Auburn via railroad. The bridge was the longest concrete arch bridge in the world at the time and cost $300K. The railroad was deconstructed in 1942 and the resulting materials were used in the war effort.

John reviewed the process that uses limestone to refine impurities out of beet sugar and aggregate production processes that included a description of how blasting is conducted.

John noted Teichert plans to upgrade the quarry over the next five years.

John reviewed regulatory compliance issues and potential air quality impacts that can result from diesel emissions, operation fugitive dust, and track out on truck wheels leaving the plant site. Potential water quality impacts from onsite suspended sediment, nitrates from blasting, and stormwater runoff are being monitored. John noted that turbidity has not been an issue.

Teichert’s water quality monitoring program is designed to show if any impacts to water quality are occurring. Monitoring is being conducted both upstream and downstream from quarry operations in eight different locations. Water quality issues are complicated by fractured flows, unpredictable underground seeps, and the natural topography of the plant site. He noted that while nitrate monitoring results are within Wastewater Discharge Requirement Permit parameters, the plant continues work to keep nitrates and other impacts under control.

Bill thanked John for his interesting presentation and noted Teichert’s monitoring results will be helpful in determining baseline conditions.

Group discussion highlighted other possible sources of nitrates including horses being kept in Auburn Lake Trails that present the possibility of nitrates impacting small drainages that ultimately flow to the American River.

John noted the company is looking into using line power and solar power to reduce impacts from using diesel power. A solar power study is being conducted at Teichert’s Esparto plant.

Bill closed discussion by inviting everyone to the Cool Cave Quarry tour scheduled for February 9^th.

Sediment Dynamics Study (SDS) Update:

Mal Toy, SDS Project Manager reported that the Technical Advisory Committee’s (TAC’s) general consensus is that Tetra Tech’s proposed work product is on target. The TAC reviewed changes to the “scope of work” as proposed by TetraTech in preparation of Sierra College giving final contract approval.

Marie Davis added there were many TAC members in attendance at the last meeting and she reported emerging issues that came under discussion included budget estimate assumptions that were originally based on having a local Tetra Tech project leader vs. one located in Colorado as is now being proposed by Tetra Tech, the reduction in the number of meetings between the TAC and Tetra Tech. The TAC was looking for monthly interaction between Tetra Tech and the TAC vs. only three meetings now being proposed by Tetra Tech.

Mal concurred regarding the need for timely discussions regarding study progress in order to be sure the study stays on track.

Stewart Feldman suggested the invoicing process include detailed progress reports that can serve as documentation of the progress being made by Tetra Tech.

Mal agreed the invoice review and approval process can provide a nexus between study progress and the TAC. He noted it would be incumbent on the Project Manager to track progress in relation to invoices presented and agreed meaningful progress reports with additional verbal communications where clarification in necessary might be appropriate. He noted the need to further clarify the appropriate points of contact between Tetra Tech and the TAC.

Carol Kennedy stressed the importance that verbal agreements be reflected in the workplan and budget (scope of work).

Matt Triggs noted the TAC should concur that each phase is completed satisfactorily before moving onto the next phase in the study.

Bill Templin agreed regarding the importance of contact between the TAC and Tetra Tech with an ARWG monthly update on study progress.

Carol noted she has an issue with the reduction in the budget allocation for the GIS component of the study and the resulting increased travel allocation due to Tetra Tech’s proposed project leader change to an out-of-state person vs. a local person. It was noted that having a local Tetra Tech project leader that was familiar with the watershed was one of the reasons Tetra Tech was awarded the study project.

Bill Templin suggested tabling the TAC issues and moving forward with the rest of the meeting agenda due to time constraints of attending stakeholders giving updates to the group.

Activities Update:

• Watershed Coordinator: Bill handed out copies of his activity report dated January 19^th and solicited comments. There were none.

• Public Outreach Team: Bill reported on funding proposals developed for submission to the Sierra Nevada Alliance with the cooperative support of the Regional Watershed Coordination Team to support “Creek Stewardship Days” events for the American River watershed. After the meeting Bill received word from the Sierra Nevada Alliance that the proposal was not selected for funding at this time.

Stakeholder Reports:

• American River Watershed Portal: Liz Mansfield reported changes to the look and feel of the website are being implemented. Liz noted a $100K funding proposal is being developed to fund a GIS inter-active map model for the American River watershed. She encouraged folks to visit the website.

Bill passed out a press release he wrote to let the public know of the portal and the information that can be found there.

Mal Toy noted PCWA has added links to the portal that lead to both PCWA and Water Forum web sites.

• Placer County Water Agency: Mal Toy noted PCWA’s preference to post information to the portal in terms of a packaged summary vs. a constant stream of data in relation to the FERC re-licensing effort in order to address issues in a larger context. A FERC re-licensing website is slated to be developed next year where a list of reports pertinent to the effort will be listed and made available at that time. A link can then be established between the portal and FERC site.

Bill inquired about the availability of the Water Sanitary Report and Mal noted PCWA is a partner in developing the report that is developed every five years. He concurred it would be a candidate for posting on the website.

• South Fork American River Watershed Group (SFAR): Liz Mansfield reported on an upcoming stormwater workshop. She noted SFAR is looking to garner more stakeholder participation in the group and a move in the meeting venue. SFAR is exploring becoming more independent with the possibility of evolving into a 501(c)(3), non-profit. She reviewed the agenda for the SFAR meeting taking place later in the afternoon.

• Placer County Fire Safe Alliance (Alliance): Stewart Feldman reported the next meeting will take place Monday the 24^th at the Bowman CA Dept. of Forestry & Fire Protection (CDF) office and reviewed the agenda.

Bill noted the Alliance effort to map past, present, and future projects that can then be matched up with funding opportunities for proposed project implementation.

• American River Watershed Institute (ARWI): Bill reported attending the Ponderosa Fire Safe Council meeting.

Stewart reported the ARWI is a partner in the Prop 13 grant received by the City of Colfax to provide for implementation of the Colfax Shaded Fuel Break (SFB) Project and gave a brief overview of the project that encourages voluntary fuel reduction by private landowners within a project area to be selected within the Bear River watershed with input from local fire agencies as to appropriate placement of the SFB.

Next Meeting:

• Agenda Suggestions: Agenda item suggestions included presentations by Sierra Pacific Industries regarding timber harvest practices and Placer County Air Pollution Control District presentation on vegetation management practices.

• Open Discussion:

  • Stewart Feldman announced the first Collaborative Western Placer Watershed Group meeting slated for February 1^st at the Rocklin Corporation Yard conference room from 3-5 p.m.

• Marilyn Jasper announced the February 22^nd Sierra Club meeting at the Auburn Library’s Beecher Room at 7 p.m. will include a presentation by Leslie Gault regarding the county’s stormwater management effort.

• Shana Avalos solicited groundwater expertise for a groundwater model being developed for the American River Water Education Center.

Adjournment:

The next meeting will take place on February 20^th at the Auburn Recreation District’s Canyon View Community Center located at 471 Maidu Drive, Auburn.

The meeting was adjourned at 12:05 p.m.