AMERICAN RIVER WATERSHED GROUP

June 17, 2004

The meeting of the American River Watershed Group (ARWG) meeting was called to order by Rich Gresham, Placer County Resource Conservation District at 10:15 a.m. at Placer County Water Agency’s “American River Room” located at 144 Ferguson Road, Auburn.

Present: Rich Gresham, Stewart Feldman, and Katie Maloney, Placer County Resource Conservation District (PCRCD); Marie Davis, Placer County Water Agency (PCWA); Rich Johnson, US Forest Service - Foresthill District Ranger; Carol Kennedy, US Forest Service (USFS) Watershed Program Manager - Tahoe National Forest.

Subcommittee Reports:

• Placer County Fire Safe Alliance (Alliance):

Rich Gresham reported the next Alliance meeting is slated for June 29^th at 10:00 a.m. at PCWA with discussion to revolve around the Alliance’s future structure. The Alliance has had an interim board in place for a period of time as well as a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Rich noted the Alliance needs to review goals and objectives of the organization and move forward accordingly.

Rich and Stewart Feldman reviewed discussions that have taken place regarding the need for the Alliance and local fire safe councils, their sustainability, and where to go from here.

Rich Johnson suggested local fire department boards participate on a more integral level with the local fire safe councils to provide them with support and direction.

Group discussion revolved around the development and/or acquisition of maps noting the locations of fire risk reduction efforts, evacuation routes, and fire district boundaries.

Also discussed was the $100K BLM grant to provide for vegetation management along Interstate 80 held up in the CalTrans process. It was noted this funding may be lost if CalTrans can not get the process moving forward.

1. Business:

1. Overview of EQIP Practices within the American River Watershed:

This business item was deferred as Cliff Heitz has been unable to attend due to workload priorities.

2. Pacific Gas & Electric Watershed Lands Management Plans & Divestitures:

This business item was deferred to next month as Bob Fratini had a scheduling conflict arise.

3. Open Discussion:

• Rich Gresham reported June 25^th would be the date when the final candidates for the American River (North & Middle Forks) Watershed Coordinator will be invited for oral interviews. The PCRCD Board will be making the final choice with input from ARWG representatives, Mal Toy or Marie Davis, and Rich Johnson.

Rich Gresham noted that once all the funded watershed coordinators in the area are in place, he would like to have them meet and review their individual workplans and explore where it might make sense to collaborate on mutual tasks and projects.

Stewart Feldman suggested putting together a GIS training workshop to facilitate the acquisition of technical skills and the sharing of information between coordinators.

Discussion moved on to the American River Watershed Stewardship Strategy document and the need for the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) to review the data included in the document to determine what information is suitable to build upon with the Sediment Dynamics Study (SDS) in an effort to complete an American River Watershed Plan and what information should be dropped from the document.

Discussion revolved round the importance of the next Watershed Coordinator having the ability to take the lead in organizing a TAC effort to work through the stewardship strategy document and help guide the SDS effort on behalf of the ARWG.

Other discussion points included the need for the development of a framework to better identify the types of projects that would be appropriate for the ARWG to focus on and how the SDS effort will provide additional information to guide this kind of effort.

• Rich Gresham noted the American River Watershed has been selected by the EPA and state and regional water quality control boards for water quality monitoring with funding already approved. He noted the subject will be on future agendas when appropriate.

Marie Davis noted the water that runs through the American River Watershed and its urban areas is the cleanest water in the world.

• Rich Gresham reported the PCRCD Board has made an administrative change that switches the District Manager position from a contract position to an employee position.

• Marie Davis suggested the new Watershed Coordinator poll ARWG members as to what kind of agenda topics they would like to see and/or share with the group in the future.

2. Next Meeting and Adjournment:

The next meeting will take place on July 15^th. The meeting was adjourned at 12:20 p.m.