UARF Meeting Minutes
Thursday, January 25, 2007
11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
 
 
Attendees
 
Action Items
  
  1. Foundation Business
 
Bill Templin shared samples of the 2,500 color copies of our new UARF pamphlet.

John Gaffney - Articles have been filed
Need: 1. Fed ID # (when all papers have been filed and approved)
2. Open account at Placer Savings Bank (Action Needed )
3. Confirm that the Term of officers is two years (yes)
4. By Laws will be drafted this and distributed for signatures (hopefully completed at UARF meeting 2/15/07)

Funding sources -
Granite Bay - funding is pending for about $3,000 (Bill T. Received 2 checks from Granite Bay Flycasters totaling $2,750 needs to get it to Tacy Currey, our interim Fiscal Agent, with the California Association of Resource Conservation Districts, shown on our pamphlet)
Reviewed account status - $675 in account currently with Katie Maloney, Placer County Resource Conservation District (Action Needed ?)
Bill Carnazzo wrote a check for $100, Grant Fraser sent his $100 check to John Gaffney previously, John has it. (Bill T. mailed Bill C’s check to CARCD, John to do same with Grant’s check)
 
Annual Report template reviewed from Henry's Fork. Bill T. moved that we adopt the 2005 Henry’s Fork Foundation format for Annual Report, Bill C. seconded it and it was approved unanimously.
 
  1. Potential Projects:
Horseshoe Bar Mine – Bill T. toured the mine, and campground areas with Walt Stevens (partial owner), John Marin (Placer County Planning Dept.) and Jill Pahl (Director, Placer County Environmental Health Dept.). At this site a campground had been operating, apparently without the necessary permits and was shut down. The visit was to introduce us the existing situation and solicit input on alternatives, and partnerships that might be possible for use of the site. Placer County has been considering Walt’s application for permitting camping at the site and will be getting back to him with some possibilities. Participating in this effort could meet several of our UARF objectives, including: “conserving and protecting unique qualities of our watershed; identifying issues that need to be resolved & helping develop funding to help resolve them; working with existing resource management agencies and other stakeholders to increase the level of appreciation for and understanding of the abundant resources in our area; full understanding of individual interests and regulatory management with mutual respect for all stakeholders”. Additional benefits include increasing river access for anglers; education/outreach; and river clean up/restoration activities. The sites are located just upstream and downstream of the “Tunnel Shute” on the M.F. American River at Horseshoe Bar. On Mosquito Ridge Road from Foresthill, at the large turnout on the right (canyon side of the road) where a dirt road takes off uphill to Michigan Bluff, (where the large debris pile from last Spring’s landslide was stored and is now gone), entering the turnout, on the right there is a green Forest Service gate across a private dirt road downhill that heads down to the campground that has been primarily used by mining clubs in recent years but there are also many remnants of the historical community of Graeagle and old hydraulic and dredger mining locations. While there, Bill T. learned that other nonprofit groups (including the Lady Bugs Fly fishing group) have used this site for activities in the past. Walt, welcomed us to have activities there as a group, including “catch and release” fish outs. Only portable toilets are now in place and to reopen their facility they need help facilitating permits for a sanitary and drinking water facilities. There is an added incentive of possibly reducing the impact of the 10,000 to 20,000 commercial clients of white-water rafter visitors per year who pause before hitting the “Class 5” Tunnel Shute for last minute… preparations… if improved sanitary facilities were in place.
Action Required = Bill will get visitor day use data from Bill Deitchman (Auburn State Recreation Area) to share with Placer County, as requested, and expects to hear from John Marin and Jill Paul. (Data received and shared, Jill acknowledged.)
Action Required = Bill to get Grant name and # for contacts: (Walt Stevens LStev42725@aol.com ; John Marin JMarin@placer.ca.gov ; & Jill Pahl JPahl@placer.ca.gov)
 
3. Education/Outreach:
    1. Website Now Available for Use – Bill T. created a free website using MSN Groups as the provider. Anyone can sign up, use, and add it interactively.
    1. Pamphlet - printing cost $848.35 paid by Placer County R.C.D. THANK YOU Rich Gresham and Placer County Resource Conservation District Board for picking up the entire cost!) – Present distribution Sites include RCD Office, Canyon View Community Center; Tourist Center; Kiene’s Fly Shop: Wild Sports: Auburn Outdoor Sports and distributed at several booths at the International Sportsmen’s Expo in Sacramento. (Pamphlets have since been placed in displays at USFS office in Foresthill; Placer County Water Agency, Auburn; Sportsman’s Warehouse, Rocklin, CA; Eldorado N.F. offices in Placerville and Georgetown, Broadway Bait Rod & Gun, Sacramento)
    1. Adopt A Display Board - this project is still ready to go. We will be adopting a display at the USFS Picnic Area on the Middle Fork American River (upstream of the bridge to Ralston Power House). Other partners (and potential partners) include: U.S. Forest Service (Jan Cutts, District Ranger, American River District, Foresthill, CA Tahoe N.F.; Jann Williams, Eldorado N.F., Granite Bay Flycasters, Trout Unlimited,& Foresthill High School)
    1. FERC Relicensing: PCWA Recreation TWG Meeting, Mon. Jan. 29, 2007 (Bill T. attended), Mon. Feb. 5 (Plenary and Terrestrial TWG-Bill T. attended; Tues. Feb. 6 (Aquatic TWG -Bill T. & Bill C. attended)
    1. Regional Water Planning: CABY IRWMP Meeting Wed. Jan. 31, 2007 – (Bill T. attended)
Bill T moved that we adopt CABY plan as written conceptually and the projects. Bill C 2nd - motions carried unanimously (Paperwork submitted on Jan. 31)
  1. American River Watershed Conference Planning Thurs. Feb. 1, 2007 (Watershed Assessment & Adaptive Mgmt.) Bill T and Jan C. are working on this committee. April 12-13 conference will be held at Sac State U - funnel any ideas for displays and workshops
  1. Wild Trout Angler Survey Data (possible project with CDFG information, automation and expansion of sites?) (DFG contacts - Dave Lentz & Roger Bloom) AR - Grant to take to Auburn Flycasters Need volunteers to collect surveys from boxes and enter data - Two sites on Rubicon and one at Mumford Bar Trailhead on the N.F. American River. More sites may be possible.
  1. Cleanup activities - Oxbow scheduled for April 22nd 9-3 (day use area)
    1. Jan to check if camping is OK (pending)
    1. Jan to check on insurance through Forest Service (done)
    1. Bill to check with rafters for support (Pending)
  1. Fundraisers -
    1. Dave will check with other TU groups on fundraisers
 
  1. Clean Up / BBQ / Fish Out Dates, Locations for 2007 April 29, Sugar Pine/ USFS/RCD
    1. Stream Condition Inventory Help for USFS (Jan Cutts… BMI, WQ, Fish, EUI, with Dan Teater, USFS Fisheries Biologist)
      1. Dan Teeter - funding is not there - need help on gathering inventory
AR = Grant to talk to Auburn Flycasters
AR = need to check with High schools in Colfax, GBF, and others on volunteers
 
  1. Pond Mine (nr. Todd Valley) BLM (David Lawler) - clean up on Pond Mine is approved. Capture Mercury and restore. One of top 30 worst in US. Panning activities increased mercury in stream water 100x during studies.
  1. Sediment Study next steps… (Bill T. to report at Feb. 15 meeting)
  1. Restorations (Sailor Flat Meadow; Fen near Robinson’s Valley USFS, Matt Triggs) Sailor Flat Meadow restoration activity - possibly bring in Granite Bay on one or more of these things.
  1. Trail Construction and Maintenance (Innerbay/Midway PH (with PCWA), M.F. American at Picnic site, Sugar Pine, Others?)
  1. Open Discussion
    1. ASRA General Plan - how do we get connected? (Bill Deitchman & Jim Michaels – California Dept. of Parks and Recreation - BILL T to get contact info ( Bill Deitchman bdeit@parks.ca.gov & Jim Micheaels jmiche@parks.ca.gov
 
NEXT MEETING: February 15, 2007 11:30 to 2:30 p.m. Baker’s Square, Auburn, CA