JOURNAL Restoration at Panorama Vista Preserve Takes Off

By Trevor Meadows, Restoration Biologist & Julie Rentner, Director of Special Projects

ike native plants themselves, ecological restoration is a growing Lindustry with many challenges. No other industry must envision unknown project outcomes, convince funders to invest (often large sums of cash up front), and then adapt to whatever Mother Nature Top photo: Thousands of native plants were delivered to has to offer with little hope of turning a profit – or none, in the case of nonprofit the project site from the RECON Native Plants nursery. organizations like Partners. Did we mention that restoration success is often judged Above: River Partners received a generous award from Pacific Gas & Electric in October 2014 to help fund by the actions of wildlife - notoriously unpredictable and often not well understood? restoration efforts at the Preserve. One reason for the dearth of large-scale restoration practitioners is this incredible diversity of obstacles that any one project may face. Whether it is the weather, the wildlife, or the floods and fires that will not cooperate, ecological restoration is a game Winter 2015 • Volume 12, Issue 1 of rolling with it and sticking to the project, even when the odds seem overwhelming. But the rewards are very satisfying – recovering beautiful vistas, wildlife populations, environmental quality, and outdoor experiences. River Partners learned a long time ago Inside: that it is through partnerships that such positive outcomes are attained, and often the most successful partnerships are unlikely, and forged from adversity. Letter from the Board Chair: This year, River Partners and the Corridor Endowment are delighted Abbott Lake Restoration to see the reward after several grueling years of fundraising, planning, negotiations, ...... Page 2 and contracting for the Panorama Vista Preserve in Bakersfield, CA. In late 2014, the team kicked off the preparation and planting of the largest block of restoration yet – CA Passed a New Water Bond... 129 acres located on both the north and south sides of the Kern River. With funding So What?...... Page 4 provided by the River Parkways Program, California Wildlife Conservation Native Plant Nurseries and Board, Central Valley Project Improvement Act Habitat Restoration Program, National River Partners - A Winning Team Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Partners for Fish and Wildlife, Pacific Gas and Electric, ...... Page 5 and Chevron, this project has leveraged an economy of scale. With acreage of this size, Feather River Riparian Habitat restoration crews are able to effectively prepare the site, plant tens of thousands of Restoration...... Page 6 native trees and shrubs, manage a complex drip irrigation system, and perform weed Oroville Wildlife Area Flood Continued on page 3 Stage Reduction...... Page 7 River Partner JOURNAL • Page 1 Message from the Board Chair [email protected] By Irv Schiffman www.riverpartners.org The Journal is published by River Partners, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit public benefit corporation. Our mission is to create wildlife habitat for the Abbott Lake Restoration benefit of people and the environment. Moving Ahead Unless otherwise specified, all photographs were taken by River Partners staff. n July of 2014, the Central Valley Flood Protection Board issued an Board of Directors encroachment permit to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife I(CDFW) enabling River Partners to begin work on the Abbott Lake Unit of Kara Varian, Baker, KVB, Inc. the Feather River Wildlife Area. The effort to obtain the permit took four and Kathy Barrett, SynMedia one-half years of negotiations that, to a great extent, revolved around the question John Carlon, Sierra Cascade Blueberry Farm Ron Ginochio, Ginochio Farms of the effect that restored vegetation in floodways has on floodwater conveyance Ken Grossman, Brewing Company and flood safety. Allen Hackett, Hackett Farming Located approximately seven miles south of Yuba City in the Sacramento Mark Kimmelshue, Associated Rice Marketing Valley, the 439-acre Abbott Lake site has been fallow for 25 years. Through a Cooperative Tom Lando, Lando & Associates grant from the California Wildlife Conservation Board, River Partners will actively Suellen Rowlison, RN, retired restore 150 acres and help enhance the remnant habitat by controlling invasive Irv Schiffman, CSUC, Political Science, emeritus plants. Since this unit belongs to the CDFW, the project will also benefit public Monroe Sprague, MD recreation and access to the Feather River once restoration is completed. The notion that floodway vegetation is detrimental to flood safety is familiar Staff to the planners and scientists at River Partners and is taken very seriously by them. The long-standing perception has been that floodway vegetation slows Staff: John Carlon, President down floodwater, raising water levels and potentially jeopardizing levees, bridges, David Neubert, VP Business Development and other infrastructure. However, River Partners believes that native riparian Gerald Dion, Chief Financial Officer vegetation can be designed to have minimal impact on floodwater conveyance Mona Dagy, Executive Assistant and flood safety. River Partners planting designs include hydraulic modeling Deborah McLaughlin, Sr. Accounting Manager Dr. Andrew Rayburn, Director of Science that enables River Partners to target where native vegetation can be placed on Helen Swagerty, Sr. Restoration Biologist floodplains to achieve desired outcomes. Michael Rogner, Associate Restoration Biologist For the Abbott Lake restoration project, River Partners hired the engineering Ruben Reynoso, Jr., Restoration Field Manager Andy Alexander, Grant & Contract Intern firm MBK to conduct the hydraulic analysis of the proposed planting design. Eligio Hernandez, Field Technician Senior Restoration Biologist Helen Swagerty, who is supervising the project, Francisco Jauregui, Field Technician explained that “thanks to MBK’s multiple evaluations and feedback, we’ve Jared Hicks, Field Technician carefully adjusted the restoration design—including types of plants, their locations, Ricardo Navarro, Field Technician Tara Porter, Field Technician and densities—so that there specifically won’t be a ‘clogging’ effect if there is a Ben Baker, Admin Field Technician flood. MBK’s modeling of the project’s impact in a flood event has shown that Staff: restoration will not burden the flood protection system, and could potentially Julie Rentner, Director of Special Projects reduce water velocity adjacent to the levee.” Heyo Tjarks, Restoration Ecologist More than 90% of the historic riparian habitat in California’s Great Central Stephen Sheppard, Director of Operations Valley has been lost, and most of the remaining 5 - 10% is in highly degraded Trevor Meadows, Restoration Biologist Jeff Holt, Restoration Biologist condition. The riparian habitat that remains along the Feather River provides Michelle Andreetta, Biological Technician critical habitat for numerous wildlife species, including many waterfowl, Stuart Mattos, Restoration Field Manager neotropical migratory songbirds, and special-status species such as Swainson’s Frank Reynoso, Restoration Field Manager hawk and the valley elderberry longhorn beetle. The Abbott Lake project will Miranda Lamb, Staff Accountant Feliciano Degante, Field Technician create additional high-quality riparian habitat, linking fragmented patches of remnant habitat and improving conditions for many wildlife species along the Southern California Staff: Bill Jensen, Restoration Field Manager Feather River corridor.

Journal Editor: Dr. Andrew Rayburn Journal Design & Layout: Tempra Board JOURNAL printed on recycled paper.

Page 2 • River Partners JOURNAL Page 2 • River Partner JOURNAL Restoration at Panorama Vista Preserve

Continued from page 1 control using tractors instead of back- (as was previously thought), breaking hand labor. but were private lines installed Arriving on site from their comfy and managed by Chevron. nursery home over two months ahead Understandably, Chevron of schedule, the native plants for the shared our concern about project had acclimated to the Bakersfield vandalism and requested that climate nicely while restoration crews and we install a beefed up security volunteers watered and cared for them gate around the control panel. daily. The planting was initiated at a public While the re-establishment of event in mid-October 2014 celebrating the power was negotiated, we had second contribution to the project from to run the irrigation system PG&E. Advertised through social media with a generator. The evening and the usual Kern County conservation of the very first day with the Volunteers donated time and energy to help plant native trees and shrubs circles, this event garnered participation generator, the wire thieves paid from 24 volunteers, 9 Conservation us a visit. As a result, we fast-tracked the Corpsmembers, as well as the attention of construction of a security cage that would Grande.” Having sat on a waitlist for the Bakersfield Californian newspaper and enclose both the control panel and the some time, the neighbors had a well- the office of Kern generator. A week driller scheduled to arrive within the County Supervisor Panorama Vista Preserve later, the thieves had month, to develop a well that would Mike Maggard. restoration by the numbers: us again and we were likely yield much more water than was Plants installed • 129 acres forced to rethink the required by the Ranch. We asked if there include native cage structure. Poured • ~25,000 native plants was a partnership opportunity and were species that once concrete, expanded delighted to find that this was the solution • $2.7 million in funding carpeted the Kern metal, and a lot of for which we were waiting! A few months River floodplain • 50 daily visitors welding finally yielded later, after a successful drill, water was such as Fremont’s • 19 species of native trees a design that appears secured for the entire project. cottonwood, and shrubs to be theft-proof, January 2015 saw the completion western sycamore, • 6 listed wildlife species at least for now. of the large-scale plantings. In total, arroyo willow, • 1 endangered cactus Chevron continues to approximately 25,000 native plants were black willow, work generously and installed, providing jobs to over 20 buttonbush, bladderpod, and arrowweed. collaboratively with us to provide reliable Conservation Corpmembers as well as Mother Nature has been favorable so far, power for the project. endless opportunities for area students providing generous waterings in December With that obstacle under our belts, and residents to engage with their local and January in the form of much-needed it was time to turn to the well-drilling environments. The plants will be cared for rain. Nefarious people, however, have not required for the other half of the project. (irrigated and kept relatively weed-free) for been so generous… With the California drought worsening, three growing seasons, then will be turned The project started with the well drilling became the new gold rush loose to fend for themselves. installation of an irrigation takeout from in California. In late 2014, well drillers Whatever obstacles are thrown a City of Bakersfield . The City was in the San Joaquin Valley were reporting at the project next, we have no doubt kind enough to grant permission to use record waitlists (some topping two years) the partnerships forged amongst River some of its water to establish the plants, and record prices for their services. If Partners, the Kern River Corridor recognizing that the project will improve the restoration project would require Endowment, Chevron, City of Bakersfield, groundwater recharge for the City and will groundwater, we would be waiting a Rancho Not-So-Grande, the project benefit the larger Kern River Parkway for long time to get our hands on it, and funders, and the countless volunteers decades to come. No sooner did we get it would have potentially exceeded the will overcome them, creating a lasting the takeout installed did we discover that budget. Enter the generous neighbors of habitat improvement benefiting people the power lines running to that location Panorama Vista Preserve and equestrian and the environment along the Kern River were not owned and managed by PG&E enthusiasts of the “Rancho Not-So- Parkway.

River Partners JOURNAL • Page 3 California Passed a New Water Bond...

So What? By Julie Rentner, Director of Special Projects

n November 4, 2014 more the smallest price. Thanks to hard work even transportation improvements. We do than 67% of voters (nearly 5 from a variety of conservation interests, this difficult work of project integration Omillion Californians) voted to and fueled by the visibility of some of for many reasons – to attract a variety of approve the Water Quality, Supply, and our demonstration projects (such as the funders, to ease the permitting process, to Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014 Dos Rios Ranch Project and the Riparian engage multiple interest groups, etc. We (Proposition 1). The Act authorized $7.54 Sanctuary Project), we believe a major have also found it to be a very effective billion in general obligation bond funds stride towards such accountability was way to ensure project success. It is really to support water supply, conservation, provided in the language of the new water quite simple: the more folks who benefit and quality improvement projects. Such bond: the words “Multi-benefit Projects” from your project, the more likely it is “water bonds” are not easily approved by were included specifically to describe the that your project will be successful! With voters and mean quite a lot to the State. types of projects that will be eligible for the passage of Proposition 1 and the Between 1996 and 2006, voters approved $1.495 billion of the bond. integrated “multi-benefit” language, the over $11 billion to support similar work. For over fifteen years, River Partners legislature and the voters have recognized You can check on the outcomes of these has been working to develop conservation that our approach works. The bond expenditures at the Bond Accountability projects that provide multiple benefits language clearly identifies that future website http://bondaccountability. to a variety of interests. We have public expenditures must follow our resources.ca.gov developed projects that simultaneously model, and we are delighted to have the While the sheer magnitude of the provide wildlife habitat enhancement and opportunity to implement even more of funding is staggering, it is important to improved flood protection, water supply remember that the benefit provided to reliability, recreation opportunities, and Continued on next page taxpayers varies greatly depending on the details about how it is spent. Using these bond funds awarded through competitive grant programs, River Partners has acquired and restored thousands of acres of floodplain habitat lands along the edges of California’s largest . We have made great strides towards the recovery of sensitive wildlife – like the valley elderberry longhorn beetle, riparian brush rabbit, and least Bell’s vireo. We have leveraged state funding to attract federal dollars to California to serve as matching funds, broadening the impact of the state’s investment. In addition, perhaps most importantly, we have delivered over $60 million to the communities in which we work to provide jobs to area residents, lasting improvements to the environment, and outdoor recreation opportunities. The historic passage of Proposition 1 means even greater outcomes for the environment in the coming years, and greater hope for recovery for several riparian-dependent wildlife species on the brink of extinction. Californians deserve to see the State spend these Multi-benefit projects are designed to reduce flood risk and enhance fish and wildlife habitat by allowing rivers and floodplains funds as conscientiously as possible, to function more naturally. These projects create additional public benefits such as protecting farms and ranches, improving water yielding the greatest possible benefits for quality, increasing groundwater recharge, and providing public recreation opportunities, or any combination thereof. –www.multibenefitproject.org (Chart courtesy of the California Natural Resources Agency)

Page 4 • River Partners JOURNAL Native Plant Nurseries and River Partners – a Winning Team

By Michael Rogner, California and beyond. Associate Restoration Biologist We are lucky that we have developed long- The core of our business will always standing relationships be riparian restoration using native plants. with native plant In our 16 years we have planted over one nurseries that help us and a half million trees and shrubs, as achieve our goal of well as several tons of native grass and restoring habitat for forb seed. In 2014 alone, we planted over the benefit of wildlife 65,000 native woody plants. To accomplish and people. this impressive feat, we need great Since our partnerships with native plant nurseries. inception, we These nurseries not only need to be able have worked with to deliver tens of thousands of plants on Floral Native Native plants being grown out at Sierra Horticulture Services. time and within specifications, but they Nursery (http:// also have to understand the genetic and floralnativenursery.com) located in watershed requirements of an organization Chico. When we began work on the 200 acres using many plant species unique whose work spans the entire state of San Joaquin National Wildlife Refuge in to the area. Together these three nurseries maintain a rolling stock of natives that sometime CA Water approaches 100,000 plants, so that we are ready to implement Bond shovel-ready projects to meet our clients’ needs. Continued from previous page Part of what makes these integrated projects, stretching River Partners unique is the bond funds as far as they can go. our ability to successfully You may have read about other plan and implement parts of the new water bond – the large-scale restoration $725 million tagged for water recycling projects – an achievement and water treatment technology that requires ready access projects, the $900 million dedicated to a high volume of to groundwater quality in areas reliant native plants. upon groundwater for drinking, The native plant or even the $2.7 billion earmarked nursery business for new storage projects, all starts with seed and . Considering how Native plants being grown out at Floral Native Nursery. collection. Some seed interconnected our water systems are, is collected by River we can only hope that the program the early 2000s, we expanded to Sierra Partners’ hardworking biologists and managers in charge of spending these Horticulture Services, located in Gridley, field staff, and some by our nurseries, but public funds will also prioritize their to help accommodate our increased needs. we need hundreds of pounds each year use for projects that benefit as many When we ventured into San Diego in the from genetic material found in multiple Californians as possible – hopefully late 2000s, one of our first goals was to watersheds throughout the state. It is they will also prioritize multi-benefit figure out which nursery could deliver challenging to predict exactly when native projects. high quality plants for our projects. We plant seeds will be ready to collect since To learn more about multi- have now developed a partnership with so much depends on weather and other benefit projects in the Central Valley, RECON Native Plants, Inc. in San Diego factors, so we pay close attention to field please check out: http://www. (http://www.reconnativeplants.com), a multibenefitproject.org. nursery that has helped us restore over Continued on page 7

River Partners JOURNAL • Page 5 Feather River Riparian Habitat Restoration Project Kick-off

By David Neubert, VP Business Development & Helen Swagerty, Sr. Restoration Biologist

n 2014, the the California advance of the actual work Department of Water Resources being done. This has the I(DWR) FloodSAFE Environmental potential to streamline the Stewardship and Statewide Resources mitigation process and help Office (FESSRO) awarded Three Rivers reduce costs in the long run. Levee Improvement Authority (TRLIA) We are excited to be part $4.4 million to develop 500 acres of of this new approach to the perennial grasslands, mixed riparian regulatory process.” forest, riparian scrub and valley oak In addition to providing woodland and to establish a mechanism open space for public to provide advance credits to offset future recreation and mitigation compensatory mitigation requirements for opportunities, the project impacts associated with the construction will create critical habitat for and maintenance activities related to the a number of threatened and flood control system. In August 2014, endangered species, including River Partners signed a $2.9 million Swainson’s hawk, which has contract with TRLIA to design and one of the longest round- restore 500 acres of riparian habitat within trip migrations of any raptor the Feather River Setback Area (a new found in the Americas. When floodway created when the Feather River in California, this hawk prefers was set back a half mile on a 7 mile reach), to hunt small rodents and other Top photo: Swainson’s hawk (Buteo swainsoni). Bottom photo: Yellow-billed just south of Marysville, CA. The project prey in fields and grasslands, cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus). Courtesy of Wikipedia. is adjacent and easily linked to other State and the 200 acres of native and private conservation and recreational grassland created in this project will Sacramento Valley has only approximately areas that are located along a section of provide significant habitat for Swainson’s 25 breeding pairs left. The yellow-billed the Feather River that which currently hawks that return from Argentina each cuckoo population has been decimated provides over 3,000 spring to nest in the by the loss of riparian forests in the acres of wildlife ...the project will create Central Valley of Central Valley. This bird has a large habitat. critical habitat for a California. territory, which ranges from 20-100 acres Helen Swagerty, number of threatened The 300 acres of cottonwood forest. With 95 % of the of riparian forest to Senior Biologist with and endangered species, riparian habitat forest lost in the State, River Partners, notes be planted as part of the yellow-billed cuckoo has slipped into including Swainson’s that “We have worked this project will create near extinction. The Feather River Project with the Three Rivers hawk, which has one of potential habitat for will make a small contribution to bringing Levee Improvement the longest round-trip the many other species, back habitat for this bird, and provide an Authority for the migrations of any raptor including the yellow- opportunity for breeding pairs to utilize past ten years, and found in the Americas. billed cuckoo. The the new habitat created by River Partners, this partnership has population of this DWR and the Three Rivers Levee resulted in over 700 acres of habitat endangered species Improvement Authority. restoration. The new project is unique in is approaching a tipping point where that its goal is to allow DWR to mitigate extinction is a very strong possibility. levee repair and maintenance work in Recent bird surveys estimated that the

Page 6 • River Partners JOURNAL Oroville Wildlife Area Flood Stage Reduction Project

By Helen Swagerty, Senior Restoration Ecologist

he Oroville Wildlife Area Flood these elements could be Stage Reduction (OWA FSR) implemented through TProject, sponsored by Sutter phases. Butte Flood Control Agency (SBFCA), Currently, Unit is part of SBFCA’s goal of improving D of the Oroville flood protection along the Feather River Wildlife Area is a highly corridor. The OWA FSR project consists disturbed floodplain of weir improvements and ecosystem that includes extensive, restoration on Unit D of the Oroville isolated ridges and Invasive water primrose in existing channels and ponds Wildlife Area, near the Thermalito piles of rock left Afterbay Outlet. The objective is to by gold dredging improve the connectivity of the Feather and drainage created during the time the site served as a borrow area Native Plant for the construction of Oroville . One of the habitat restoration design Nurseries objectives is to improve habitat for native fish species including Chinook Continued from page 5 salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and steelhead trout (Onchorhynchus mykiss). conditions when we collect seed. Our Because there are design constraints due goal is to collect as much viable seed as to temperature and flow requirements we can, but we always leave some behind in the Feather River associated with so that new plants can grow. We also FERC (Federal Energy collect seed from as many individual Regulatory Commission) relicensing plants as possible in order to maximize efforts, we have taken a collaborative the genetic variation we can incorporate and interdisciplinary approach. We into our restoration projects. have been working with the California Once the seed is collected, the Department of Water Resources (DWR), nurseries take over: they germinate the the California Department of Fish and seeds based on the specific conditions Wildlife (CDFW), and researchers from required by the different native plant the University of California Davis on species. Once the seed germinates, project alternatives that aim to balance nursery staff will grow the plants into these requirements with the desire to one-gallon containers - a process that The project lies across from the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet, provide appropriate habitat for aquatic can take more than six months. Then a popular fishing spot and terrestrial species, offer recreational we will place a call and a few days later, River to its historic floodway, protect flood amenities, and improve flood protection. nursery staff will show up anywhere relief structures and reduce peak stages We hope that designs to enhance in the state with trailer loads of young within the main channel. drainage channels by removing invasive native plants ready to go into the SBFCA retained an engineering firm, water primrose (Ludwigia hexapetala) and ground. Peterson Brustad, Inc., and River Partners improvements to the existing upstream The wildlife might not know to develop this project. Our role is to and downstream weir structures aid in where their habitat is coming from, design the multi-benefit components, decreasing potential fish entrapment areas but the next time you visit one of our which include ecosystem restoration and and increasing floodplain connectivity to projects you can imagine that 50-foot recreation amenities, and to prepare a provide off-channel refugia for native fish. tall sycamore, or that patch of native restoration master plan that describes how blackberry, starting as a seed in one of our partners’ greenhouses.

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