Conservation Almanac & Annual Report

Trinity County Resource Conservation District Quarterly Newsletter Spring 2021 Vol. XXX No. 1 Behind the scenes of the Trinity County RCD

What does the Trinity County RCD do? This is a ques on Some mes, we must change our way of thinking to fi nd the we get A LOT. The Trinity County RCD is a diverse team of best solu ons or assist with a project outside our tradi onal qualifi ed staff who are eager to learn and serve. Upon quick programs. It’s a general professional employment clause that glance, it may seem that we are departmentalized by specifi c states: “including, but not limited to, other tasks as assigned.” programs, but this relays an inaccurate image. Program Now you see us, now you don’t! You can o en catch us shmogram – while we lean towards diff erent fi elds depending working odd and long hours, scouring the forest for rare or on our work experience and educa onal studies, our real invasive plants, remembering our roots while leading youth strength comes from working as a team. Our “jobs” are on nature excursions, in the backwoods repairing a road connected in more ways than we can count, and it is cri cal that you never knew existed, being the ringleader at some that we work in a close intertwined web to bring all skill sets community events, dirty and greasy from working in the to the table for a holis c and landscape view on projects. brush, a bobbing head in a zoom mee ng, digging holes for Trinity County RCD is not just a job, it is a lifestyle. Our orphaned plants, cleaning up improper waste disposals, or dedica on to conserva on, educa on, and preserva on of fi nding zen in the art of water movement... just to name a the natural world is not something we just leave at work. few. The famous saying of “don’t take work home with you” does We are a highly mo vated and dedicated group which is not apply to us. Some of our greatest ‘aha’ moments come commi ed to providing service to our local communi es. from pondering our place in the world, and how we can best We hope you enjoy learning more about what we do in the be of service to the community, natural environment, and following pages. collabora ve partners. We spend a lot of me planning, collabora ng, and implemen ng natural resource projects on the ground. In order for a project to be successful, we must have a solid founda on before implementa on, achieved through extensive planning and collabora on across programs. However, there are always unforeseen circumstances that require us to adapt like chameleons to our current environment. Just as we start to learn the way a grant or project works, something comes along that rocks the ship.

Grizzly Corps The Trinity County RCD embarked on a new opportunity in Center for Law, Energy & the Environment. The program 2020 by taking on a GrizzlyCorps fellow, Kathleen M., to assist sends recent college graduates into rural communi es across with various projects throughout the District. GrizzlyCorps California to promote regenera ve agri-food systems and fi re is a new AmeriCorps program designed by UC Berkeley’s and forest resilience. Since September 2020 when she was brought on, Kathleen has taken the lead on the Weaverville In This Issue Community Forest 2021- New 2020 Funding by Source & Project Type ...... 1 2028 Strategic Plan Update, Behind the scenes of the Trinity County RCD ...... 2 working with community Grizzly Corps ...... 2 Fire: Planning & Recovery ...... 3 and federal partners alike. Hazardous Fuel Reduc on ...... 4 We are so grateful to have Ac ve Transporta on Planning & GIS ...... 4 Kathleen M. as this year’s Community Forest and Weaver Creek Projects...... 5 GrizzlyCorps fellow and are Gemmill Thin and Road Improvements ...... 6 looking forward to having Plants, plants, and more na ve plants! ...... 7 Educa on and the Young Family Ranch ...... 8 more GrizzlyCorps fellows Administra on ...... 9 in the future! TRRP 2020 Summary Report ...... 10-11

2 Spring 2021 ~ www.tcrcd.net Fire: Planning & Recovery

Community Wildfi re Protec on Plan The Trinity County Community Wildfi re Protec on Plan (CWPP) was a top priority in 2020, with the fi nalized plan released in March 2021. This plan updates the County’s wildland-urban interface (WUI) boundaries and priori zes fuel reduc on projects. Trinity County RCD staff collaborated with the Trinity Safe Council and the Trinity County Fire Chief’s Associa on to develop the priori za on strategy for the CWPP. Proposed projects were mapped in GIS and priori zed based on six characteris cs; i.) proximity to WUI, ii.) proximity to essen al infrastructure, iii.) con nuity with past fuel reduc on projects, iv.) wildfi re hazard poten al in the project area, v.) fi re history in the project area, and vi.) ingress and egress score based on a local CAL FIRE survey for roadside projects. Community input and feedback was received from surveys and mee ngs hosted by Trinity County RCD staff . The GIS program assisted with the development of 20 maps, spa al analysis, data management, WUI boundary updates, projects geodatabase design, printed and web-based map books and development of the Trinity County CWPP Projects applica on. The CWPP 2020 Update and the online GIS applica on can be found at tcrcd.net/e8b8. The CWPP 2020 Update was funded by CAL FIRE.

August Complex Recovery Eff orts Staff also completed cartographic layout and GIS data Trinity County RCD staff completed a small road inventory coordina on for post August Complex Recovery eff orts within the August Complex Fire area. Data collected from including damaged structure assessments and the Trinity this inventory included culvert sizes, diversion poten al at County Debris Removal Dashboard. stream crossings, failed dips and drainage features, and other To see how GIS data was used to aid debris removal eff orts, road related erosion features. This data will be used to apply view the Trinity County Debris Removal Dashboard on for funding for road work and watershed restora on in the trinitycounty.org/recovery. This project was funded by Trinity August Complex burn area. County Department of Environmental Health & Offi ce of Emergency Services.

Burned streambed (leŌ ) and stump (right) following the 2020 August Complex Fire

Spring 2021 ~ www.tcrcd.net 3 Hazardous Fuel Reduction

In ongoing eff orts to foster wildfi re-resilient ecosystems and and increasing forested areas’ ability to experience wildfi re communi es across the county, Trinity County RCD staff without undergoing severe tree mortality. con nued fuel reduc on implementa on, despite setbacks Funding partners for hazardous fuel reduc on projects and reduced crew sizes due to COVID-19. Building on over included the Bureau of Land Management, CAL FIRE, 20 years of fuel reduc on work, our Forest Health crews California Fire Safe Council, Pacifi c Gas and Electric, State cut, pruned, chipped, piled, and burned excess fuels in and Water Resources Control Board, Trinity County, and the US around Trinity Center, Salyer, Weaverville, Lewiston, Douglas Forest Service. City, and Ruth. This work benefi ed the county by increasing Trinity County RCD staff also assisted local landowners the safety of homes and other structures; making roads safely with fuel reduc on on private lands through fee-for- drivable for evacua ng residents and emergency personnel in service agreements and funds from the Natural Resource the case of a wildfi re; empowering landowners to treat their Conserva on Service’s Environmental Quality Incen ves own proper es; protec ng waterways, soils, and wildlife Program. habitat from the nega ve eff ects of catastrophic wildfi res;

Fuel reducƟ on project in JuncƟ on City, before (leŌ ) and aŌ er (right)

Active Transportation and Geographic Information Systems Trinity County Ac ve Transporta on Plan collision loca ons, bus stops, crosswalk loca ons, public infrastructure, levels of traffi c stress, land use, exis ng and In June of 2020, the Trinity County Ac ve Transporta on proposed bikeways, signage, sidewalks, bus routes, and Plan (ATP) was fi nalized for the Trinity County Transporta on proposals for new improvements. Commission. This plan iden fi ed over 200 projects to complete within Trinity County and Cartography and Data Support ranked them based on ease and cost of Geographic Informa on Systems (GIS) implementa on. This project was funded staff supported every Trinity County by Safe Routes to School funding through RCD program based on assorted project the County and focused on crea ng streets needs as you will fi nd throughout this safe for pedestrian travel, and safe travel newsle er. Cartographic layout and for kids to school. Connec vity is a main data management was provided for component of the project with a focus the Weaver Creek Watershed Flow on “complete” streets. Complete streets Enhancement Project, Caltrans Slate Creek are where a whole block is connected by Project Phase II, State Water Resources sidewalks or where mul ple blocks along Control Board roadside fuel reduc on a main street are connected by sidewalks projects, PG&E Trinity County fuel and cross walks. A total of 90 maps were reduc on projects, Trinity River educa on created that covered exis ng and proposed and stewardship projects, and Caltrans bicycle parking, bicycle and pedestrian Collins Bar Curve Improvement projects. 4 Spring 2021 ~ www.tcrcd.net Community Forest and Weaver Creek Projects

Weaverville Community Forest Browns and West Weaver Creeks. In 2020, Trinity County RCD staff worked on treatment plans for noxious weed removal Trinity County RCD embarked on a large project for the and fuel reduc on. Environmental surveying and monitoring community forest in 2020, the Weaverville Community Forest was conducted by the Five Coun es Salmonid Program to (WCF) 2021-2028 Strategic Plan Update. Monthly virtual develop a channel rehabilita on project for Li le Browns public planning mee ngs began in November to collaborate Creek near Roundy Road. on the structure and content of the plan. While spearheaded by the Trinity County RCD, the Strategic Plan is a highly Addi onally, The Trinity County RCD staff worked to develop collabora ve eff ort with partners including community strategies to improve the Weaverville Community Service members; federal, local, state, and tribal members; and the District’s (CSD) diversion along West Weaver Creek in eff orts WCF Steering Commi ee. to conserve water. Historically, water from West Weaver Creek supplied water along the Moon Lee Ditch to parts Other work in the WCF included assis ng the BLM Redding of Weaverville that hold rights to the water. Due to ditch Offi ce with rapid assessments to understand the area’s deteriora on, the water does not travel the ditch line, but resource needs including tree mortality and pest-ridden instead, is wasted off of hillsides where it does not fl ow back areas; mber harvest assessments; and installa on of into the creek. Trinity County RCD staff have been partnering interpre ve signs for the Trinity Children’s Forest (TCF). The with the Moon Lee Ditch Associa on, Natural Resource annual WCF public mee ng also occurred in October 2020 to Conserva on Service, and the Weaverville CSD to mi gate provide updates and off er a forum for group discussion on this diversion. project work within the forest. West Weaver Creek Vegeta on Resiliency In 2020, the Trinity County RCD completed the fi rst project, establishing a home for the Trinity Children’s Forest (TCF) For three seasons, na ve trees were planted, irrigated, and in the WCF. In the fall of 2020, fi ve educa onal signs were monitored in the West Weaver Creek Vegeta on Resiliency installed along the McKenzie Gulch trail in the Weaver Basin Project. The project was completed in 2020 with trees and Trail System with content from student fi eld trips held in shrubs showing a fi nal vigor of 88%, which is above average. previous years. Future eff orts for the TCF are focused on Vigor is determined by a trained professional assessing building more partnerships and seeking funding to con nue mul ple observed factors such as damage from herbivory, the goals of the TCF. absence or presence of drought stress, disease presence, Weaver Creek Stream Flow Enhancement Project colora on, and size. In September, all temporary irriga on infrastructure and protec ve cages were removed, revealing The Weaver Creek Streamfl ow Enhancement Project is a beau ful park-like landscape of trees 4 to 7 feet tall. a highly collabora ve eff ort to keep more water in Li le

Habitat restoraƟ on on West Weaver Creek Spring 2021 ~ www.tcrcd.net 5 Gemmill Thin and Road Improvements

Gemmill Thin Project A total of 29 miles of road improvements were completed on nine roads within the Gemmill Thin Project area near Wildwood. Work on these roads included stream crossing improvements, cleaning culvert inlets, brushing, road drainage, surface improvement, construc ng cri cal dips, rebuilding dips and installing or repairing damaged signs. As part of an agreement for the Gemmill Thin Project, Trinity County RCD staff also conducted rare plant and noxious weed surveys on and adjacent to roads within the project area. Among the detected species was one small patch of dyer’s woad, which was hand-pulled immediately due to its moderate invasiveness ranking in California. No rare plants were spo ed. This work was funded by the California Parks and Recrea on Off Highway Motor Vehicle Recrea on Division (OHMVR) and the Na onal Fish and Wildlife Founda on (NFWF). Road improvements in this same area are scheduled Before, during, and aŌ er shots of road decommissioning for implementa on in summer 2021. In addi on, two roads totaling 1.28 miles, were decommissioned and revegetated with approximately 3,000 na ve seedling trees and shrubs in the fall of 2020. This road decommissioning project was funded with a restora on grant from OHMVR. Road Improvements across Trinity County In the Grass Valley Creek area on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands, crews planted 3500 conifer seedlings in a high severity burn area. This area was burned during the 2018 and has shown li le to no vegeta on recovery. Road improvements and watershed restora on in the Grass Valley Creek area will con nue in 2021. This project is funded by the BLM for CARR Fire Emergency Stabiliza on and Rehabilita on. Road improvements also occurred in the Junc on City and Canyon Creek area on 4 roads totaling 10.56 miles. Work on these roads included cleaning culvert inlets, brushing, cleaning dip outlets and installing or repairing damaged signs. Road improvements were funded by an opera ons and maintenance grant from the California OHMVR.

Before and aŌ er road improvements

6 Spring 2021 ~ www.tcrcd.net Plants, plants, and more native plants!

Na ve Plant Nursery Staff at Trinity County RCD’s na ve plant nursery con nued to propagate more locally collected trees, shrubs, and herbaceous na ve plant seeds. By the end of 2020, the nursery contained over 62 species of na ve plants. As always, staff and volunteers are trained to follow Best Management Prac ces to avoid spreading the exo c pathogen Phytopthora ramorum (sudden oak death). Healthy specimens are observed throughout the growing season. Seed is then harvested, grown out, and seedlings are nurtured for up to 3 years un l they are planted at restora on project sites. Hayfork Riparian Restora on Through an agreement with the Watershed Research and Training center, Trinity County RCD staff coordinated riparian restora on projects located on watershed, and its

tributary, Hayfork Creek. In February, 292 trees and shrubs were Silver lupine seedlings planted by a volunteer group consis ng of Hayfork community members and Watershed Stewards Program (WSP) members. In November, the WSP members broadcasted a customized na ve fl ower and grass seed mix specifi cally selected for this site. Restoring vegeta on to these banks and fl oodplains will create habitat for wildlife, and eventually off er shade to cool cri cal spawning habitat areas for fi sh. Caltrans Implementa on con nued for exis ng projects in partnership with Caltrans which include the Big French Creek Slide, Collins Bar Curve Improvement, and Slate Creek Slip Out Emergency Repair. Seasonal watering via temporary irriga on systems occurred during the dry season. Noxious weeds were removed at mul ple sites. All three projects saw addi onal plan ngs in order to increase density or replace species that did not survive the 2020 growing season. The team conducted new plan ngs in order to increase vegeta on NaƟ ve trees planted on Hayfork Creek density at Collins Bar, bringing the total number of trees and shrubs to 434. This increase in deciduous species is important in crea ng habitat for the threatened Trinity bristle snail, whose range falls within the project’s loca on.

NaƟ ve trees planted at the Collins Bar site

Spring 2021 ~ www.tcrcd.net 7 Educa on and the Young Family Ranch

Educa on and Outreach These videos included: The goal of environmental educa on is to foster greater • Wildlife, Wildfl owers, and Watersheds apprecia on for the outdoors and local natural resources. • Trinity County Pollinators Staff adapted in stride to a year without most of the in- • Salmon Life Cycle person events, camps, and ac vi es for youth that are at • Indian Creek Restora on Project the core of this program. Change and fl exibility seemed to • Forests Need Fish: The Ecological Importance of Salmon be the widespread theme in 2020, and this year provided • Salmon dissec on an opportunity to form closer partnerships with other local You can view the videos online at: h ps://tcrcd.net/b11e organiza ons serving youth, build the program’s online Trinity River Stewardship presence, and innovate new ways to reach a broader audience. The educa on and outreach team also provides • The monthly “Trinity River Spotlight” in the Trinity support for various projects throughout the district including Journal sheds light on diff erent educa onal topics this quarterly newsle er. Some new educa on endeavors in rela ng to the River and the watershed. 2020 were: • The Trinity River Photo Contest invited people of all ages Trinity Tracks Guidebook to send in their photos of anything rela ng to the Trinity River Watershed to inspire stewardship and watershed A fun-fi lled book of ac vi es for kids that inspire stewardship awareness! and learning about the local environment. This publica on was distributed at no charge to all schools in Trinity County • The annual Trinity River Survey gauges community and to the general public. Collabora ve partners included knowledge of the watershed and guides future the Watershed Research and Training Center, Trinity educa onal eff orts Together: Cradle to Career Partnership, and other community • Management of the Trinity River, CA website, YouTube, organiza ons. Facebook, and Instagram focuses on river related history, Trinity River Cleanup facts, and important news for the public. A socially distanced event to clean up trash along and within These projects were made possible by agreements with the the Trinity River was held in the fall. Over 30 volunteers Trinity River Restora on Program, Shasta College Founda on, teamed up to collect more than 1,000 pounds of trash from and California Associa on of Resource Conserva on Districts. the river corridor from Lewiston to Del Loma. This was made Young Family Ranch possible by the generous volunteers, Trinity River Restora on Through a coopera ve agreement with the Young Family Program, Shasta-Trinity Na onal Forest, and Bureau of Land Ranch (YFR) Board of Trustees, Trinity County RCD staff Management Redding Field Offi ce. con nued management and maintenance of the Young Family Salmon Season Ranch. Unfortunately no events were held at the YFR in 2020 A month-long virtual event in celebra on of salmon! The due to the COVID pandemic. Trinity County RCD staff were event consisted of educa onal videos, a scavenger hunt, able to assess and priori ze repairs and upgrades to the ranch nature art contest, and other online ac vi es with prizes grounds. Addi onally, staff assisted a private family with the off ered to par cipants and contest winners! This event development of a commemora ve kid zone at the YFR. More was in place of the Trinity River Salmon Fes val held by informa on about this project to come! Trinity County RCD and Trinity River Restora on Program, If you would like to learn more about the Young Family and Hyampom Salmon Gathering hosted by the Watershed Ranch; volunteer; or host private or public events, Research and Training Center. workshops, or demonstra ons; visit the website at Educa onal Videos h ps://tcrcd.net/yfr/index.htm or call the Trinity County RCD offi ce at (530) 623-6004. Six educa onal videos were released on Facebook and YouTube, covering the Trinity River Watershed’s natural fl ora and fauna, pollinators, restora on projects, and salmon!

8 Spring 2021 ~ www.tcrcd.net Administration

The Trinity County Resource Conserva on District (District) Kent Collard lives with his family on the Bar 717 Ranch is a non-regulatory special district self-governed by fi ve in Hyampom. Since 1998 he has been the Director of Camp volunteer directors appointed by the Trinity County Board Trinity on the Bar 717 Ranch. Established in 1930, Camp of Supervisors. The District serves all of Trinity County and Trinity is a summer camp for children ages 8-16, giving kids a receives grant funding from local, regional, state and federal chance to experience life on a mountain ranch. In addi on partners. These en es recognize that locally-led projects to partnering with camp parents to raise community minded yield the greatest benefi ts. Project involvement by the District ci zens, the ranch also produces ca le and mber. Kent enhances public trust and provides greater cost-eff ec veness. has a BA in Architecture from UC Berkeley, and an MA in This approach generates local jobs and enhances the local Architecture from the Harvard Graduate School of Design. He economy. spends his free me turning salvaged trees into lumber with a Meet our Board of Directors: Woodmizer sawmill. Gregory Lowden has been a resident of Weaverville since Josh Brown is a cer fi ed ISA Arborist, small business 1967. A er a tour of duty with the U.S. Army, he a ended owner and long- me forest advocate. Josh has 25 years Shasta College in Redding, gradua ng with an AA degree of experience in hazardous fuels reduc on work, forestry in history in 1974. He has been employed as a surveyor management issues, habitat restora on work and public with Hunt Land Surveying, Inc. since 1978. He served as a outreach. Josh also served as a Board Member from member of the board of directors of the Weaverville-Douglas 2011-2015 with the Environmental Protec on Informa on City Parks and Recrea on District from 1989 to 1995 and Center (EPIC) based in Humboldt Bay. Josh is a dedicated has served con nuously on the Trinity County RCD board recrea onist who thoroughly u lizes the excellent trail of directors since 1992. Ac ve in community aff airs, he is a system throughout the Weaver Basin and the greater Trinity member of the Weaverville Lion’s Club and the Weaverville Alps. He believes It’s vital for the public to have good access Basin Trails Commi ee. Lowden is currently Secretary of to well-designed trails to further their connec on to nature the Board and fi nds his role as an RCD director to be both and maintain a healthy lifestyle. challenging and rewarding. Heidi Carpenter-Harris is an enthusias c lover of life Mike Rourke has taught agriculture for 39 years at the and people. She has a strong connec on to the land and high school and Community College level with instruc on the people who live and work on agricultural lands. Her in animal science, plant science, forestry, natural resource educa on, work experience and personal land-based management, agriculture business management, and lifestyle allow her to connect with agriculture and wildland agriculture mechanics. His forestry students con nue to excel landowners with authen city and relevancy. Heidi has in regional and statewide compe ons. Mike currently farms worked in conserva on and agricultural for over 20 years. She the 900-acre Rourke Ranch in Hayfork with his wife, son, has spent countless hours on the range and mberlands of and parents. The ranch includes ca le opera ons, irrigated . Heidi has a passion and heart for legacy pasture, mberland, rangeland, fee-based hun ng, wildlife lands and the people who live and work on them. Through habitat, and a USFS grazing allotment. Mike has served as her Life, Land and Legacy Stewardship planning, she helps president of the Trinity County Ca leman's Associa on and the PEOPLE who love the land. Heidi and her family live on is advisor for Future Farmers of America. Rourke is currently their legacy land in Salyer. They raise beef and have an apple Chairman of the Board. orchard.

Spring 2021 ~ www.tcrcd.net 9 Trinity River Restoration Program

Trinity River Restora on Program 2020 Summary Report The long-term goals of the Trinity River Restora on Highlights of TRRP’s eff orts in 2020 include: Program (TRRP) are: • A fi nalized series of comprehensive reports on various • To restore the form and func on of the Trinity River monitoring eff orts undertaken by TRRP’s interdisciplinary • To restore and sustain natural produc on of anadromous work groups – reports are available here: h ps://www. fi sh popula ons in the Trinity River to pre-dam levels trrp.net/restora on/adap ve-management/synthesis- reports/ • To facilitate full par cipa on by dependent tribal, commercial, and sport fi sheries through enhanced harvest • Construc on of the Dutch Creek channel rehabilita on opportuni es project on the mainstem Trinity River between Douglas City and Junc on City to enhance in-channel and off - Salmon recovery eff orts may provide immediate increases in channel salmonid habitat. habitat, but some projects, such as restoring riparian habitat, can take decades before benefi ts to fi sh are fully realized. • Coordina on and scheduling of the Cri cally Dry year Salmon habitat restora on on the Trinity River can help release of 369,000 acre feet of water from Lewiston Dam, supplement the high year returns and buff er the low year with a peak release of approximately 3,900 on April 24, returns. Restoring in-river habitat is a cri cal step towards 2020. ensuring that naturally spawning salmonids return to the river • Evalua on of opportuni es to adap vely manage fl ow in robust numbers. releases to be er mimic the natural hydrology of the In 2020, the Trinity River Restora on Program (TRRP) Trinity River. This mul -year evalua on has led to our con nued to pursue the long-term goals of the program ongoing eff orts now in 2021 to assess the environmental through a series of interrelated eff orts in the basin. Most of impacts of coordina ng winter (Dec 15 – April 15) releases TRRP’s funding supports eff orts in the program’s focal reach from Lewiston Dam. – the reach of the mainstem between Lewiston Dam and the • Awarding $537,000 to fi ve grant recipients in TRRP funding North Fork confl uence – although watershed and science for watershed improvement projects in the Trinity River projects can, and o en do, have broader basin-wide objec ves. basin. Grant recipients were able to leverage TRRP funds The TRRP collaborates with the Trinity County RCD through a to bring another $227,628 of outside funding to the Trinity coopera ve funding agreement to help broaden watershed watershed for a total investment of $764,628. Projects stewardship and expand opportuni es for local engagement include: and par cipa on.

Figure 1. Photo leŌ - Perspec ve looking downstream at the Dutch Creek project site in 2016. The barren land terraced above the river on the right side of the photo contained predominantly non-na ve grasses and is largely disconnected from the river. Photo right – 2020 rehabilita on included lowering the fl oodplain eleva on to reconnect it to the river and a new meander bend.

10 Spring 2021 ~ www.tcrcd.net Trinity River Restoration Program, cont.

o Lower Supply Creek Floodplain and Fish Habitat The approved daily average fl ow schedule for the Cri cally Enhancement – Hoopa Valley Tribe Dry water year in 2020 was a modifi ca on of the hydrograph o Tule Creek Fish Passage Improvement – The prescribed for this water year type in the Bureau of Watershed Research and Training Center Reclama on’s Record of Decision. Changes from the Record of Decision hydrograph were designed to 1) elevate fl ows at o Deadwood Creek-Carr Fire Sediment Reduc on the beginning of the hydrograph to disperse steelhead smolt Project – 5C’s released from Trinity Hatchery in this period; 2) provide o Mainstem and South Fork Trinity Road variable fl ows that increase habitat diversity and benefi t fi sh Decommissioning – Trinity County RCD and other organisms; 3) maximize the variability in shear stress o Weaver Creek Restora on Planning – Nor-Rel-Muk to increase sediment transport and river bed scour; 4) variably Wintu Na on inundate fl oodplain areas to recruit nutrients to the channel; and 5) slightly elevate fl ows in early June to disburse chinook • Con nued design, review, and environmental permi ng salmon juveniles that voli onally migrate from Trinity to advance restora on work at the remaining sites within Hatchery in this period. the TRRP focal reach Dutch Creek Channel Rehabilita on Project Water Year 2020 Restora on Flows The Dutch Creek project was constructed in the summer 2020 was considered a Cri cally Dry year, the driest of the fi ve and fall of 2020 to promote lateral erosion, deposi on, and water year types used to make water management decisions. seasonal fl oodplain inunda on; increase channel complexity; Cri cally Dry year releases from Lewiston Dam to the Trinity and enhance salmonid habitat and the riparian corridor. River were capped at 369,000 acre feet. Water availability is Noteworthy components of the Dutch Creek project included important to a variety of stakeholders in the basin, including extensive fl oodplain lowering and a large structured logjam salmon, and prolonged drought condi ons stress both human that was constructed using en re trees harvested from the and natural environments. Unfortunately, 2021 is also Cri cally site and structurally posi oned to force the river into a new Dry – the fi rst me on record that Cri cally Dry has occurred on meander bend. the Trinity in two consecu ve calendar years – and the impacts are beginning to be felt. Funding and Expenditures Funding levels have varied between $10 million and $16.66 Table 1. Fiscal Year 2020 Funding million per year since the Program’s incep on. BUREAU OF RECLAMATION In fi scal year (FY) 2020, the Program received $12,178,000 million, as shown in Table 1. Water and Related Resources Account $9,991,00 The FY 2020 budget alloca ons went to three Central Valley Project Improvement Act $1,500,0000 primary areas as shown in Table 2. Restoration Fund Funding supported physical modifi ca ons to the FY 2019 Funds provided to TRRP for use in $687,000 river and the associated modeling, designing, FY 2020 permi ng, and monitoring of physical and TOTAL $12,178,000 biological responses. Other partner agencies were funded and/or contributed in-kind services to support TRRP ac vi es. The 2020 Science budget Table 2. FY 2020 Budget Allocations priori zed a series of modeling and monitoring Trinity River Restoration Program Budget Allocations projects that targeted specifi c hypotheses related to TRRP Administration $2,931,025 fl ow management. Restoration Rehabilitation Implementation $5,690,624 Science Program $3,473,661

Spring 2021 ~ www.tcrcd.net 11 Trinity County RCD P.O. Box 1450 Weaverville, CA 96093

Your Local ConservaƟ on District Established 1956 The Trinity County Resource ConservaƟ on District (TCRCD) is a special district set up under state law to carry out conservaƟ on Trinity County RCD Board Mee ngs work and educaƟ on. It is a not-for-profi t, self-governing district Third Wednesday whose board of directors volunteer their Ɵ me. 5:30 PM Open to the Public The Trinity County RCD Vision The Trinity County RCD envisions a balance between u liza on Trinity County RCD Offi ce and conserva on of our natural resources. Through economic 30 Horseshoe Lane diversity and ecosystem management our communi es PO Box 1450 will achieve and sustain a quality environment Weaverville, CA 96093 and healthy economy.

Telephone Mission Statment (530) 623-6004 To assist in protec ng, managing, conserving FAX 623-6006 and restoring the natural resources of Trinity County through informa on, E-mail: [email protected] educa on, technical assistance and Internet: www.tcrcd.net project implementa on programs.

The Trinity County RCD of Directors are : Greg Lowden, Heidi Carpenter-Harris, Josh Brown, Kent Collard, and Mike Rourke. The Trinity County RCD is landowners assisƟ ng landowners with conservaƟ on work. The TCRCD can guide the private landowner in dealings with state and federal agencies. The TCRCD provides informaƟ on on the following topics: • Forest Land Produc vity • Erosion/Sediment Control • Watershed Improvement • Wildlife Habitat • Water Supply and Storage • Soil and Plant Types • Educa onal Programs • Fuels Reduc on This issue of the ConservaƟ on Almanac is funded in part by grants from CALFIRE, California Fire Safe Council, Trinity River Restora on Program, State Water Resources Control Board, US Forest Service, and the Young Family Ranch Trust.

Printed with soy-based inks on 55% post-consumer content paper

This insƟ tuƟ on is an equal opportunity provider in accordance with Federal Law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this insƟ tuƟ on is prohibited from discriminaƟ ng on the basis of race, color, naƟ onal origin, gender, age, or disability.

Spring 2021 Vol. XXX No.1 ~ www.tcrcd.net