Final Report of The Marin Coastal Watershed Enhancement Project November, 1995 Prepared by University of California Cooperative Extension 1682 Novato Boulevard, Suite 150B, Novato, CA 94947 With Funding From Marin Community Foundation Production of this report was made possible by a grant from The Marin Coastal Watershed Enhancement Project Project Coordinators Ellen Rilla Stephanie Larson Principal Writer and Photographer Lisa Bush Historical Profiles Dewey Livingston Water Quality Information n Oli l Pau Design Lisa Krieshok Typesetting Nan Perrott The University of California, in accordance with applicable State and Federal laws and University policy, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, medical condition (cancer-related), ancestry, marital status, citizenship, sexual orientation, or status as a Vietnam-era veteran or special disabled veteran. The University also prohibits sexual harassment. 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Final Report of The Marin Coastal Watershed Enhancement Project November, 1995 Prepared by n Extensio e Cooperativ a Californi f o y Universit 7 9494 A C , Novato , 15OB e Suit , Boulevard o Novat 2 168 With Funding From Marin Community Foundation Acknowledgments The Marin Coastal Watershed Enhancement Project has been the work of many dedicated indi- l environmenta d an , agencies e resourc l natura , community l agricultura e th g representin s vidual d an s meeting g attendin y b d participate t tha s landowner y man e th o t l gratefu e ar e W . groups d an s organization l Severa . staff t projec h wit g talkin d an , materials t projec g reviewin , workshops d Lan l Agricultura n Mari ; team" f "staf t projec e th o t e tim f staf e considerabl d contribute s agencie n Conservatio e Resourc n Mari , Seashore l Nationa s Reye t Poin , Bureau m Far y Count n Mari , Trust District, and Natural Resources Conservation Service staff worked closely with University of California Cooperative Extension farm advisors. Coordination of this team allowed the sharing of many resources and ideas which greatly enriched the project. We are indebted to Advisory Committee members, who provided valuable guidance and feedback on project materials. t suppor s generou r thei r fo n Foundatio y Communit n Mari e th o t l gratefu y deepl e ar e w , Finally . environment e th d an e agricultur g preservin o t n dedicatio d an Project Staff : Coordinators t Projec Ellie Rilla, Director, Marin and Sonoma Counties University of California Cooperative Extension Stephanie Larson, Livestock and Range Management Advisor, Marin and Sonoma Counties University of California Cooperative Extension : Staff l Technica Lisa Bush, Land Steward Marin Agricultural Land Trust Charlette Epifanio, Soil Conservationist e Servic n Conservatio s Resource l Natura r Planne l Environmenta , Neuman a Marth Prunuske Chatham, Inc. Consultant to Marin County Resource Conservation District Joe Pozzi, Sheep and Beef Rancher s Countie a Sonom d an n Mari Liza Prunuske, Principal . Inc , Chatham e Prunusk t Distric n Conservatio e Resourc y Count n Mari o t t Consultan Karl Striby, Range Conservationist Point Reyes National Seashore Table of Contents Page 1 Executive Summary 1 2 Introduction 2 3 Project Area Description 3 Setting 3 Geology and Erosion 3 Figure 1 - Map of Project Area 5 4 Land Use History 7 Agriculture 7 Animal Agriculture 7 Potatoes and Other Cultivated Crops 8 Other Agriculture 9 Non-agricultural Land Uses 9 Non-agricultural Open Space 9 Rural Residential Development and Small Communities 10 Commercial and Recreational Fishing and Aquaculture in Tomales Bay 10 5 Habitat Needs of Coho Salmon and Steelhead Trout 12 6 Water Quality 14 Local Importance of Water Quality 14 Agricultural Sources of Water Pollutants in West Marin 14 Ammonia 15 Conductivity 16 pH 16 Temperature 16 Dissolved Oxygen 17 Water Flow 17 Sediment/Erosion 17 Pathogens 18 Water Quality Laws and Agency Responsibilities 18 Local Application of Water Quality Regulations 19 Water Quality Assessments 19 State Board and Regional Board Assessments 20 DFG Water Quality Monitoring Program 20 State Department of Health Services 21 Solutions—Addressing Water Quality Problems 21 U. C. Cooperative Extension 22 Marin County Resource Conservation District 22 Natural Resources Conservation Service 24 Consolidated Farm Services Agency 24 Sonoma/Marin Animal Waste Committee 25 Efforts of Individual Ranchers 25 7 Watershed Profiles 28 Stemple Creek/Estero de San Antonio 28 Watershed Summary 28 Setting 28 Land Use History 30 Physical Watershed Changes 30 Stream Condition and Fish Habitat 31 Water Quality 31 Walker Creek 33 Watershed Summary 33 Setting 34 Land Use History 35 Physical Watershed Changes 37 Stream Condition and Fish Habitat 38 Figure 2 - Map of Shoaling at the Mouth of Walker Creek 39 Water Quality 42 Lagunitas Creek 44 Watershed Summary 44 Setting 45 Land Use History 46 Physical Watershed Changes 50 Stream Condition 51 Fish and Habitat Surveys/Studies 53 Water Quality 56 Small Tributaries on the East Side of Tomales Bay 57 8 Recommendations and Action Plan 58 Landowner Interviews and Meetings 58 Advisory Committee Recommendations 58 Staff Recommendations 58 Action Plan 58 9 Project Activities and Materials 69 10 Advisory Committee Comments 71 List of Abbreviations 72 References 73 Appendices 77 Advisory Committee Members r Directo e Executiv , Berner b Bo Jovita Pajarillo, Nonpoint Source Coordinator, Marin Agricultural Land Trusn t Divisio t Managemen r Wate n Regio n Wester , EPA Grant Davis, Aide Representative Lynn Woolser yRanche f Bee d an p Shee , Pozzi e Jo Bodega Sharon Doughty, Dairy Rancher Point Reyes Station Mike Rugg, Water Quality Specialist e Gam d an h Fis f o . Dept . Calif Leroy Erickson, Sheep and Beef Rancher d For y Valle e Resourc r Wate e Associat , Salisbury s Denni Director, Marin County Farm Bureau Control Engineer r Wate l Regiona t Coas h Nort r Membe , Fitzpatrick e Jerom d Boar l Contro y Qualit Trout Unlimited r Directo e Executiv , Schwartz p Ski Gary Giacomini, Chairman h Ranc n Canyo n Audubo s Supervisor f o d Boar y Count n Mari Lisa Woo Shanks, District Conservationist r Researche , Greene y Baile Natural Resources Conservation Service UC Berkeley r Superviso y Qualit r Wate , Smalley e Gayl John Grissim, Executive Director North Marin Water District e Committe n Actio l Environmenta of West Marin Jean Starkweather, Board Member e Leagu n Conservatio n Mari t Specialis l Environmenta , Hopkins e Dal Water Quality Control Board Joanne Stewart, Beef Rancher Point Reyes National Seashore n Ma d Fiel , Holtz l Ear Western United Dairymen Ellen Straus, Dairy Rancher Marshall r Professo . Man e Rang , Huntsinger n Lyn UC Berkeley Sid Taylor, Environmental Specialist d Boar l Contro s Resource r Wate e Stat Lisa Jang, Oyster grower Tomales Bay Roxanne Thornton, Sheep Rancher Tomales John McCosker, Chair Director, Marin County Farm Bureau y Biolog c Aquati f o . Dept Academy of Sciences Ed Ueber, Director Gulf of the Farallones National Marine t Presiden , Mclsaac n Do Sanctuary Marin County Resource Conservation District Invited Guests r Ranche y Dair , Jr. , Mendoza e Jo e Seashor l Nationa s Reye t Poin Peter Arrigoni, Trustee u Burea m Far y Count n Mari , Director n Foundatio y Communit n Mari Don Neubacher, Superintendenr t Office m Progra , Mills t Ar e Seashor l Nationa s Reye t Poin n Foundatio y Communit n Mari Paul Olin, Marine Advisor University of California Cooperative Extension 1. Executive Summary The Marin Coastal Watershed Enhancement Project (MCWEP) was initiated in Spring, 1994, in response to an increased focus on nonpoint source (NPS) pollution o t s solution p develo o t s i t projec e th f o l goa y primar e Th . agencies y regulator y b t Wes n i s resource l natura d an e agricultur h bot t affec t tha s problem y qualit r wate Marin. t projec s thi , causes n huma d an l natura y man y b d affecte s i y qualit r wate e Whil focused on agriculture because it is the predominant land use in West Marin, and as such, is one of the few forces that can be positively changed. Many other human induced changes—such as construction of reservoirs, natural occurrences, and d an y qualit r wate n o s effect d profoun e hav n droughts—ca d an s storm e intens . control r ou d beyon y largel e ar s change e thes t bu , function m strea The project area— including the watersheds of Stemple Creek/Estero de San Antonio, Walker Creek, Lagunitas Creek, and smaller tributaries to Tomales Bay— s produce y onl t no t tha d lan l agricultura e productiv f o s mile e squar 2 23 s cover . habitat e wildlif d an h fis s County' n Mari f o h muc s provide t bu , food m fro f staf f o m tea A . project s thi o t d contribute s agencie d an s individual y Man the University of California Cooperative Extension, Natural Resources Conserva- a d an , Trust d Lan l Agricultura n Mari , Seashore l Nationa s Reye t Poin , Service n tio e Committe y Advisor n a y b d Guide . project s thi n o r togethe d worke r ranche l loca - environ d an , management s resource , agriculture m fro s representative f o p u e mad s landowner o t n educatio d an h outreac d provide m tea t projec e th , groups l menta and compiled information on local water quality and watershed condition.