Upper San Joaquin River Stewardship Program Assessment Presentation to Central Sierra Watershed Committee Steve Haze / Jeannie Habben / Brandi Miller Oakhurst, Madera County May 26, 2010 SIERRA RESOURCE Funding for this project has been provided from the California Department of Water Resources under Proposition 50 as a part of the CALFED Bay-Delta Watershed Program CONSERVATION DISTRICT 1 2 Agenda •• Program Overview •• Assessment Highlights –– Hydrology –– Geology and Soils –– Ecology –– Climate –– Hazards –– Water Resources –– LandLand--UseUse and Water Use –– Vegetation Management and Fire Safety –– --InvasivesInvasives and Pest Management –– Air Quality •• Watershed Condition Summary •• Watershed Protection Plan Recommendations •• Q & A 3 Upper San Joaquin River Project Area Headwaters And Upper Basin Inyo NF Project Upper San Joaquin Mountain Communities Millerton Area Watershed 4 Upper San Joaquin River Watershed Communities and Project Focus 5 Mission of the Stewardship Council The Council will be the established forum that conducts the Upper San Joaquin River Watershed Assessment and creates the ability for greater public awareness, involvement, and understanding of the river’s importance to the region, Bay -Delta, and to the state of California. 6 Stakeholder Involvement Stakeholder Involvement 7 Upper San Joaquin River Stewardship Council Organization Chart Partners/Sponsors Gary Temple, CoCo--ChairChair ––FresnoFresno County Ernie Beck, CoCo--ChairChair ––MaderaMadera County Central Sierra Watershed Committee TAC California Water Institute CSU, Fresno STAFF: Council Representatives: Inyo National Forest USJR Watershed Project Steve Haze Kings River Experimental Program Manager Watershed Terry Sandridge - SRCD Fresno County Office Larry Ballew - CRCD Assessment Team of Education Rich Sloan - SC/RTV Jeannie Habben Chris Acree - RSJ Revive the San Joaquin Assistant Program Christi Hansard – NFMR Chris Acree, Chair San Joaquin Valley Air Manager I Steve Ottemoeller - FWA Pollution Control District Joanne Freemire – NF-CDC/CLA Sierra Nevada Adaptive Jean Kilpatrick – Landowner Management Project Pine Ridge Property Owners Fresno River Watershed Brandi Miller Highway 168 FireSafe Council Assessment Program Assistant Project Sierra-San Joaquin Noxious Weed Alliance Manager II 8 Upper San Joaquin River Stewardship Council Assessment Team Other Initiatives / Chris Acree, Chair Data Sources SJR Health Assessment Initiative US Geological Survey Natural Resources Conservation Assessment Area Leads Services CA Data Exchange Center Larry Steve Gary Ron Eng Andy Joanne Ballew Roland Brady Jean Ottemoeller Temple Christi Invasives and McMillan Freemire Vegetation Geology and Kilpatrick Water Land Use and Hansard Pest Hydrology Ecology Management Soils Hazards Resources Water Use Management / Fire Safety Air Pollution 9 Upper San Joaquin River Stewardship Council Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) Other TAC Resource Central Sierra Watershed Committee Groups Lynn Gorman, Fresno Co. Land Use NRCS – GIS Data and Analysis TAC Area Leads Geoff Don Nielson Joanna Clines Open Open Anderson Andy Stone Andy Gordus Vegetation Jay Seslowe Sharon Wedro Invasives and Open Land Use and Geology and Water Hydrology Ecology Management Hazards Air Pollution Pest Climate Water Use Soils Resources / Fire Safety Management 10 USJR Watershed Assessment California Water Institute --CSUFCSUF John Suen – Program Manager Sarge Green – Program Facilitator TBD? Steve John Suen Luke Wang Sarge Green Air Quality Blumenshine Climate Water Policy and Geology Resources Management Ecology Issues Soils Zili He Sarah Rutherford 11 USJR Watershed Assessment Program Resources California Water USJR Institute Inyo National Forest Data Collection, Upper San Joaquin Analysis & GIS Watershed River Meadow Assessment Assessment Tehama Co. Resource Conservation District GIS Services Southern California Wolf and Associates Edison Revive the San Joaquin Watershed Portal Hydro & Forestry (Program Information River Health GIS Operations & and Data Structure & Assessment Repository) FERC Relicensing 12 USJR Watershed Assessment Structure and Attributes Projects Southern Sierra Catalog California Integrated Watershed Regional Water Assessment Management Plan Manual Standards Bulletin 118 Findings California Groundwater Report Assessment California Water Plan 2009 Update Core Components Project Phases of Activities Collect Organize Assess Recommend Plan Data 2/08 ––5/085/08 5/08 ––5/095/09 5/09 – 8/09 9/09 ––11/0911/09 Protection Plan Summary Proposals 1. Outreach 1. Study Team formed 1. Findings 1. Identify 2. Info Meetings 2. Study Designed 2. Recommendations 2. Prioritize 3. Org/Plan. Workshops 3. Data Collection 3. Publish Report 3. Publish 4. Council formed 4. Analysis and Synthesis 5. Leadership 6. Monthly Meetings 7. Programs 14 Watershed Assessment Elements • Water resources (quantity, quality, surface water, ground water, rivers, streams, snow packs, cumulative watershed effects , and climate change) • Ecology (forest, aquatic habitat, biodiversity, groundwater dependent ecosystems, and climate change) • Geology & Soils (topography, physical aspects of the watershed) • Hydrology (hydrologic cycle, water storage, precipitation, evapo - transpiration) • Land Use & Water Use (current and projected, carrying capacity, human pressures, population, projected development, and quality of life) • Vegetation Management / Fire Safety • Hazards (fire, landslides, earthquakes, flooding) • Air Pollution • Invasive Species & Pest Management 15 16 Research Areas of Significance NEON (NationalNEON (National Ecological Ecological Observatory Network)Observatory- San Joaquin Network) Experimental- SJER Range KREW (Kings River Experimental Watershed) USJR Meadows Research - USFS 17 Evapotranspiration 18 19 20 21 22 23 WIN (Watershed Inventory Needs) Projects - USFS 24 25 26 27 Potential Effects of Climate Change 28 Potential Effect to Run-off (Snow / Rainfall Transition) 30% Potential Reduction of run-off 29 30 31 32 33 34 Total Well Logs – 5,255 Unique Wells – 4,406 Wells w/ Section ID 1-36 – 3,991 35 36 Well Count by Sections in Populated Areas 37 38 Regional Forum Land Use and Water Use 39 40 41 42 43 The Potential Effects of Air Quality on Public Health and the Ecology Ozone (O3) Threshold for Impacting Forest Health 17 – 19 PPB (Parts Per Billion) USJR – Measurements up to 5 times greater 44 Watershed Condition Summary The challenges facing the Upper San Joaquin River watershed basin can be viewed at a high level in which the effects of climate change and air quality can have over time on water quality/quantity – and ecology. Major research initiatives identified, point towards influences on the watershed basin that are regional and global in nature. Yes, there are specific areas of the watershed that may be – or become impaired by intensive land -use activities over time. Yet, remediation, restoration, conservation – and the implementation of best management practices (BMPs) may improve localized watershed conditions. However, these studies are starting to demonstrate that climate change – or air quality in themselves can contribute rather significantly in adversely impacting the overall health of a complex hydrological and ecological system. Add to these global implications the increased demand for resources within the watershed – in particular ground water. 45 Protection Plan Recommendations Section 1 – Assessment Overview As a part of any future undertakings, coordinate and collaborate with the Madera County Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) and South Sierra IRWM Planning Groups; as well as the San Joaquin Experimental Range (SJER) and Kings River Experimental Watershed (KREW) under the U.S. Forest Service. Continue as appropriate to provide and expand the coordination and integration of watershed investigations, planning, education, remediation and other activities related within the following areas: • Surface and Ground water quality/quantity and sustainability • Effects of Climate Change • Erosion, Sediment and Soils • Fuels Management • Noxious Weeds • Biodiversity and Habitat • Air Quality impacts on water quality and ecological health 46 Recommendations (Continued) Section 2 – Hydrology Continue to develop collaborative arrangements with groups focused on ground water such as County Water Advisory Committees, Resource Conservation Districts, citizen groups and others within the watershed to share information and resources to determine what the future impacts may be for increased water demand within the watershed basin – and potential supply challenges. Section 3 – Geology and Soils As feasible, continue data collection to determine relevant investigations that can assist in determining what role surface soils, their composition, structure and condition may contribute towards moisture collection, retention, percolation and ground water recharge within the watershed 47 Recommendations (Continued) Section 4 – Ecology Continue to identify research being performed that promotes adaptive management practices compatible with the ecological assets and natural resources within the watershed Section 5 – Climate Continue efforts through collaborative arrangements with the Kings River Experimental Watershed (KREW) and the San Joaquin Experimental Range (SJER) to understand the implications of climate change affecting the hydrology and ecology of the watershed. Section 6 – Hazards Determine the extent of potential hazards such as mining operations in the upper watershed. 48