Curry, Josephine, JACKSON, Douglas & Klamath Counties WHAT IS A WATERSHED COUNCIL? A non-regulatory, community group of volunteers with an interest in watershed health. Designated and recognized by the Jackson County Commissioners as allowed by state legislation. Councils are required to represent the diverse stakeholders in the basin and be balanced in their makeup. All Jackson County Councils have achieved 501 (c) 3 Non-Profit Organization status. ROGUE BASIN WATERSHED COUNCILS The Rogue Basin covers 5 Counties: Jackson Upper Lower Rogue Middle Rogue Josephine Seven Rogue Curry Basins & the Headwaters of the Rogue and Little Butte begin in Douglas & Klamath Counties Little Butte Illinois Williams Bear Valley Creek (all WC’s average Creek less than 2 full time staff) Applegate Watershed Councils in each County Jackson County Josephine County Curry County •Applegate River •Applegate River •Lower Rogue •Bear Creek ~Williams Creek •Little Butte Creek •Illinois Valley •Seven Basins •Middle Rogue •Upper Rogue River “Stream Restoration Alliance” WHAT DO COUNCILS DO & WHAT CAN WC’S BRING TO THEIR COMMUNITIES? Watershed Councils bring together local stakeholders from multiple interests in collaborative partnerships to work towards watershed protection and restoration. Funds & Involvement Created Council Acreage Population through 3 WC Projects/Events Applegate 498,000 12,000 Project Funding $ 600,000 Bear Creek 253,440 203,000 (2011) In-Kind Contributions $97,000 Little Butte 238,598 11,600 Landowner Involvement 95 Seven Basins 261,760 13,000 Public Events Held 55 Upper Rogue 798,841 10,000 #’s are approximations for 2011 Information from 2011 & prepared for the 2012 Jackson County Commissioners Watershed Council Presentation THROUGH COLLABORATION & PARTNERSHIP, COUNCILS: Focus Resources Promote Cooperative Solutions Work Together To Identify Issues Agree On Common Goals For Watershed Protection & Enhancement Foster Communication Among All A short list of Council Partners…… Watershed Interests Planning & Coordinating Partners Rogue River Guides Association Crook Timberlands NRCS Rogue Basin Coordinating Council Salmon Safe Menasha ODF Jackson Soil & Water Conservation District SOLV Middle Rogue Steelheaders Oregon State Parks Josephine Soil & Water Conservation District Southern Oregon Fly Fishers Oregon State Parks RVCOG Curry Soil & Water Conservation District Southern Oregon Steelheaders Rogue Flyfishers Illinois Valley Soil & Water Conservation Forest Restoration Collaborative “Knitting Funding Partners Oregon Hunter's Association District Circle” Bear Creek Greenway Foundation Rogue Basin Coordinating Council BLM, USFS, NOAA/NMFS, USFWS, BOR, Southern Oregon State University World Wildlife Fund Jackson County CWMA EPA, NRCS, FSA Rogue River Keepers Southern Oregon Fly Fishers Jackson SWCD ODFW, OWRD, ODEQ, ODF, ODOT, ODA, Josephine County Rogue River Guides Association Jackson County Rd & Parks Dept. OWEB Curry County The Orvis Company Network of Oregon Watershed Councils Rogue Valley Council of Governments Oregon State Parks National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Tillamook Bay WC (RVCOG) Jackson County CWMA National Forest Foundation South Santiam WC Bear Creek Watershed Education Partners The Nature Conservancy Flintridge Foundation Partnership for Umpqua River WC Jackson County Lone Rock Timber Company American Rivers OSU Extension Jefferson Nature Center City of Rogue River American Forests Rogue Flyfishers Medford Water Commission City of Gold Hill Rogue Flyfishers Southern Oregon Steelheaders Network of Oregon Watershed Councils Jackson County Fire Plan OWEB City of Rogue River Oregon Council of the Federation of Fly Evans Valley Fire Department Title II Jackson County Fire Plan Fishers Rogue River Fire Department Southern Oregon Steelheaders Lone Rock Timber Co. Oregon State University Extension Service Applegate Fire District Laird Norton Family Foundation Oregon Sea Grant Southern Oregon Land Conservancy Southern Oregon Steelheaders Ecotrust GEOS WISE project - Water for Irrigation, Streams & Tillamook Bay WC The Carpenter Foundation Southwestern Oregon Community College Economy South Santiam WC The Nature Conservancy Copeland Sand and Gravel Partnership for Umpqua River Middle Rogue Steelheaders Emerging Partners Fish America Oregon Sea Grant Grande Ronde Tribe Klamath Bird Observatory Jackson County Libraries Project & Program Implementation Neilson Research Corporation Curry Anadromous Fishermen Partners Northwest Biological Consultants City of Gold Beach BLM Pacific Rivers Council Inc. Port of Gold Beach USFS Reach, Inc. Southwestern Oregon Community College ODFW Collaboration & Partnership Through the RBCC 9 Member Watershed Councils: LRWC, IVWC, SRA, APWC, WCWC, 7BWC, BCWC, LBCWC, URWC Since 1999 the RBCC has served as a valuable clearinghouse for information exchange and activity coordination among its member watershed councils. RBCC engages in projects that transcend individual watershed boundaries SW OR Salmon Restoration Initiative Development of Rogue Basin Regional Restoration Priorities Rogue Basin Fish Passage Technical Team (RBFPTT) RB Fish Access Team (RBFAT) & Rogue Basin Fish Passage Strategic Plan Watershed Health Factors Assessment Jackson Cooperative Weed Management Area www.roguepartners.org The RBCC Restructuring Proposal Current main source of Council Support Funding is provided through OWEB Currently each Council receives between $85,300 and $108,775 per biennium (2011-2013) Since December 2012 the 9 WC’s have been working together to: “benefit from consolidated and standardized functions that will create a framework structure for greater capacity by enabling greater ecological, economic & social outcomes.” Our Objective is to create a model that will transform the WCs and the RBCC into a fundamentally changed and effective partnership that will allow flexibility and maintain opportunity for both: Independent council decision making and actions and Multi-council and regional decision making and actions The RBCC Restructuring Proposal continued Driving forces behind the current Restructuring Proposal OWEB currently funds just over 60 WCs around the state OWEB would like to streamline their Council Support application process and eventually reduce the total number of WCs funded OWEB would like WCs to build stronger collaborations Where do the WCs see themselves in the next year: WCs hold strong local ties to their watersheds Maintaining those ties and utilizing the RBCC to reduce admin workload on the coordinators to enable more efficient program and project development How might WCs change over the next year or two: Jackson County has 5 of the 9 WCs Some councils have discussed mergers requiring new recognition from the Jackson County Commissioners Other councils hope to gain time that can be applied to promoting and invigorating the local aspect of watershed health APPLEGATE RIVER WATERSHED COUNCIL PRESENTED BY JANELLE DUNLEVY The APWC has been a very successful watershed council for the last 18 years, averaging 3-5 projects per year with anywhere from 1 to 40+ landowners participating in the projects. We are currently working on large landscape scale projects that incorporate the Applegate landscape from the streambed to the top of the watershed ridges and everything in between. www.apwc.info Established 1994 APWC MISSION STATEMENT The Applegate Partnership and Watershed Council (APWC) is a community-based non-profit organization whose mission is to encourage and facilitate the use of natural resource principles that promote ecosystem health and diversity while contributing to the economic and community well- being and resilience. Through community participation, volunteer efforts and partnerships with landowners, agencies and interest groups, an integrated program designed to conserve, restore and sustain ecological structure and function in the Applegate watershed is implemented. APWC Projects Thompson Creek Restoration: 1.8 miles of Creek with over 8 landowners ready to assist in riparian restoration, fish barrier removal, decommissioning of levees built after the 1964 floods, stream bank stabilization, large wood and irrigation efficiency projects. Little Applegate Measuring Device Project: Yale Creek RR: Pre & Post Treatment Installation of measuring devices on open irrigation ditches to help water users manage their water rights Beaver Creek Sedimentation Reduction Project: Final Phase of this project. When completed this sediment limited creak could potentially be delisted from the 303(d) water quality list. Riparian Restoration Program: Program began in the early 2000’s working with landowners to restore native riparian areas by removing invasive species and replanting natives. This program has worked with over 30 landowners in the last few years. Students Learn causes of soil erosion and how to prevent it learn about winter cover crops Current projects include Humbug Creek near Hwy 238 and Yale Creek on Yale Creek Ranch Cultivating Healthy Watersheds Education Program: Through the CHW school program, K-12 students learn about watershed-friendly farms, sustainable farming practices and forest management. Hand-on projects provide active learning experiences that enhance habitat for fish and wildlife, help kids build skills, and learn to be good watershed stewards. Fuels Reduction & Forestry Collaboration Pilot Joe & Pilot Thompson: www.blm.gov/or/districts/medford/forestrypilot APWC has volunteers collaborating with BLM and project