SRF Central Coast Bioengineering Field School
DATES HAVE CHANGED: Dates are Now Oct. 6-9
Due to an unforeseen emergency SRF must change the Bioengineering Field School to October 6-9, 2008. The course will include classroom instruction with John McCullah of Salix Applied Earthcare who will teach techniques to restore riparian habitat, control erosion and stabilize banks. Participants will tour projects in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties and learn how to build willow matresses and live siltation baffles.

Participants will tour Camp San Luis Obispo to see upland erosion control where roads were improved and brush check dams installed to retain sediment. We will also visit the San Luis Creek Project to view the stabilized creek channel and banks where different methods were employed included willow mattresses, coir biologs, and brush bank protection.

San Luis Creek Project was implemented in 2001 to stabilize the creek channel and banks by using a few different methods one of which was a willow mattress that did not survive but is working nicely as brush bank protection. Coir biologs were installed at the toe of one of the banks and were designed to be undercut to provide steelhead habitat. A bank failure after this project was completed was remedied using coir fabric filled with soil and stacked like burritos up the bank and integrated willows into the wall for added protection and cover. A good “learn-by-doing” story by Brian Stark goes along with this project. Pennington Creek Project, implemented in 2001, stabilized 150 feet of nearly vertical creek bank by installing a vegetated rock toe and willow mattress along with four rock wing deflectors and three willow baffles.

We will brainstorm with the help of the instructor a “what would you do” project on Acacia Creek. A small tributary to San Luis Creek that runs alongside a road that is in danger of falling in. Participants will help construct bioengineering projects at the Rancho La Vina work site.

The course will be held at Camp Whittier near Santa Barbara. There are lodge accommodations with four to a room. The fees for the course are $300 which includes all instruction, materials, food and lodging. For more information, please see the registration form on the SRF website.

Additional lodging can be found in the closest town of Solvang. The Solvang Gardens boutique hotel will honor the government rate for participants. Please see their web site.

CALFED Science Program Hiring Staff Environmental Scientist

The CALFED Science Program has an opening for a Staff Environmental Scientist to help our team as we synthesize cutting-edge science from exceptional minds and leading researchers throughout the nation to keep government policy makers fully informed on timely topics. The information we provide is used in setting state policies on climate change, water supply, ecosystem restoration, water quality, and more. Please visit their website for detailed information.

State Water Resources Control Board Accepting Applications for 2008 CALFED Watershed Program Grant Program to Support Implementation of Watershed Management Plans

The State Water Resources Control Board is accepting applications for the 2008 CALFED Watershed Program Grant Program that will implement a suite of priority actions identified in an established watershed management plan that will directly contribute to improved natural resource conditions within the selected watershed (s) as well as the larger Bay-Delta system. Proposals most likely to receive funding must successfully:

• Implement a suite of priority actions identified in an established Watershed Management Plan Demonstrate readiness to complete the suite of activities within a two-year period, and maintain, monitor and evaluate actions for an additional three-year period Measure, analyze and evaluate the project's effectiveness in improving the natural resource conditions in the watershed(s) and the Bay-Delta system, and
• Demonstrate the value of using a community based watershed approach to improve natural resource management and resource conditions in the watershed.

3rd Annual Spring-run Symposium Presentations Online

The 3rd Annual Spring-run Salmon Symposium was a great success. You can see some of the presentations at here .

Salmon River Spring Chinook Population Dives
August 12-14, Salmon River
Salmon River Restoration Council will host a dive training on August 12 dives on August 13-14. Please help preserve this remarkable 20 year data set. For more information, see the SRRC 2008 dives website.

California River Parkways and Urban Streams Restoration Grant Program
Comments on Public Review Draft Due August 20

The Resources Agency and the California Department of Water Resources are pleased to announce the joint release of the draft guidelines and application for the California River Parkways (RP) and the Urban Streams Restoration (USRP) grant programs. Funding for both programs is available through the Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality and Supply, Flood Control, River and Coastal Protection Bond Act of 2006.

For an overview of Proposition 84 please click here .
To review a PDF of the Public Review Draft Gudelines click here .
For more information please check out the California River Parkways website or the Urban Streams Restoration Program site .

Hard copies are available by calling: (916) 653-2812.  Comments must be received no later than 5:00pm Wednesday, August 20, 2008.  Submit comments by e-mail ( riverparkways@resources.ca.gov ) or fax to: (916)653-9560.  If you have any questions call River Parkways Program: 916-653-2812 or Urban Streams Restoration Program: 916-651-9626.

Technical Assistance Workshops will be held throughout the state during the month of September (specific dates and locations to be announced with solicitation notice).