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Programs and Projects

PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS

DRY CREEK CONSERVANCY IS A FIRST CHOICE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT WHEN THEY NEED A NONPROFIT PARTNER FOR RESOURCE PROJECTS AND RESOURCE OUTREACH AND IS A VALUED PARTNER IN ALL STAKEHOLDER PROCESSES.

RESTORATION

Restoration projects have focused on instream and riparian habitat improvement. Projects are grant funded with local contributions, and developed with local government partners. Projects include fish passage improvement, streambank stabilization, and native plantings. Planting projects in watershed communities are maintained by volunteer events in the spring and fall.

MONITORING

DCC has taken the lead in gathering data for issues such as water quality, spawning population, stormwater discharge and others. At the peak our program included bmi, first flush and periodic instream and lab sampling, instream loggers providing continuous reading of six parameters at two sites and temp at four others, and an auto sampler, as well as salmon spawning surveys. Monitoring has shown:

• The relatively good water quality in the Dry Creek Watershed is supported by water from Placer County Water Agency operations. Water quality is degraded by effluent from Waste Water Treatment Plants and by flashy stormwater flows. In addition, recently employed BMP’s for large residential construction projects have been inadequate to protect water quality and riparian areas.

• Dry Creek Watershed has had a surprisingly strong salmon spawning count peaking at a total of 680 live fish and carcasses observed over a three hour period in 2003. In recent years numbers have followed the general decline in west coast fisheries and the rebound of the past two years. In Auburn Ravine salmon spawning has been rekindled as removal of small diversions has coincided with the general west coast increase.

• The Dry Creek and Auburn Ravine aquatic insect community is in generally poor health. Coon Creek has a significantly healthier BMI community. There is no discernible trend in Dry Creek BMI quality over time.

EDUCATION

Activities have included technical workshops, community workshops, interpretive walks, annual creek week and fall festival activities, four Low Impact Development conferences, school presentations, and collaborative programs for schools such as adopt a watershed.  Check out the Outreach Page of Valley Foothill Watersheds Collaborative (VFWC) for information on and conference presentations from 2018 LID conference  During the spring of 2018, supported by grants funds from the City of Roseville, DCC will be hosting a California Naturalist Course in partnership with VFWC. Course and registration information is available on the course registration page.

COLLABORATION

DCC facilitates outcomes that protect creeks and provide for mutual benefit and interests. American Basin Council of Watersheds (ABCW) is fortunate to be a stakeholder group that was formed to maximize the benefits from collaboration rather than to avoid or resolve conflict. DCC and ABCW have a history of collaboration and cooperation with numerous local governments, state and federal agencies, special districts, nonprofits and other organizations. ABCW has met monthly since 1996 for information sharing, networking and developing collaborative projects. Funding of over 6 million has been provided by grants, contributions from members, and Dry Creek Conservancy.

DCC is the fiscal agent and a founding member of the Valley Foothill Watersheds Collaborative (VFWC) along with Sacramento Area Creeks Council and Laguna Creek Watershed Council.   VFWC is a regional partnership that shares expertise from nonprofit, government,and private organizations to help implement priority projects for watershed health.


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