{"id":815,"date":"2015-02-04T13:27:57","date_gmt":"2015-02-04T21:27:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.marinrcd.org\/?page_id=815"},"modified":"2022-07-26T17:43:02","modified_gmt":"2022-07-27T00:43:02","slug":"usc-news","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.marinrcd.org\/programs\/home2\/usc-news\/","title":{"rendered":"USC News"},"content":{"rendered":"[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_image=”https:\/\/www.marinrcd.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/10082015-cohoCP-1020×709-1.jpg” min_height=”11vw” min_height_tablet=”” min_height_phone=”” min_height_last_edited=”on|phone” height=”10vw” custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding=”82px||||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_5,2_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”-56px|auto||auto||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n

News from Urban Streams Coordination Program (MRCD)
<\/span><\/h4>\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#eaeaea” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n

Board Approves Policies in San Geronimo Valley<\/h2>\n

Development and environmental ordinances updated for Stream Conservation Area<\/p>\n

San Rafael, CA<\/strong> \u2013 Rules about property development and environmental conservation within one rural Marin County area soon will have updated ordinances to serve as a model.<\/p>\n

There are 1,485 households in the San Geronimo Valley that will be affected by two ordinances approved<\/a> July 19 by the Marin County Board of Supervisors. One ordinance amends the Marin County Code for the updated Stream Conservation Area (SCA) ordinance<\/a> that has been years in the making, and the other rezones all lots within the valley to a new combining district. The SCA ordinance objective is to protect streams as an essential environmental resource.<\/p>\n

Elements of the new rules factor in the results of legal settlement between the County and the Salmon Protection and Watershed Network (SPAWN), a leading advocate for the protection of marine wildlife based in Olema. The settlement was announced<\/a> in May. Both ordinances become effective August 18.<\/p>\n

The San Geronimo Valley, comprised of four unincorporated villages, is surrounded by wooded open space areas just west of densely populated parts of central and eastern Marin. Lagunitas Creek in the San Geronimo Watershed supports one of the largest populations of wild federally listed endangered coho salmon, steelhead trout, and chinook salmon in Northern California. Coho were once plentiful in the natural waters that drain into Tomales Bay and the Pacific Ocean, but recent spawning counts were well below the federal recovery target needed to bring the salmon out of its endangered status.<\/p>\n

As per the settlement with SPAWN, the SCA ordinance creates a new minimum 35-foot \u201cno touch zone\u201d along all streams, limits residential additions to a footprint of 300 square feet, and clarifies exemptions that allow removal of some vegetation. The final ordinances create standards for development within the buffer and provide consistent permit review procedures and requirements. The language details are summarized in the staff report<\/a> from July 19; more documentation is on the meeting agenda<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On June 13, the Marin County Planning Commission unanimously recommended the ordinances to the Supervisors, noting that the moves recommended by the Marin County Community Development Agency<\/a> (CDA) would assure development in San Geronimo Valley is consistent with the 2007 Countywide Plan<\/a> and environmental impact reports while factoring in feedback from affected residents. Latest revisions center on vegetation removal rules, planning fees, and a voluntary point-of-sale inspection program. CDA staff released an initial draft of the ordinance in September 2021 and collected feedback before making revisions.<\/p>\n

The ordinance includes various supporting resource materials to provide guidance to homeowners and contractors. It expands the existing site plan review provisions to encompass development activities proposed within SCAs in the San Geronimo Valley. The ordinances cover rules about the removal of fire-prone trees, including language that clarifies allowances for building additions, and a requirement for staff to provide public biannual reports to the Supervisors that include facts and figures about building applications within the SCA.All the SCA work is part of the ongoing staff update of the 2007 Countywide Plan, a long-range, comprehensive, land use blueprint for the unincorporated areas of the county. CDA staff is leading the County\u2019s effort to study, educate, and protect stream and streamside conditions.<\/p>\n

More information is available at MarinCounty.org\/SCA<\/a>. Comments or questions about the ordinances may be submitted by email to CDA Senior Planner Kristin Drumm<\/a>. See here for official press release page.<\/a><\/p>\n

For more information on Marin RCD’s Urban Streams program:<\/strong>
Sarah Phillips, Urban Stream Program Manager, Marin RCD \u2013 (415) 663-1170, ext. 302, sarah@marinrcd.org<\/a><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n

Fisheries News<\/h1>\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_tabs _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_css_main_element=”display:flex” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_tab title=”2022″ _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n

Marin Water, Update on Salmonid Surveys (Eric Ettlinger)<\/a><\/p>\n

05\/2022<\/strong><\/p>\n

County Reaches Legal Settlement with Nonprofit: Environmental group SPAWN challenged language in Countywide Plan<\/a>
“County of Marin has agreed in principle to a settlement with a Marin County-based environmental nonprofit that challenged the County\u2019s analysis of the environmental effects of the 2007 Marin Countywide Plan on endangered fish species in the San Geronimo Valley.”<\/p>\n

Marin County Poised to Adopt Overdue Stream Conservation Ordinance,<\/a> STRAW<\/p>\n

Sanford Nax, California Proposes Requiring Tiremakers to Consider Safer Alternative to Chemical that Kills Coho Salmon<\/a>, Department of Toxic Substances Control<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title=”2021″ _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n

08\/2021<\/strong><\/p>\n

Robin Meadows, Coexisting with Coho During Drought<\/a>, Bay Area Monitor. Oakland, CA.<\/p>\n

\u201cConservation can decrease pressure on agencies to keep water in reservoirs, freeing up more for environmental flows, Every little bit helps. Collectively, our actions will determine whether the Bay Area\u2019s coho disappear or return in abundance to our coastal creeks.\u201d \u2013 Sarah Phillips, MRCD Urban Streams Program Manager<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Young<\/span><\/p>\n

Will Houston, Marin creek gets rare visit from endangered salmon<\/a>, Mercury News. San Jose, CA.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFor more than a decade, biologists dutifully returned each winter in search of endangered coho salmon at a once-thriving stronghold flowing through Point Reyes National Seashore \u2014 only to come up empty-handed. That changed this year.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Salmon<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title=”2017″ _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n

09\/2017<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ariel Rubissow Okamoto, Snorkel Surveys Reveal the Fish World of Mount Tam\u2019s Creeks<\/a>, Bay Nature<\/p>\n

07\/2017<\/strong><\/p>\n

Steve Milne, Feds OK New Mercury Protections In California Waters<\/a>, capradio<\/p>\n

05\/2017<\/strong><\/p>\n

Zen Menahem, Ocean Acidification Makes Salmons Lose Ability To Sense Predators, According To Researchers From The University Of Washington<\/a>, The Science Times<\/p>\n

Effects of Ocean Acidification on Salmon and Sablefish Neurobehavioral Function<\/a> – Evan Gallagher<\/p>\n

Mark Prado, Kent Lake water flow study to look at fish impact<\/a>, Marin Independent Journal <\/span><\/p>\n

Barry Eberling, Follwing a wet winter, Napa River fish trap yields high salmon count<\/a>, Napa Valley Register<\/p>\n

Monica Heger, Dams Be Damned: California Rebuilds the Salmon Habitat It Destroyed<\/a>, yes! Magazine<\/p>\n

04\/2017<\/strong><\/p>\n

Wendy Culverwell, Learning to love the (Pacific) lamprey<\/a>, Tri-City Herald<\/p>\n

CalFish Lamprey Information<\/a><\/p>\n

01\/2017<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kristin Hanes, California\u2019s recent storms are devastating endangered salmon<\/a>, SF Gate<\/p>\n

The following is an update from Eric Ettlinger<\/em>, Aquatic Ecologist with Marin Water<\/strong> on January 13, 2017: \u201cThe current state of affairs in Lagunitas Creek can be described as a glass-half-full\/glass-half-empty situation. Or more accurately, a reservoir-full, streambed-empty situation. By the end of December the coho salmon run was on track to be larger than the parent generation of three years ago and continue the generational improvements we\u2019ve seen for each of the last five years. But then came the unrelenting storms of the last two weeks. On the positive side those storms filled MMWD\u2019s reservoirs and produced the high flows that can create and improve salmon habitats in Lagunitas Creek. On the negative side those flows destroyed many coho redds, washed away some of our salmon habitat structures, and severely hampered our survey work. We\u2019ve heard rumors of fresh coho out there (and steelhead should be starting to spawn too), but we haven\u2019t been able to see them ourselves. The most recent storm raised Lagunitas Creek flows to 4,300 cubic feet per second, which was the third-highest flow in 35 years. In the coming months we\u2019ll see if this flood had significant impacts on incubating salmon eggs and\/or last year\u2019s fry. Previous major floods in 1998 and 2006 resulted in very poor egg survival, and we expect to see relatively few fry again this summer. One-year-old juvenile coho have survived recent large floods successfully, likely by seeking out slow water areas on floodplains.\u00a0 Ironically, it may be moderate storm events that are most deadly, because flows stay confined in the stream channel and slow water habitats may be hard to find. This summer we\u2019ll be enhancing a number of areas on Lagunitas Creek to provide exactly those kinds of slow water habitats. On an optimistic note, the floods this season have risen and receded rapidly, hopefully subjecting coho fry to fast, confined flows only briefly. In late March we\u2019ll start counting the surviving smolts as they migrate to the ocean and, one way or the other, that data will contribute to our understanding of how salmon survive floods and what we can do to help.\u201d<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title=”2016″ _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n

Mark Prado, Expected Friday rains will boost Marin\u2019s coho<\/a>, Marin Indepedent Journal <\/span><\/p>\n

Charlotte Ambrose, Species in the Spotlight: Central California Coast Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus<\/em> kisutch)<\/a>, NOAA Fisheries<\/span><\/p>\n

02\/2016<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Sandi Doughton, <\/span>Toxic road runoff kills adult coho salmon in hours, study finds<\/a>, The Seattle Times<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title=”2015″ _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n

10\/2015<\/strong><\/p>\n

Peter Moyle, An update on California fishes of \u2018special concern<\/a>\u2019, UC Davic Center for Watershed Sciences<\/p>\n

California Fish Species of Special Concern, 3rd Edition (2015)<\/a> published<\/p>\n

Tomales Roach (Lavinia symmetricus<\/em> ssp.)<\/a> has recently changed its status to a Species of Moderate Concern<\/em><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title=”2014″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n

2014\/02\/13<\/strong><\/p>\n

Clyde, G. 2014. Marin RCD obtains large grant for ag. Marin Citizen. Marin, CA.<\/a><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title=”2013″ _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n

Mark Prado, Chinook salmon return to Marin, coho shouldn\u2019t be too far behind<\/a>, Marin Independent Journal<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title=”2008″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n

2014\/02\/08<\/strong><\/p>\n

Watts, J. 2014. \u00a0Marin Voice: \u2018Carbon farming\u2019 and Marin\u2019s drought<\/a>. Marin Independent Journal. San Rafael, CA.<\/p>\n

MALT\u00a0<\/a>Executive Director, Jamison Watts, wrote that practices implemented through the Marin Carbon Project, specifically compost application on rangeland, can help ranchers manage for drought by increasing soil water holding capacity. \u00a0Marin RCD is one of the many partners working on the Marin Carbon Project.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title=”2001″ _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n

John Whitfield, Fish fertilize trees: Wild salmon and trees have a mutually beneficial relationship<\/a>, nature<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_tab][\/et_pb_tabs][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n

Other Urban Streams News<\/h1>\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_tabs _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_css_main_element=”display:flex” custom_css_tab=”width:20%” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_tab title=”2022″ _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n

\u00a006\/2022<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ayla Burnett, Locals call for change in PG&E tree removal<\/a>, Point Reyes Light<\/p>\n

05\/2022<\/strong><\/p>\n

As part of his presentation of the May Revision of the Fiscal Year 2022-23 state budget, Governor Gavin Newsom proposed a new Beaver Restoration program<\/a> to be run by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.<\/p>\n

03\/16\/2022<\/strong><\/p>\n

Marin RCD, Request for Proposal<\/a>, Project Manager for Marin Biomass Project<\/p>\n

01\/01\/2022<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jeffery Schaub, Marin County will implement carbon farming<\/a>, KCBS<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title=”2021″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n

12\/2021<\/strong><\/p>\n

Will Houston, Marin lands $1M state grant for carbon farming projects<\/span><\/a>, Marin Independant Journal. San Rafael, CA.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

08\/2021<\/strong><\/p>\n

Robin Meadows, Coexisting with Coho During Drought<\/a>, Bay Area Monitor. Oakland, CA.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Bolinas farmer Peter Martinelli decided to help coho salmon by boosting summer water levels in Pine Gulch Creek, which runs through his land, he had no idea that the project would take two decades to complete. Now he\u2019s happy he saw it through. Coho are endangered in most of their California range, and droughts like the one we\u2019re experiencing now are among the biggest threats to these coastal salmon.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy grandpa used to say that salmon in the creeks were so thick, you could walk across the top of them,\u201d \u2013 Jody Brazil (speaking of Walker Creek)<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cConservation can decrease pressure on agencies to keep water in reservoirs, freeing up more for environmental flows, Every little bit helps. Collectively, our actions will determine whether the Bay Area\u2019s coho disappear or return in abundance to our coastal creeks.\u201d \u2013 Sarah Phillips, MRCD Urban Streams Program Manager<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Young<\/span><\/p>\n

Will Houston, Marin creek gets rare visit from endangered salmon<\/a>, Mercury News. San Jose, CA.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFor more than a decade, biologists dutifully returned each winter in search of endangered coho salmon at a once-thriving stronghold flowing through Point Reyes National Seashore \u2014 only to come up empty-handed. That changed this year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although nesting sites were not found at Pine Gulch Creek, one nesting site was found in\u00a0<\/span>Pine Gulch Creek, which follows Highway 1 and flows into Bolinas Lagoon. A potential reason why:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFor [National Park Service biologist Michael]Reichmuth the most likely explanation for why a salmon nest was found in Pine Gulch Creek after more than a decade is that some coho were unable to access Redwood Creek because of the drought conditions this winter. A sand berm at the mouth of Redwood Creek at Muir Beach can prevent fish from entering if winter rainfall isn\u2019t enough to generate flows that can break through it\u2026<\/span>Pine Gulch Creek typically has more water than Redwood Creek, in part because of a program enacted by the Marin Resource Conservation District in 2016. Under the program, three Bolinas farms agreed to forgo their summer water diversions from the creek and instead were given permission to store water in four ponds during the more flush winter months. The intention was to provide fish, especially young rearing coho, more water during the summer months when flows can drop to dangerously low levels in dry years.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Salmon<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title=”2017″ _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n

10\/2017<\/strong><\/p>\n

Richard Halstead, Marin supervisors tee up for purchase of San Geronimo Golf Course<\/a>, Marin Independent Journal<\/p>\n

Nona Dennis, Many creeks run through it<\/a>, Marin Conservation League<\/p>\n

08\/2017<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mark Prado, West Marin creek project aims to help endangered fish<\/a>, Marin Independent Journal<\/p>\n

James Herrera, Carmel River Lagoon project to enhance steelhead trout habitat with debris drop<\/a>, Monterey Herald<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title=”2016″ _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n

Sarah Phillips: Marin RCD Urban Streams Program Manager, Report to Marin County BOS regarding USC Program to date (22 months)<\/a>, start at 1 hr 48 min mark<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title=”2015″ _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n

12\/2015<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Beau Evans, Creek restorations sequester tons of bad gas, study finds<\/a>, Point Reyes Light
<\/span><\/p>\n

10\/2015<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mark Prado, Trout Unlimited fish protection work comes at perfect time<\/a>, Marin Indepedent Journal <\/span><\/p>\n

Stephanie Weldy, <\/span>Bio-filtering islands launched into Civic Center Lagoon at Bioneers Conference<\/a>, Marin Indepedent Journal <\/span><\/p>\n

06\/2015<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Sarah Phillips: Marin RCD Urban Streams Program Manager, Report to Marin County BOS regarding USC Program to date (9 months)<\/a>, start at 2 hr 10 min mark
<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title=”2014″ _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n

10\/2014<\/strong><\/p>\n

Megen Hansen, Movers & Shakers: Marin Conservation District hires urban streams coordinator<\/a>, Marin Independent Journal<\/p>\n

RCD launches new program<\/a>, Point Reyes Light<\/p>\n

Shelly Ingram, Ranching in jeopardy says former National Park Service superintendent<\/a>, West Marin Citizen<\/p>\n

George Clyde, Marin RCD Launches New Program to Improve Local Creeks<\/a>, MRCD Press Release<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_tab][et_pb_tab title=”2008″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]\n

2014\/02\/08<\/strong><\/p>\n

Watts, J. 2014. \u00a0Marin Voice: \u2018Carbon farming\u2019 and Marin\u2019s drought<\/a>. Marin Independent Journal. San Rafael, CA.<\/p>\n

MALT\u00a0<\/a>Executive Director, Jamison Watts, wrote that practices implemented through the Marin Carbon Project, specifically compost application on rangeland, can help ranchers manage for drought by increasing soil water holding capacity. \u00a0Marin RCD is one of the many partners working on the Marin Carbon Project.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_tab][\/et_pb_tabs][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

News from Urban Streams Coordination Program (MRCD)Board Approves Policies in San Geronimo Valley Development and environmental ordinances updated for Stream Conservation Area San Rafael, CA \u2013 Rules about property development […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"

Salmon & Other 'Fishy' News<\/span><\/h4>\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1020\"]\"A Mike Siegel \/ The Seattle Times[\/caption]\r\n\r\nOctober, 2017:<\/strong>\r\n

Marin supervisors tee up for purchase of San Geronimo Golf Course<\/h4>\r\nBy: Richard Halstead of Marin IJ<\/em>\r\n\r\n\"Supervisors on Tuesday voted unanimously to issue a notice of intent to purchase the property in a two-step process that involves the Trust for Public Land.\u00a0More than two dozen people spoke during the hourlong hearing that preceded the supervisors\u2019 vote. Many were golfers who fear the loss of one of the county\u2019s more affordable golf courses...\u00a0Evardo Hueso, a San Geronimo parent with two young boys, said, \u201cThe value of that space for the community would be tremendous. The value of that ecosystem is something we can\u2019t even put into numbers. That is the problem with thinking of this as a business transaction.\u201d... Trust for Public Land\u2019s Moriarty said, \u201cWe know from consulting a variety of experts that golfing has been on the decline including at this course and that the property\u2019s most profitable use is not to run it as a golf course \u2014 certainly not one that is open and affordable to the public.\u00a0\u201cOur concern,\u201d Moriarty said, \u201cis that if the course were placed on the open market it would not endure as a golf course, would not continue to serve the community and that the community would have no control over its future use.\u201d\"\u00a0\u00a0Click HERE <\/a>to read the full article.\r\n\r\nSeptember, 2017:<\/strong>\r\n

Snorkel Surveys Reveal the Fish World of Mount Tam's Creeks<\/h4>\r\nBy Ariel Rubbisow\r\n\r\n\"AOur very own Aquatic Ecologist from Marin Municipal Water District<\/em>, Eric Ettlinger, in the recent Bay Nature article 'A Fish Story<\/strong><\/span>.'\u00a0 \"Over the last century, dam building, logging, and development on Mount Tam\u2019s flanks greatly diminished what was once extensive freshwater stream habitat: creeks, pools, and rapids overhung with willow, alder, and sedges and filled with fish, frogs, and otters. These activities drove the mountain\u2019s five major creeks into deeper and deeper channels, separated them from their natural floodplains, blocked fish migrations and sediment redistribution, and spurred erosion...\u00a0Coho salmon, steelhead trout, and some stickleback are \u201canadromous\u201d species, born in a freshwater stream or river, maturing out in the ocean, and then returning to their birthplace to spawn. While salmon and trout build redds in gravel hollows on the creek bottom, male stickleback craft their tubular nests with a combo of sand grains, plant bits, and a glue-like protein excreted from their back ends.\"\u00a0Click HERE <\/a>to read the full article!\r\n\r\nAugust, 2017:<\/strong>\r\n
Many creeks run through it<\/h5>\r\n\"\"<\/a>Marin Conservation League just released their most recent newsletter that features Marin RCD's Urban Streams Program, front and center! Nona Davis writes, \"When Sarah Phillips, Marin County\u2019s\u00a0Urban Streams Coordinator (USC), spoke\u00a0to MCL members and other interested\u00a0attendees at a meeting in late June, she\u00a0was doing what she has done countless\u00a0times since September 2014, when she\u00a0joined Marin Resource Conservation District\r\nstaff under a cooperative arrangement\u00a0with the County. She gave an engaging\u00a0and deeply informed mini-lecture on\u00a0the impact of urbanization on Marin\u2019s\u00a0watersheds, streams, water quality, and\r\nhabitat, and what we can do about it \u2013 how we can protect and restore the network of waterways across the county that are the life blood of Marin\u2019s biological diversity and also the source of hazards like flooding. With similar energy and expertise, Phillips has engaged hundreds of homeowners, students, agency personnel and others in their creeks and watersheds, transforming their initial curiosity into knowledgeable stewardship.\" Click HERE<\/a> to read the full story.\u00a0<\/strong>\r\n

Largest Restoration in Lagunitas Creek Watershed<\/h4>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2420\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\"]\"\"<\/a> Photo By Alan Dep with Marin Independent Journal[\/caption]\r\n\r\nMMWD takes on the largest restoration project in the history of the Lagunitas Creek watershed! Jumping through the hoops of working on state and federal public lands, obtaining all the required permits, being in compliance with NEPA and CEQA, MMWD has managed to carry out an epic instream habitat enhancement project all in the name of boosting federally listed salmonid species such as coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch<\/em>) and steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss<\/em>). The project spans along ten (10) sites on the mainstem of the lower Lagunitas Creek watershed and includes the installation of LWD (large woody debris) in configurations that will shunt flows onto floodplains, engaging the benefits that floodplains provide to salmonids. More food and slower moving water not to mention all the benefits that LWD provides to salmonids, too! Click HERE <\/a>to read the Marin IJ article about this new state of the art restoration project in west Marin!\r\n

Major Restoration in Carmel River Lagoon<\/h4>\r\nIn effort to enhance steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss<\/em>),\u00a0Brian LeNeve, president of the Carmel River Steelhead Association<\/em> has patiently waited nine years for a project to reach construction. The project consists of a series of boulder and tree root wad structure placement along the lower Carmel River in effort to improve federally protected steelhead. The 11 structures are being placed in the lagoon by means of a helicopter! Click\u00a0HERE<\/a>\u00a0to read the full article.\r\n\r\nJuly, 2017:\u00a0<\/strong>\r\n\r\nFeds OK New Mercury Protections in California Waters<\/em><\/a> in order to inform people about the levels of mercury in fish typically eaten such as; trout, sturgeon, bass, salmon and other fish. Read more HERE<\/a>.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"560\"]\"Mike Photo by Mike Wier at Cal Trout[\/caption]\r\n\r\nJune, 2017:<\/strong>\r\n