Watershed Planning

The RCD plays a key role in conservation planning in the region, including the development of integrated watershed management plans on a watershed scale to assisting with on farm conservation plans for individual farmers.

The development of local Integrated Watershed Management Plans involves stakeholders to determine how to more effectively manage the watershed in which they live to promote balanced solutions that satisfy environmental, domestic, agricultural, and economic interests.

The RCD seeks input from all affected stakeholders in the process, including the agricultural community, public and private landowners, state and federal regulatory agencies, advocacy groups, local residents, and elected officials. The RCD currently has focused planning efforts in Mark West, Mill, Austin, and Maacama Creek Watersheds.

Mill Creek Integrated Watershed Management Plan

The draft Mill Creek Watershed Management Plan has been under development since Fall 2009 with funding from the California Department of Fish and Game. The goals are to collect existing information and to provide a roadmap for the watershed to prioritize habitat enhancement actions in addition to recommending best management practices to support agricultural and natural resource sustainability.

Austin Creek Watershed Assessment and Restoration Planning

The RCD's Austin Creek Watershed Assessment completed in 2006 included an analysis of the features of the watershed, documentation of past land uses and trends in the system including erosion problems, areas of major vegetation changes and other features related to water quality and anadromous fish habitats. The RCD is current assessing sediment sources in the watershed and implementing valuable fisheries habitat improvement projects through the Austin Creek Watershed Restoration Program. For more information on the assessment and the RCD's watershed restoration program, visit the Austin Creek Watershed page.

Maacama Creek Watershed Assessment and Restoration Planning

The Maacama Watershed Assessment, completed in 2004, evaluated current and historic conditions in the watershed and recommended a prioritized set of actions and programs to improve water quality and riparian and aquatic habitat conditions integrated with continued monitoring and assessment. The assessment also evaluated erosion and sources of fine sediment in the watershed, the current and historic condition of creek channels, the historic and current condition of watershed vegetation and clearing, the extent of riparian forest, and land uses. The RCD is currently working with local conservation organizations to convene a Maacama Creek Watershed Planning Committee that will strategically plan and prioritize conservation, acquisition, and habitat enhancement opportunities at the watershed scale.

Upper Mark West Watershed Management Plan

The RCD completed the Upper Mark West Watershed Management Plan Phase 1: Watershed Characterization and Needs Assessment in 2009 and is currently pursuing additional funding to complete a hydrologic study and habitat enhancement prioritization process. For more information, see Upper Mark West Watershed Management Plan.

Copeland Creek Watershed Assessment

This watershed assessment reviews erosion sources in the watershed, the current and historic condition of the creek channel and watershed, the extent of riparian forest, water quality and temperature conditions, and land uses. The goal of the watershed assessment is to investigate a broad range of current and historic conditions in the watershed and creek and recommend enhancement projects and Best Management Practices (BMPs) to improve water quality and creek habitat conditions.