SAWA Santa Ana Watershed Association 2011 anta Ana Watershed Association Santa Ana Watershed Association 2011 Annual Report anta Ana Watershed Association Mission Statement The Santa Ana Watershed Association will develop, coordinate and implement natural resource programs that support a sustainable ecosystem and social benefits from the San Bernardino Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. Goals 1. Provide leadership in cooperation with other agencies, organizations and private citizens to invest the watershed constituency in stewardship of their natural resources. 2. Assist in the development, implementation, and monitoring of effective processes to improve watershed quality and protect beneficial uses of soil, water, biological, and other natural resources of the Santa Ana River Watershed, including, but not limited to: • Habitat restoration • Biological monitoring • Invasive plant management • Management of endangered species 3. Provide dependable and accessible scientific information to support decisions for further management actions. 4. Develop an educational program to disseminate information on the natural resources of our watershed to the public. 2 Santa Ana Watershed Association 2011 Annual Report anta Ana Watershed Association Promoting a Healthy Santa Ana River Watershed for Wildlife and People For nearly 16 years, the San- during all stages of eradica- ect area. In addition, SAWA Inland Empire RCD (IERCD), ta Ana Watershed Associa- tion. Most importantly, SAWA is maintaining control over the San Jacinto Basin RCD tion (SAWA) and its partners monitors the removal areas previously removed invasives (SJBRCD), the Riverside-Co- have been promoting a healthy long after the Arundo has been throughout the watershed. rona RCD (RCRCD) and the Santa Ana River watershed eradicated to ensure that native Elsinore-Murrieta-Anza RCD for the wildlife and the people vegetation and wildlife are re- SAWA’s Governance (EMARCD). who inhabit it. The watershed covering and that there is no spans approximately 2,600 return of the invasive species. The Nature Conservancy Collaboration square miles and ranges in el- These intensive monitoring (TNC) originally managed the evation from 11,500 feet to sea efforts are required to prevent watershed fund and the resto- SAWA conducts environ- level through five distinctive re-growth that can lead to total ration work in the upper water- mental management projects, life zones. The watershed lies re-infestation over time and to shed. In 1996, the RCDs came working collaboratively with in one of Earth’s 25 Biodiver- prevent any impacts to native together as SAWA, which then governmental agencies, orga- sity Hotspots—areas rich in species. included the East Valley, In- nizations, and private citizens. flora and fauna that are threat- To date, SAWA has removed land Empire West, Riverside- SAWA implements facets of ened by human activity. nearly 4,300 acres of Arundo Corona, and San Jacinto Basin the Santa Ana River Water- A major goal of SAWA is and other invasives throughout RCDs. shed Program, continuously to restore the natural function the watershed. In 2012, SAWA SAWA is governed by a five- restoring natural functions and of the watershed through the plans to remove approximately member board comprised of resources of the river and its enhancement and restoration 100 more acres of invasives, one representative each from tributaries. of the native riparian commu- mostly along the mainstem of four resource conservation The most notable collabo- nity. This is accomplished by the river, in Carbon Canyon districts (RCDs) within the rating agencies include the the removal of exotic species and in the San Jacinto Basin watershed, and one from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the management of exist- in our Wolfskill-Gilman proj- Orange County Water Dis- (USACE), U.S. Fish & Wild- ing resources, including both trict. The four RCDs are the life Service (USF&WS), Cali- habitat and wildlife species. fornia Department of Fish and The largest threat to the ripar- Game (CDFG), and the Re- ian habitat within the Santa gional Water Quality Control Ana Watershed is takeover Board (RWQCB). by invasive species, notably The Watershed Program for- Arundo donax. This exotic mally began in 1995, with the plant is highly aggressive and signing of a landmark agree- has invaded much of the wa- ment between the OCWD, tershed, out-competing native USACE, and the U.S. Depart- vegetation and having drastic ment of Interior for the U.S. impacts on the wildlife. Re- Fish and Wildlife Service. This moving Arundo is difficult and agreement allowed OCWD to complex, requiring multiple conserve water behind Prado treatments and intensive moni- Dam but also recognized the r toring. e d need for watershed restoration e SAWA’s comprehensive e by allowing a portion of the R eradication efforts include e project mitigation to occur in identification and mapping of e the upper Santa Ana River wa- L exotic species, initial biomass tershed, many miles from the removal, post treatment, and project site. ARunDO BIOMASS BeInG ReMOveD fROM A cARBOn intensive biological surveying cAnyOn PROjecT AReA In THe fAll Of 2011. 3 Santa Ana Watershed Association 2011 Annual Report Promoting a Healthy Watershed continued... Mitigation was required to of invasive species, particu- The projects providing funds impacts in locations other than offset inundation of habitat in larly giant reed and cowbirds, included the Seven Oaks Dam, the project site. The funds the Prado Basin due to water targeted for their interference Prado Water Conservation, generated by this program are conservation. Two of the ma- with river function and re- Highway 71 Improvements, used to support invasive plant jor federal regulatory agencies source abundance; increas- Norco Bluffs Stabilization, removal efforts throughout were convinced enough of the ing wetlands and open space; Santa Ana River Flood Con- the watershed. In some cases, river’s degradation to break managing endangered species trol, Environmental Protection mitigation projects are as- away from decades of tradi- toward recovery; and public Agency Grants, and several signed to a specific property in tional mitigation dictating that involvement. Arundo control mitigations that have been or- the watershed. impact compensation was to started in the upper watershed dered because of construc- Work is performed either occur within or very near the and continues downstream tion impacts in the watershed. directly by SAWA, or through project area. Orange County because Arundo invades by Some of the mitigation fund- one of the RCDs. In the latter Water District contributed $1 pieces washing down and ing sources did not specify case, an individual RCD per- million to a fund that was the sprouting in moist soil. Arun- acreage requirements but did forms a piece of work, autho- beginning of today’s efforts do seeds are sterile in our area, provide adequate funding for rized through the annual work to restore the function of the so that the spread of giant reed treatment of several hundred plan and within the budgetary Santa Ana River. has been by vegetative means. additional acres and more im- constraints dictated therein. The Watershed Program is Habitat restoration, primar- portantly, for long-term re- That RCD then invoices SAWA staffed by the partnering agen- ily through Arundo control, is treatment. Beginning in 2002, and it is paid out of the fund. cies. At monthly meetings, the current focus of the Wa- there was an additional $9 mil- Approved work is confined to project plans and accomplish- tershed Program because most lion for Arundo control due to the activities specified in cur- ments are discussed. Project of the funding obtained was a successful grant application rent grants and to maintenance goals are specified in work earmarked for Arundo control. for Proposition 13 funds. obligations. The trust fund plans that are compiled by The work with endangered By early March 2003, SAWA must be kept at a level that will SAWA with input from the species and other wildlife is became a 501(c) (3) nonprofit yield enough operating capital other partners. necessary for compliance with organization, and changed to continue long-term Arundo The work plans are reviewed the regulatory permits to do from fiscal year to calendar maintenance and other follow- by the various partnering agen- the Arundo work. Funds are year. In January of 2004, up responsibilities. cies for their input and eventu- obtained from grants and miti- SAWA established an In Lieu SAWA projects are designat- al endorsement. Changes and gation of projects on the river, Fee Program with the Corps ed and approved by the Board additions are made through and the Watershed Program for invasive species removal. of Directors in a long-term staff-generated amendments. took on the funds and the miti- This program gives develop- workplan. This plan is carried The work items and compo- gation responsibilities. ers the option to mitigate for out with a focus on ongoing nents of the plans are largely maintenance and enhancement dictated by responsibilities of river system function, even- inherited with the funding and tually leading to whole water- the long-term commitment for shed health. The work plan follow-up. develops projects that further these goals. Achievements and audits of expenditures are reported each Work accomplished on the year. In addition, the partner- ground through SAWA is done ing agencies and regulators are by SAWA staff and the part- regularly toured through spe- nering agencies. The invasive cific project areas on request. species removal to date was Photographic and data docu- originally accomplished by the mentation of work progress is individual Resource Conserva- collected in each project area tion Districts within their geo- and there are regular site visits graphic spheres of influence. are conducted. SAWA or the an More recently, long-term local RCD is responsible for m and many first-time proposals k contract and contractor over- c are being managed directly by e sight. B SAWA. This report reflects n The Watershed Program fo- o the 12-month period from Jan. s cus is dictated by the respon- y 1, 2011 to Dec. 31, 2011, and sibilities that come with the All supplements many other re- public funds provided to miti- ports produced throughout the gate for typically large federal SAWA cOnDucTeD AeRIAl SuRveyS Of InvASIveS AlOnG period for regulatory agencies. projects. These include control THe RIveR AnD SOMe TRIBuTARIeS In fAll 2011. 4 Santa Ana Watershed Association 2011 Annual Report SAWA funding & expenditures The Santa Ana Water- public involvement. Arundo bilities. The major projects When an individual RCD shed Association is now control started in the upper providing funds included the performs an authorized piece a partnership of Elsinore- watershed and continued Seven Oaks Dam, Prado Wa- of mitigation work, that RCD Murrieta-Anza RCD, Inland downstream because Arundo ter Conservation, Highway then invoices SAWA and is Empire RCD, Orange Coun- invades by pieces washing 71 Improvements, Norco paid out of the trust fund. ty Water District, Riverside- down and sprouting in moist Bluffs Stabilization, Santa To be paid, invoices must be Corona RCD and San Jacin- soil. Arundo seeds are sterile Ana River Flood Control, signed by the manager of the to Basin RCD. in our area, so that the spread State Proposition 50 funds, invoicing RCD, and the ex- The focus of the Water- of Arundo has been by veg- Federal Stimulus Funds, ecutive director of SAWA. shed Program is dictated by etative means. Environmental Protection Approved work is con- responsibilities attached to Habitat restoration, pri- Agency Grants, and several fined to the activities speci- the public funds provided marily through invasive smaller public and private fied in current grants and to mitigate for large federal weed control, is the current funds from various develop- to maintenance obligations projects and other develop- central focus of the Water- ers in the region. Some of the contained in mitigation ob- ment impacts to the water- shed Program. The work mitigation funding sources ligations. The trust fund shed. with endangered species did not specify acreage re- must be kept at a level that SAWA projects include and other wildlife is neces- quirements but provided the will yield enough operating control of invasive spe- sary for compliance with wherewithal for treatment of capital to continue long-term cies, particularly giant reed the regulatory permits to several hundred additional invasives maintenance and and cowbirds, which inter- do the removal and restora- acres and more importantly, other follow-up responsibili- fere with river function and tion work. Deposits were for longer term re-treatment. ties. resource abundance; ex- from grants and funds for By 2002, there was an addi- The charts below show the panding wetlands and open the mitigation of projects on tional $9 million for Arundo revenues and expenses of the space; managing endangered the river and the Watershed control due to a successful Santa Ana Watershed Aso- species toward recovery; and Program took on the funds grant application for Propo- ociation for 2011. and the mitigation responsi- sition 13 funds. 5 Santa Ana Watershed Association 2011 Annual Report elsinore-Murrieta-Anza Resource conservation District Inland empire Resource conservation District Elsinore-Murrieta-Anza Resource Conservation District (EMARCD) is the newest member of the Santa Ana Watershed Association, joining us as a full member in December 2008. Prior to that, EMRCD was an associate member of SAWA. The northwestern portion of the district near Lake El- sinore and a small northeastern portion of the district above Anza are located in the Santa Ana River watershed, which is also in SAWA’s area of respon- sibility. EMARCD promotes con- servation practices of natural resources, opportunities for education and participation, and a sustainable quality of life for communities within the district. The district's ter- nation and continue to cooper- Margarita River, San Ja- The board of directors of the ritory includes 505,000 acres, ate closely with the NRCS. cinto River and San Mateo Elsinore-Murrieta-Anza Re- or approximately 789 square Creek) in the district. Affili- source Conservation District miles, extending south from What EMARCD Does ating with other groups and (EMARCD) meets the sec- Scott Road to the San Diego agencies allows EMARCD ond Friday of each month at: County line, and from east Mitigation: EMARCD ac- to work more efficiently and Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological of Anza west to the Orange cepts many forms of mitigation partner where it can. Reserve Visitor Center, 39400 County line. It also includes a to allow projects in the District Clinton Keith Road, Murrieta, In 2011, SAWA had no ac- loop around the north of Lake to run smoothly through the CA 92582. tive mitigation projects with Elsinore. Its RCD neighbors permitting process, yet fit into the EMARCD, but is planning The EMARCD office is are San Jacinto Basin RCD EMARCD’s goal of a sustain- to work on current mitigations located at 21535 Palomar Rd., and Riverside-Corona RCD in able and healthy environment that will likely involve this Suite A, Wildomar, CA 92595- Riverside County and Mission for the communities it serves. portion of the Santa Ana River 7763. The office phone num- RCD in San Diego County. Public Outreach: Host- watershed. ber is (951) 609-0066. Conservation districts be- ing Earth Day events, assist- gan to form following federal ing in and presenting com- enabling legislation in the late munity education programs 1930s. In response to the terri- and networking with various ble "dust bowl’ of that period, non-profit and governmental the federal Natural Resources agencies makes EMARCD’s Conservation Service (NRCS; connection with the residents then called the Soil Conserva- of the district grow. tion Service) was formed. It Partners: By attend- was realized that for the NRCS ing meetings, workshops and to function effectively, local conferences, EMARCD con- state districts were needed as tinually keeps connected with a bridge to the public. So the ongoing efforts to protect and RCDs were formed across the evaluate the watersheds (Santa LAKE ELSINORE AND WESTERN EMARCD AREA 6 Santa Ana Watershed Association 2011 Annual Report Inland empire Resource conservation District On July 1, 2005, the for- solidation resulted in the one part-time employees tion of open space, restora- merly independent In- creation of the Inland Em- perform the restoration, tion of area wildlands, and land Empire West Resource pire Resource Conservation conservation, and educa- facilitation of an array of District, headquartered in tion/outreach work consis- outreach opportunities for Conservation District and the East Valley Resource the City of Redlands The In- tent with its organizational the residents of the IERCD Conservation District were land Empire Resource Con- mandates. It is governed by service area. consolidated by the Local servation District (IERCD) a seven-member Board of As a member agency of Agency Formation Com- has been a member agency Directors comprised of Dis- SAWA, the IERCD performs mission (LAFCO), in an ef- of the Santa Ana Watershed trict landowners appointed a variety of tasks designed fort to reduce overhead and Association since its incep- by the County Board of Su- to assist the Association in improve financial strength, tion, and has been active pervisors, serving terms of fulfillment of its mission resource planning and proj- in the organization through four years each. The mis- and goals as they relate to ect coordination. The con- management of mitigation sion of the IERCD is based open space conservation, work, partnering on a vari- on the concept that the qual- degraded lands’ rehabilita- ety of education and preser- ity of one’s environment de- tion, and resident education vation projects, and in serv- termines the quality of life; and outreach. Attached to ing in a variety of positions accordingly, the IERCD this report are summaries on SAWA’s board of direc- works to preserve and en- of work performed by the tor. The District’s boundar- hance the natural resources IERCD, either on behalf of ies include multiple cities existing within District or in partnership with the and unincorporated county boundaries for the benefit Santa Ana Watershed Asso- areas over 825,000-acres of area wildlife, vegetation, ciation during the January within San Bernardino and and people. This is accom- 1st – December 31st, 2011 Riverside Counties, over plished through a variety of reporting period. which its five full-time and tasks, including conserva- 7 Santa Ana Watershed Association 2011 Annual Report Orange county Water District The Orange County Wa- ter District (OCWD) was formed in 1933 by a special act of the California State Legisla- ture to protect Orange Coun- ty’s rights to water in the Santa Ana River. OCWD’s primary responsibility is managing the vast groundwater basin under northern and central Orange County that supplies water to more than 20 cities and water agencies, serving more than 2.3 million Orange County residents. Since 1933, OCWD has replenished and maintained the groundwater basin at safe levels while more than dou- Samantha Dempster bling the basin’s annual yield. This important source of water PRADO BASIn fROM THe DAM lOOkInG TOWARD cHInO HIllS provides local groundwater producers with a reliable sup- ment program to pay for oper- more than 330 constituents— branes, improving advanced ply of high-quality water. ating expenses and the cost of far more than the 122 required purification technologies, us- imported replenishment water. by the regulatory agencies. ing bacteria to remove con- OCWD primarily recharg- The groundwater basin holds taminants, and studying the es the basin with water from OCWD is leading the millions of acre-feet of wa- quality of Santa Ana River the Santa Ana River and, to a way in purification of waste- ter (an acre-foot satisfies the water and other water-related lesser extent, with imported water for reuse to provide a needs of two families for one issues. Other OCWD ground- water purchased from the Met- reliable, new, drought-proof year). The groundwater basin water management and water ropolitan Water District of high-quality source of water. provides more than half of all quality activities focus on ex- Southern California. OCWD The Groundwater Replenish- water used within the district. panding the Prado wetlands, currently holds rights to all ment System, a joint project of Protection, safety and en- groundwater treatment at well Santa Ana River flows reach- OCWD and the Orange Coun- hancement of groundwater are heads, computer modeling ing Prado Dam. Water enters ty Sanitation District, went on- OCWD’s high- of the groundwater basin and the groundwater basin via line in January est priorities. conservation of endangered or settling or percolation ponds 2008 and can With one of the threatened species. in the cities of Anaheim and produce enough most sophisti- Orange. Behind Prado Dam near-distilled As a member of SAWA, cated ground- (constructed and owned by the quality water OCWD has contributed mil- water protec- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for 500,000 lions of dollars in mitigation tion programs for flood prevention), OCWD people. funding to further the restora- in the country, owns 2,400 acres in Riverside OCWD ef- tion mission and complemen- OCWD uses County, which the District uses forts to increase tary goals of SAWA. OCWD more than 700 for water conservation, water local water personnel assist SAWA with wells provid- quality improvement and envi- supplies also its watershed-wide biological ing more than ronmental enhancement. include expanding the capac- monitoring and reporting. The 1,400 sampling points—from district plays a pivotal role in OCWD monitors the which OCWD takes more ity of the existing percolation SAWA’s relationships with groundwater taken out each than 18,000 water samples and facilities, treating poor qual- regulatory and funding agen- year to ensure that the basin is conducts more than 350,000 ity water to make it useable, cies, and helps support SA- not overdrawn; refills the ba- analyses every year. OCWD’s studying methods to extend WA’s work in the Prado Basin sin; and carries out an assess- monitoring program looks for the life of filtration mem- and in Orange County. 8 Santa Ana Watershed Association 2011 Annual Report Orange county Water District Projects Vireo Monitoring, Prado deposited in the Watershed was hit by a fire in 2001 that nized the open areas created by Basin Trust Fund with OCWD and started in an area located just the success of Arundo control then on to SAWA in 2006, with southwest of the OCWD di- efforts. For example, Poison Orange County Water Dis- the transfer of the entire Trust version structure. The site had Hemlock and Kochio scoparia trict signed several agreements Fund balance. some mixed native vegetation, are locally abundant on the in the early 1990s with the U.S. Currently, OCWD is re- but was highly dominated by site. There has been enough Army Corps of Engineers and quired to furnish two vireo giant reed (Arundo donax) at recent, seasonal rain coupled U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service monitors in the basin with that time. After the fire, the with seepage that several low to enact emergency conserva- these funds, provide vehicles area was treated with herbi- spots have perennial stand- tion of water behind Prado and logistical support, and cide everywhere where Arun- ing water colonized by Cat- Dam. Subsequently, the envi- pay for cowbird trapping and do was re-sprouting. On three tails, and abundant California ronmental documentation was seeds for the traps. The Dis- separate occasions herbicide Grape. certified for formalizing water trict has split one of the moni- was applied to the Arundo and There were 22 Least Bell’s conservation to an elevation tor positions between two joint castor bean that was returning. Vireo territories in the Prado of 505 ft in spring and 498 ft SAWA/OCWD staffs and the As of September of 2003, the Burn during the 2011 breed- in winter when the retention other monitor is a contractor. area had significant re-growth ing season (Ten of these ter- of the water does not interfere OCWD pays these em- of black willow, cottonwoods, ritories were reported by John with the primary purpose and ployees and then is reimbursed mule fat, and blackberry. To- Green from AMEC, and 12 first priority of the operation by SAWA for the cost of the day, this project site is a mix- others by Bonnie Johnson of Prado Dam, which is flood contractor and one-half the ture of riparian woodland form OCWD.); this is up from control. cost of each of the two split and freshwater marsh. Large only five territories in 2004 Project commitments by employees. Those total costs specimen Black Willow and and 2005 The Prado Burn was OCWD and the terms and con- in 2011 were [I will get this Fremont’s Cottonwood domi- planted beginning in 2003 with ditions in several Biological cost] nate the overstory with Arroyo hundreds of pole-cuttings, Opinions issued by the Ser- Willow and Mulefat dominant most of which have taken. The vice to the Corps laid out the Prado Burn in the understory thickets. The initial Arundo removal and environmental responsibilities specific areas that had been spray cost $100,000; the spray taken on by OCWD and part- The Prado Burn site was dominated by Arundo are contract runs through 2012. ners for which funding was al- sanctioned by the Fish and showing major recruitment by OCWD deposited $930,000 located in one-time payments. Wildlife Service as the mitiga- Arroyo Willows, Cottonwood, with SAWA in 2004 to pay Biological Opinion #s 1-6-93- tion site for the Winter Water Grape, and Mulefat. Although for the restoration work on the F-7, 1-6-94-F-47, 1-6-95-F- Conservation Project. The res- the site is currently dominated Prado Burn and for other ef- 28, and 1-6-99-F-75 were the toration site was 40 acres and by native plants, a few non- forts such as vireo monitoring most pertinent. native species have also colo- in the Prado Basin. The committed funding was to be managed in an en- dowment to fund habitat res- toration and vireo monitoring in the basin for the life of the Water Conservation Program. OCWD and the County of Orange provided $450,000 each for vireo monitoring and support in 1991 and for habi- tat restoration. The Nature Conservancy acted as the fi- duciary and habitat manager at that time and when they left the program to OCWD and SAWA, the fund had grown to Lee Reeder $1,631,953. This amount was THe OlD RIveR ROAD BRIDGe OveR THe SAnTA AnA RIveR In THe PRADO BASIn 9 Santa Ana Watershed Association 2011 Annual Report Riverside-corona Resource conservation District cations for the instal- The RCRCD office pro- Since 1953, the River- sinore and Colton. RCRCD lation of conservation vides resource data and side-Corona Resource personnel provide technical practices, such as ero- planning tools, including Conservation District advice to land users and ed- sion control structures, soil and water testing, soil (RCRCD) has worked to ucational programs for the reventment, drainage survey maps, copies of his- create a sustainable commu- community. They also con- systems and habitat toric aerial photos, and a nity by helping people use duct on-the-land conserva- restoration. technical guide, Best Man- water, soil, wildlife, plant tion projects. and air resources so they last Technical assistance is Natural resource manage- agement Practices Hand- forever. As a SAWA mem- provided to land owners, ment and conservation plan- book for Erosion and Sedi- ber, RCRCD supports the “cooperators,” who are in- ning information is provided ment Control and Storm management of each acre of terested in conserving natu- to district cooperators with Water Retention/Detention, land according to its needs ral resources while using or assistance from the USDA a book on Inland Empire and provides additional con- developing property. Ser- Natural Resources Conser- Birds and sponsorship of the servation assistance through vices provided to coopera- vation Service (NRCS)., book, Native Plants of the cooperative agreements and tors include: Army Corps of Engineers Santa Ana River and Envi- conservation easements (ACOE), Santa Ana Re- rons. • onsite evaluation of with landowners. gional Water Quality Con- Resource Educators are problems, such as trol Board (SARWQCB), available to present the fol- The district is located in inefficient irrigation U.S. Fish and Wildlife Ser- lowing programs for com- parts of western Riverside systems vice (FWS), California De- munity groups, staff meet- and San Bernardino coun- • conservation planning partment of Fish and Game ings, high school level ties, and includes cities of based on resource data (DFG), U.S. Forest Service students, and public events: Riverside, Corona, Norco, such as soil type and (USFS), and U.S. Environ- Canyon Lake, Grand Ter- crop water needs, mental Protection Agency race and parts of Lake El- • design and/or specifi- (EPA). 10