Marin County Public Works & Gallinas Watershed Council Lecture for Mont Marin HOA 8/10/11

Alex Kahl, Gallinas Watershed Council & Liz Lewis, Marin County Public Works How Can Watershed Planning Support Community Enhancement?

Overview
Gallinas and Miller Creek: a look back and forward
What can your community do to maintain our healthy creeks?
How will future developments impact our creeks?
Dredging Las Gallinas Creek for recreation
What are our flood control issues?

Joint map mc and lgc watersheds Miller Creek and Las Gallinas Creek watersheds

Las Gallinas Creek- circa 1915

http://www.nbwatershed.org/millercreek Miller Creek Timeline

Lower Las Gallinas Creek 1914

Marin Historical Society-c 1953

A Tale of Two Creeks Steelhead Salmon

Stepping through the Gallinas Creek watershed

Diversity in the Watershed

Special Status Species in the Gallinas Creek Watershed

Gallinas Watershed Council
Who Are We?
Local community members interested in improving the ecological conditions in the Gallinas Creek watershed
Project Partners:
*MarinLink
*STRAW
*MCSTPPP and Marin County Public Works
*LGVSD – MMWD – MSS – NSRCR – and more!

Gallinas Watershed Council
GWC Mission:
To connect the people who live and work in Las Gallinas Valley with their watershed.
To educate the community regarding the ecological, financial and social benefits of watershed stewardship
To help each other take responsibility for our impact on the watershed through protection, restoration and education.
To advance conservation action and to protect, restore and enhance the natural resources in the Gallinas Creek watershed

Gallinas Watershed Council Our Watershed Vision: Restoration/Enhancement from open space headwaters to the bay A watershed-aware community supported by local schools and homeowners A creek-focused greenbelt park along Freitas Parkway - “Ditch the Ditch”

Problems
No In-Stream Habitat
No Riparian Habitat
Excess Freshwater Discharges
Poor Water Quality
Excessive Algal Growth
Trash
Creek & Community Disconnected

Discovered Illegal Creekside Dump North Fork Gallinas Creek

Dumpsite Cleared!

Benefits of an Enhanced Gallinas Creek
Creek focused corridors that connect the community with Gallinas Creek and the surrounding town areas
Maintain and enhance economic vitality
Infrastructure planning will improve our opportunities to seek funding

What is GWC Doing?
Biannual Trash pick up days
Meetings with San Rafael City Manager and DPW
Advocating for Las Gallinas Watershed Program
Neighborhood Watershed Awareness Informational meetings
Educational booths at community events

Current Road and Ditch Arrangement
Concrete channel in median of road
No floodplain area, small pocket parks
Sidewalks next to road

Possible Road and Channel Arrangement
Channel on one side of road and widens downstream
Floodplain and park created within existing right of way
New foot and bike pathway next to channel where space is sufficient

Marin Watershed Program www.marinwatersheds.org

Why A Watershed Approach?
Why now? We have momentum and support from our partners and the County.
The issues identified by the community aren’t going away; this program allows us to be ready when the economy recovers and new funding programs come on line.
Supports and guides protection and enhancement of significant natural resources
Leverages funding to attract State and Federal sources
Sea Level Rise adaptive management strategies would be transferable to other San Rafael shoreline areas

www.marinwatersheds.org

What are the goals of the watershed program?
Flood Protection
Reduce on-going maintenance costs and impacts
Responsive to sea level rise
Supports multiple benefit projects i.e flood protection and water quality improvements
Incorporates ecological benefits
Meets multiple partner agency objectives
Attractive to funders

County Stakeholder Process
Policy Advisory Committee :
BOS FC District Rep
City Council Reps
Flood Zone Advisory Board Reps
Water and Sanitary Board Reps
Technical Working Group:
Municipal Directors
Local, State & Federal Agency Reps
Watershed Groups
Homeowner’s Association Reps
Operations and Finance Committee :
City Managers & County DPW Director
Board of Supervisors Flood Control and Water Conservation District

Tools for Watershed Planning Computerized models to evaluate flood flows & sediment transport

Mapping creeks, wetlands, and flood protection facilities Coyote Creek watershed-Tamalpais Valley

Dredging slide

Development and Water Quality Impacts

Managing Stormwater as a Resource
Stay disconnected
Use permeable pavements
Limit paved surfaces
Detain and retain runoff throughout the site
Use drainage as a design element

Slow It, Spread It, Sink It
Site design mimics natural drainage
Disperse runoff to landscape or use permeable surfaces
To learn more go to
http://www.sscrcd.org/rainwater

Wolf Creek Restoration Grass Valley, CA
Restoration and trail development
Recreation, economic and community building potential
First Step: Master Plan Guides: Creek restoration Trail linkages Creek access points

Santa Rosa Creek: Prince Memorial Greenway

Prince Memorial Greenway Prince Memorial Greenway, Santa Rosa, CA

What is the status of a Gallinas/Miller Watershed Program?
County of Marin, Flood Zone 6, CSA 6 and the Las Gallinas Sanitary District have committed to implement the watershed approach
Meetings ongoing with City of San Rafael and Flood Zone 7 Advisory Board

Proposed budget for Gallinas/Miller Creek Watershed Program
Expenditures Cost
Hydrology and Hydraulics Model $270,000
Geomorphic/Sediment Study $70,000
Staffing $52,500
Total $392,500
Revenue
County of Marin $80,000
City of San Rafael ( proposed ) $80,000
Flood Zone 6 $12,500
Flood Zone 7 ( proposed ) $80,000
CSA 6 $60,000
Las Gallinas Sanitary District $80,000
Total $392,500

Protecting Watersheds: What You Can Do Everyday
Simple Ways to Protect Your Watershed
Don’t Dump or Litter
Water and Landscape Wisely
Control the Flow
Pick up After Rover
Fix that Leak
Participate in a Cleanup
Break up cement; create areas for water to soak into the ground
Join Gallinas Watershed Council and help us restore the creek!

www.marinwatersheds.org www.gallinaswatershed.org

Marin County Public Works & Gallinas Watershed Council Lecture for Mont Marin HOA 8/10/11

by Kahl Consultants on Sep 28, 2011

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Marin County Public Works & Gallinas Watershed Council Lecture for Mont Marin HOA 8/10/11 — Presentation Transcript

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