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Siuslaw SWCD Newsletter Spring 2013
Siuslaw SWCD Newsletter Winter 2013
Siuslaw SWCD Newsletter Winter 2012
Winter 2012 Insert:  Tenmile Creek Knotweed Poster
Current Projects
Nelson Creek Riparian Restoration
       
The project site lies along the low gradient stream reach at the confluence of Nelson Creek and Lake Creek, both of which historically supported abundant anadromous fish populations. For the last decade, the land owner has managed the area for hay production, but planned on shifting towards cattle grazing due to market issues. The land owner was well aware of the detrimental effects of grazing cattle within the riparian area and so came to us for assistance in developing a plan to address the issue. He also wanted assistance in stabilizing his stream banks at three different erosion areas and to lease back 38 acres worth of irrigation water rights. 9 acres of riparian buffer will be fenced off, replanted with native vegetation, and enrolled in Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP).

    Lake Creek is listed by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality on their 303(d) list of impaired waters for several parameters including: temperature, sedimentation, and flow modification. The Siuslaw Watershed Council’s Watershed Assessment (2002) identifies the project area as high in priority for restoration. Oregon’s Coastal Coho Conservation Plan (ODFW, 2007) identified stream complexity and water quality as the primary and secondary limiting factors for Coho in the Siuslaw Watershed. We decided to further develop the project since it addresses both primary and secondary limiting factors for Coho within the Siuslaw River, as well as improving overall water quality and quantity. The project was made possible with funds from the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) and the EQIP.
North Fork Siuslaw Riparian Restoration
       
The project area is a high-intrinsic-potential low gradient stream reach located 10 miles up the North Fork Siuslaw. The site exhibits highly erodible stream banks 20 ft in height, with a dysfunctional riparian area on the North bank dominated by exotic pasture weeds. The land owner was losing pasture land and stream bank soil annually during high flows, decreasing downstream water quality. The project plan called for addressing the unstable banks susceptible to block failure, by re-contouring the banks to a ratio of three to one, followed by heavy willow planting. Conifer trees with root wads attached were placed within the toe of the slope, oriented to dissipate energy. The landowner has agreed to replant and fence off a 50 ft riparian buffer, 3 acres in total.
     The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality lists the North Fork Siuslaw River as being water quality limited by sedimentation and temperature. For the last two years, the Siuslaw SWCD has identified the North Fork Siuslaw River and the Coastal Lakes as their priority watersheds, based largely on the Siuslaw Watershed Council’s Watershed Assessment of 2002. Project partners include the Siuslaw Stewardship Group (SSG), the United States Forest Service, the Siuslaw Watershed Council, and the Natural Resource Conservation Service. Funds from OWEB and the Forest Service Stewardship Contracting supported the project.
District Employment Opportunities
None available at this time.
Technical Assistance
       
Siuslaw Soil and Water Conservation District works directly with individual landowners or managers to design and secure financial assistance to implement the best conservation practices suitable for each parcel of land.  We take a landscape approach to solving resource management concerns.  By looking at the whole picture with individual landowners and managers, we can help turn resource problems into management opportunities that are good for the property owner, good for the land and water, and good for citizens within our district.  If you are interested in any type of technical assistance, please contact Seth Mead at the district office.
Siuslaw Soil and Water Conservation District
1525  12th St  Suite 10A
Florence, OR  97439

541-997-1272
Fax 541-997-6296
siuswcd@qwestoffice.net
Mission of the Siuslaw Soil and Water Conservation District
       
Siuslaw Soil and Water Conservation District (Siuslaw SWCD) serves residents within the Siuslaw River Watershed and the surrounding Lakes Basin by providing assistance to implement resource conservation, watershed restoration and habitat enhancement projects to improve and conserve natural resources on agricultural, forested, private, urban and rural lands.  Specifically we:
■  Provide information, education, and outreach. 
■  Provide technical assistance to private landowners to develop and implement conservation plans on their property. 
■  Provide an interface between agencies and landowners. 
■  Collaborate with federal, state, and local government agencies and groups.
Conservation  -  Education  -  Self-Government
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Current Projects
Future / Upcoming Projects
Past Projects
       
Employment Opportunities
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Previous Awards
       
Technical Assistance
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Water Quality Monitoring
Invasive Species Control
Conservation Programs
       
District Mission Statements
Personnel & Board Members
Partners (Agencies)
News & Events
       
       
Staff Directory 2013
DIRECTORS
Johnny Sundstrom, Chair
Dir, Zone 2, Term 2010
(541) 964-5901
E-mail: siwash@pioneer.net
Ray Kinney, Vice-Chair
Dir-At-Large, Term 2010
(541) 964-3981
E-mail: kennyr@pioneer.net
Noland Huntington, Treasurer
Dir, Zone 1, Term 2010
(541) 997-3982
E-mail: nolandh@oregonfast.net
Kevin Carroll
Dir, Zone 3, Term 2012
(541) 997-7443
E-mail: kevinc@oregonfast.net
Richard Huff
Dir-At-Large, Term 2012
(541) 997-8112
E-mail: rhufflog@yahoo.com
William "Fuzzy" Gates
Associate Director
(541) 997-9502
E-mail: fuzzfarm5446@hotmail.com
OFFICE & STAFF
Siuslaw SWCD
Florence Business Center
1525 12th St., Suite 10A
(541) 997-1272
FAX (541) 997-6296
siuswcd@qwestoffice.net
Seth Mead
Watershed Conservationist




Jan Jaroncyk
Bookkeeper

Abigail DeYoung
Office Assistant

ASSOCIATES
Liz Vollmer-Buhl, Coordinator
Siuslaw Watershed Council
P.O. Box 422
Mapleton, OR  97453
(541) 268-3044,  Fax: 268-3045
E-mail: coordinator@siuslaw.org
Kate Danks, NRCS liaison
Lincoln SWCD:  (541) 265-2631
E-mail: kdanks@or.nrcs.usda.gov



Tom Shafer, OWEB
(541) 528-7451
Paul Burns, USFS
(541) 902-6953
Kevin Fenn, ODA
(503) 986-6486
       
Partners
The Siuslaw Soil and Water Conservation District has formed several partnerships with organizations and agencies that specialize in natural resource management.  Our success depends largely in part to these valuable relationships.

Natural Resources Conservation Service, NRCS
       

Soil and Water Conservation Districts have formed a close working bond with the NRCS.  The staff of the NRCS provides technical assistance to local land managers, SWCDs, and many other entities.  The NRCS has a staff of technical specialists in many different fields to aid in solving a wide range of natural resource problems.  NRCS staff share office space with the Siuslaw SWCD and coordinate management of programs and technical assistance.

www.or.nrcs.usda.gov
Siuslaw Watershed Council, SWC
       
The Siuslaw Watershed Council, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, provides an opportunity for local people to plan and participate in the restoration of their watershed.  Watershed councils are volunteer organizations that develop and participate in community efforts to restore and protect watershed health, water quality and native fish populations.   Councils are not governmental organizations and are not regulatory.
Anyone can participate in the Council!  They help landowners fund and carry out protection and restoration efforts on their land.  They partner with industries and agencies alike to implement important research and restoration efforts.  They also provide educational opportunities for the Council and the community.  If you are interested in watershed health, get involved! COUNCIL MEMBERS MAKE IT HAPPEN!
www.siuslaw.org
Oregon Department of Agriculture, ODA
       
The Natural Resources Division, NRD, of the ODA, provides support to all of the SWCDs in Oregon.  The NRD coordinates various programs of districts and tries to keep directors informed of activities in other districts and to develop cooperation among districts.  The NRD also seeks sources of assistance from other state and federal departments and agencies, provides administrative grant assistance, assists with district funding strategy, and is responsible for reviewing all projects, practices, budgets, contracts or regulations of districts.  ODA maintains a web resource center for SWCDs at:
www.oregon.gov/ODA/SWCD/
Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, OWEB
       
The Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board provides technical assistance, technical training and forums for communication among the watershed councils and the Siuslaw SWCD.  OWEB also provides grant funds for locally identified restoration projects.
www.oregon.gov/OWEB
News and Events
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO AGRICULTURAL LANDOWNERS
Personnel from the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) will be presenting an overview of the Implementation Ready Total Maximum Daily Loads (IRTMDL) as part of the February Siuslaw Watershed Council General Meeting.  The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, February 27, from 6:30-8:30pm at the Mapleton Grange.
NOTICE TO HISPANIC AND/OR WOMEN FARMERS OR RANCHERS 
If you are a woman or Hispanic farmer and believe you were improperly denied farm loan benefits by USDA between 1981 and 2000. You may be eligible for compensation. To register your name to receive a claims packet, call the Farmer and Rancher Call Center at 1-888-508-4429 or visit: www.farmerclaims.gov
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
United States Department of Agriculture
Board meetings
District Board Meetings are held on the first Monday of each month, at the District Office, from 6:30 pm on.  Public attendance and participation is encouraged.  For more information contact the District Office.
      
      
Education and Outreach
The Siuslaw Soil and Water Conservation District is actively involved with our local schools and citizens, in hope to help them further understand the progressively complex natural resource issues faced today.  Through education and outreach, we promote sustainable, ecosystem based ideals that are meant to help individuals realize their importance in shaping their future landscape.  Below are some of the programs in which we participate.
Stream Team
       
       
The Siuslaw Stream Team Project provides an ecologically and watershed focused in-class and on-the-ground learning opportunity to the students of the Siuslaw Watershed. Through partnerships with a broad range of community, watershed, and agency natural resource professionals, students learn and participate first hand in on-the-ground restoration efforts within important watershed habitat systems in the coastal Siuslaw region.

Stream Team members actively learn about their watershed through participation in on-the-ground research and restoration projects. They do water quality monitoring, measure stream flows, conduct biological assessments, and participate in restoration projects such as riparian plantings and rearing and releasing coho salmon. In addition, they educate their community about watershed and salmon issues by giving talks on their projects to community and school groups.

The success of this program is important for many reasons. The Siuslaw basin has always been an important watershed for anadromous fish populations. In the past 100 years, we have seen a decline in native salmon, including a 99% reduction in native coho populations. In the past 10 years, the basin and its people have undergone dramatic political, social and economic changes. This area will likely never see the return of the resource extraction dominated economy that provided jobs for student's parents and grandparents. The Stream Team project provides these children with the opportunity to learn about employment options available to them in the "new" natural resource economy. Most importantly, students learn about the watershed in which they live. The understanding and appreciation they gain gives them a sense of stewardship for this watershed, which will lead them to be involved in long-term protection and restoration efforts.
Forest Field Day
       
Forest Field Day is an annual event sponsored by Forests Today and Forever, a non-profit group that promotes forest stewardship through education.  Each May for the last five years, it has been held locally at Siuslaw SWCD Director Noland Huntington's tree farm on the North Fork Siuslaw River.  Middle school students from both Florence and Mapleton come to learn about sustainable forest management from volunteer professionals.  For more information, visit the website at:
www.foreststodayandforever.orgv
Water Quality
       
The Siuslaw and Lincoln Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs), the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the Oregon Dept. Of Agriculture, and other partners are available to provide technical, financial, and educational assistance to landowners in the Mid Coast Agricultural Water Quality Management Area to meet their conservation goals and local water quality standards.  The intent of the ODA's Water Quality Program is to:

■ Satisfy multiple federal and state water quality mandates;

■ Encourage voluntary conservation;

■ Promote water quality improvement through outreach and education;

■ Allow flexibility in meeting local water quality standards;

■ Provide enforcement provisions for landowners who refuse to work towards meeting water quality standards; and

■ Involve local citizens and organizations in the development of strategies to meet water quality standards.
For more information click on the links below:
Siuslaw River Gauge
Mid Coast Agricultural Water Quality Management Area Plan 2009
Mid Coast Agricultural Water Quality Management Area Plan Review 2011
Developed by the Mid Coast Local Advisory Committee with assistance from The Lincoln and Siuslaw Soil and Water Conservation Districts and The Oregon Department of Agriculture
Invasive Species Control
The Siuslaw Soil and Water Conservation District (Siuslaw SWCD) serves residents within the Siuslaw River Watershed and the surrounding Coastal Lakes Basin by providing assistance to control and eradicate threatening invasive exotics by:
■  Providing guidance information on types of control and timelines associated
■  Providing local inventories
■  Developing and implementing control projects and specifications

For more information on various invasive species, read below:
JAPANESE KNOTWEED
(Polygonum cuspidatum)

       
Description:  Native to Eastern Asia, Japanese Knotweed is an upright, herbaceous perennial that commonly grow to heights over 10 feet.  Stems are stout, hollow, and swollen at the joints.  Leaves are usually 6-8 inches long and 3-5 inches wide, broad and oval in shape although coming to a point at the tip.  When in bloom the tiny white flowers are arranged in attractive branched sprays, often beloved by pollinators.  Knotweeds are considered noxious weeds by the Oregon Dept. of Agriculture and are a priority to eradicate.

Ecology:  Japanese Knotweed and its similar subspecies (Bohemian and Himalayan) are a serious threat to our native riparian ecosystems.  Since it starts growing earlier in the spring than most of our natives (and also grows faster) it easily outcompetes and rapidly forms densely thick monoculture stands that only support very limited food webs in comparison to our diverse native stream side assemblages.  It primarily spreads vegetatively, so mowing and tilling are NOT control options.  A single rhizome can result in an entire stand if given the chance.  Once established it is very persistent and can take multiple years of intensive management to control.

Options:  If you observe Knotweed on your property and would like to be part of the solution, there is help available.  The Siuslaw SWCD, the OR State Weed Board, and the Siuslaw Resource Advisory Council have all joined forces in hope to eradicate invasive Knotweeds.  We perform a local inventory documenting all known stands within the district during late spring and early summer, with follow up treatment occurring in late August and September. If you are open to assistance, please contact Seth Mead, the Watershed Conservationist for the Siuslaw SWCD.  He can be reached by phone at 541 997 1272 or via email at siuswcd@qwestoffice.net, office hours are usually Mon-Thu from 8-4.

IMPORTANT:  Please refrain from mowing, cutting, and/or transporting it, especially in areas adjacent to bodies of water.  Disturbance also stresses the plants, resulting in less effective responses to treatment. Please do not discard of it in any river or stream, as it will only float downstream and re-propagate.  This is of even greater importance to land owners within the estuary, as the tidal fluctuations can spread it both upstream and down.
http://www.oregon.gov/ODA/PLANT/WEEDS/profile_japknotweed.shtml
Conservation Programs
Listed below are numerous conservation programs meant to help interested landowners as potential sources of funding for a variety of watershed restoration projects. 
NRCS: Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP)
       
The program provides an opportunity for landowners to receive financial incentives to enhance wetlands in exchange for retiring marginal land from agriculture. There are three enrollment options: Permanent Easement, a 30-year Easement, and Restoration Cost-Share Agreement. For more information on this NRCS-administered program, go to:
www.or.nrcs.usda.gov
NRCS: Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)
       
CREP is a program that helps agricultural producers protect environmentally sensitive land, decrease erosion, and restore wildlife habitat, and safeguard ground and surface water. By using a partnership between producers, tribal, state and federal governments, sensitive areas are enrolled under a rental agreement to protect the resources on that site. This is a Farm Service Agency administered program; for more information, see:
www.fsa.usda.gov
NRCS: Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
       
Farmers and ranchers may receive financial and technical help to install or implement structural and management conservation practices on eligible agricultural land. Contracts can be 1 to 10 years in length with a cost share of up to 75% (generally falling into the 50% cost-share range). A sub-category to EQIP is the Conservation Innovation Grants. These are competitive grant awards to stimulate innovative approaches to environmental enhancement and protection, in conjunction with agricultural production. For more information, go to:
www.or.nrcs.usda.gov
OWEB: Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board Grant Program
       
OWEB provides a variety of grants. Project types include restoration, land acquisitions, education/outreach, technical assistance, and local innovation. All grants require at least 25% match. Grant application deadlines vary by project type; check OWEB's website at www.oregon.gov/OWEB/GRANTS for detailed information and applications.

OWEB's small grant program is designed for on-the-ground restoration projects. Grants up to $10,000 are available, with a 25% match. Applications can be submitted any time, and are evaluated and selected by a local review team. Applications and information on the small grant program can be obtained from the Siuslaw SWCD at (541) 997-1272.
DEQ: Nonpoint Source Pollution 319 Grants
       
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has approximately $2.7 million each year available for projects that address nonpoint source pollution problems. Applicants can include watershed councils, Soil and Water Conservation Districts and other natural resources and water quality related agencies, colleges and universities, and nonprofit organizations. The application period runs from early September through October each year. Nonpoint source water quality and watershed enhancement projects should address the priorities in the Oregon Water Quality Nonpoint Source Management Plan. For more information contact DEQ at:
www.deq.state.or.us/wq/nonpoint/wq319gt.htm
ODFW: Restoration and Enhancement Program (R&E)
       
The goal of this program, funded solely by fishing licenses, is to fund projects that benefit sport fisheries. Applicants must be a public or private non-profit entity, or Salmon and Trout Enhancement Program (STEP) organization. Typical project award is under $100,000 and there is no match requirement, although matching funds are highly encouraged. For more information, contact state R&E coordinator Laura Tesler 503-947-6259 or check the ODFW website at www.dfw.state.or.us. The application can be completed on-line via the website; grants are awarded quarterly.
www.dfw.state.or.us
Other Grant Opportunities
       
There are a number of other governmental agencies, foundations and other entities that provide funding for watershed health projects. The Oregon State Noxious Weed grant program is overseen by the Oregon State Weed Board. The program is part of the Plant Division of the Oregon Department of Agriculture. Information can be obtained from the ODA website under the Plant Division, or call Jo Davis, Noxious Weed Control Program Assistant at 503-986-4621 or email jdavis@oda.state.or.us. Information and links for a variety of other grants can be found on the US Fish and Wildlife Service website at:
www.fws.gov/grants/
or on the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife website at:
www.dfw.state.or.us/conservationstrategy
Project Solicitations
None currently.
       
Previous Awards
Nothing at this time... but soon.
       
Future/Upcoming Projects
None at this time.  Check here later for future projects plans.
Click the Current Projects button for a list of projects that we are presently working on.
Past Projects
Fiddle Creek Stream Enhancement Project
       
In 2008, the Siuslaw SWCD held a landowner workshop at the Fiddle Cr. Grange, primarily for residence of the Coastal Lakes Basin.  One landowner on Fiddle Cr. itself, followed up with the District wanting assistance developing a conservation plan for his property.  Fiddle Cr. is one of the larger tributaries to Siltcoos Lake, and supports one of the healthiest runs of Coho salmon in the state of Oregon.  The land owner has a 42 acre parcel that had historically been used as a dairy operation.  Currently he leases the land to ranchers who graze cattle for beef production.  He wanted to address one area in particular, where annually several feet of pasture land was lost during high winter flows.  After several meetings with the former District Watershed Conservationist Sharon Corrigan, and District liaison Jeff Jones of Habitat Contracting, the landowner agreed to set aside and re-vegetate a 50 ft riparian buffer.  They also agreed to build an exclusion fence that ran the entire length of the 1.2 mile, ~ 9 acre buffer.  The District agreed to address the re-occurring washout by first re-contouring the stream bank to a slope of 3:1.  The design also incorporated placing smaller (10-14 inch dbh) conifer plantation trees with root wads attached, within the toe of the bank to provide both further bank protection and native fish habitat.  Following the wood placement, the excavation area was slated for intense willow planting, on a 2 ft grid pattern.

     With funds from the ODA, the USFWS, the Siuslaw Resource Advisory Council, and ODFW’s Restoration and Enhancement Board, the District began implementation in the Summer of 2010.  The stream bank excavation was completed in July, and the New Zealand style, 4 strand exclusion fence was completed in early December.  The remaining riparian planting and livestock off-stream watering components are to be completed in Spring 2011.  This project compliments an adjacent restoration on Kimberly Creek, funded by an OWEB Small Grant and implemented by NRCS.  Kimberly Cr. is a tributary to Fiddle Cr., and runs through the same land owner’s property.  The landowner has since enrolled the ~9 acres of riparian buffer in the CREP, which was approved through the FSA, and begins on March 1, 2011.  In conclusion, the Fiddle Cr. Stream Enhancement is a prime example of how a cattle grazing operation can be managed for production, while still providing improved water quality, and habitat for multiple species.

Project Totals:
·   (50ft wide x 1.2 miles in length =)~ 9 acres of riparian buffer; ~400 native shrubs/trees per acre.
·   1.2 mile long, New Zealand Style (4 strand) Exclusion Fence.
·   200 ft of stream bank re-contoured to slope of 3:1.
·   ~50 conifer plantation trees place within the toe of the 200 ft of re-contoured stream bank.
·   3 Livestock Off-stream Watering Facilities.

Personnel Associated with the Project:
·   Seth Mead (Watershed Conservationist, Siuslaw SWCD)
·   Kate Danks (District Liaison, NRCS)
·   Jeff Jones (District Liaison, Habitat Contracting)
·   Paul Burns (Fisheries Biologist, Siuslaw National Forest)
·   Sharon Corrigan (Former Watershed Conservationist, Siuslaw SWCD)
·   Kevin Fenn (Mid-Coast Water Quality Specialist, ODA)
Other Past Projects
       
Reserved for other project listings.
Quarterly Reports
1st Quarter 11-12 Quarterly Report
Annual Reports
2011-2012 Annual Report
2010-2011 Annual Report
Other Publications
Western Lane County Rural Living Handbook
Stewardship Newsletter Insert 2011
Dunes City Scotch Broom Announcement
Reed Canarygrass Control & Management in the Pacific Northwest
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