Funding sources dry up for Alpine Watershed Group

The Alpine Watershed Group faces severe funding cutbacks that will all but stop the group's ability to effectively monitor and quantify data from Alpine County's watersheds. The state of California, hamstrung by its inability to pass a budget and unable to sell bonds that support voter approved propositions to support such groups, has shut off all grant funding, effective Dec. 17.

The Alpine Watershed Group is a 501(c)3 nonprofit stakeholder organization, incorporated in 2005 from an earlier ad hoc group, whose mission is to support and enhance the natural system functions of Alpine County's watersheds. This is done using an evolving strategic plan based on current watershed assessments, previous impact studies and criteria developed by the California Department of Conservation and other state and federal scientific agencies.

The group consists of a full time paid coordinator, stakeholders (anyone who lives or recreates in Alpine County), volunteer citizen water quality monitors, a volunteer board of directors (full disclosure, this columnist is chair of that board) and partnerships with Alpine County, and state and federal agencies that have jurisdiction over watersheds.

Since 2005 citizen water quality monitors, of which there are 16 to study eight sites, meet quarterly on Saturday mornings to collect scientific data that includes physical, chemical and biological assessments. This data is useful to decision-makers at all levels of government as well as to local residents by identifying potential impacts from various land use practices.

Central to this effort and collecting additional scientific data is coordinator Chris Katopothis. Chris, who has been with the group for a year and a half, has expanded previous efforts at collecting bacteriological and bio-assessment data ("bugs," specifically benthic macro-invertebrates which are indicator species) to include nutrient sampling (nitrogen, phosphorus), high and low flow turbidity data and increased habitat studies.

Chris has extensive experience in stream studies. He did anadromous fish (steelhead, salmon) studies on north coast streams and watershed impact studies for Cal-Trans before coming to Alpine County. With an environmental science degree from Sonoma State, Chris rapidly became familiar with Alpine County's unique watersheds, potential problem areas and quickly expanded the protocols and criteria necessary to find solutions.

The group has numerous and varied outreach programs that involve local schools, training, community group and supervisor meetings, coordination with neighboring watershed groups as well as working with the many jurisdictional agencies. The annual creek day event (last Saturday in September) is a yearly highlight. Restoration projects such as the Markleeville Guard Station and smaller scale efforts in Hope Valley are an ongoing process.

Grant writing is important to the viability of the group and it is these grants, funded under propositions 50 and 84 that dried up. California is unable to sell bonds to fund the grants or pass a budget. So, while well paid lawmakers in Sacramento fiddle and fuss, hundreds of organizations are laying off employees or folding altogether due to lack of funding.

Those affected range from watershed groups, county departments, university study projects, the Coastal Commission as well as a host of others. Years of data could be lost of as well as the consistent scientific monitoring necessary to protect public resources.

AWG will soon exhaust its funding. Remaining funds, from the Carson Water Sub-conservancy District and the Rose Foundation provide a cushion through March. After March AWG will be unable to pay the salary of its coordinator or the lab fees associated with bacteriological, nutrient and bug data. Funds for events like Creek Day will be gone and various outreach programs will cease.

Alpine County has some of the finest watersheds in the country but there have been impacts from past mining, grazing and logging practices. Currently such uses are, for the most part, much more enlightened and therefore better controlled. Wildfires and development can have significant water quality impacts. Climate change will affect future water availability and quality. Remember that watersheds are defined by ridgelines and that the water flowing down that creek, stream or river measures the health of the entire ecosystem. It's crucial that we keep data on water. It is, after all, some 70 percent of us.

What you can do: Volunteer, volunteer, volunteer. Monitor, assess, do outreach, attend meetings, develop a Web site, write copy for the newsletter, donate (tax deductible), brainstorm funding ideas.

Call or write to our legislators and urge them to pass a budget. Call Sen. Dave Cox (916) 651-4001 and Assembly Member Ted Gaines (916) 319-2004.

The success of the Alpine Watershed Group depends in large part on its diversity. Citizen participation is the key.

The next meeting is 6 p.m. March 10 at the Alpine County Library in Markleeville. Call Chris at (530) 694-2327 or via e-mail at watershed@alpinecountyca.com for more information.