Stevens & Permanente Creeks Watershed Council
Stevens & Permanente Creeks Watershed Council 2353 Venndale Ave. San Jose, CA 95124 Tel: (408) 356-8258 Fax: (760) 281-9629	Ongoing Projects Watershed Action Plan Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Collaborative Effort South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project Sediment Study Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Citizen Streamkeeper Program   Watershed Action Plan This project is the cornerstone of the Stevens & Permanente Creeks Watershed Council and its power. This plan will prioritize issues, assign responsibilities, and set achievable goals for the short term. Completion of the Action Plan is slated for March 2004. The plan will be formulated by members of the watershed community with input from agency representatives from the RI DEM, the EPA, Conservation Commissions, environmental organizations, and other stakeholders. We need your help! Please comment on the draft template with what you believe are the priorities of the Woonasquatucket River Watershed and, if possible, how these goals may be achieved. Please fill out the comment form and send any questions or suggestions to Mondy Lariz or Gary Bailey. Back to top Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Collaborative Effort FAHCE -- which is comprised of the Santa Clara Valley Water District, the California Department of Fish and Game, the National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Natural Heritage Institute representing the Guadalupe-Coyote Resource Conservation District, the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society and the city of San Jose -- was formed in October 1997 to explore opportunities to protect fisheries. Since its formation, FAHCE has overseen removal of two barriers to fish migrations and construction of a fish ladder in the Guadalupe River. In addition, FAHCE initiated pilot studies to operate several local reservoirs to optimize summertime conditions for young steelhead. This process has also identifed several priority fish passage barriers on Stevens Creek which will be removed in the years to come. This year, scooping will begin for the programs EIR. Our watershed coordinator will be participating in this process. Back to top South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project The restoration process will be managed collaboratively by the California State Coastal Conservancy, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the California Department of Fish and Game. This website provides information on all aspects of the project, including how you can get involved and contribute to the project. This project will result in large-scale restoration of wetlands from the San Mateo Bridge to southern edge of San Francisco Bay. This project provides an exceptional opportunity to improve the physical, biological, and chemical health of San Francisco Bay, and provide increased habitat for endangered species. The goals of the project are to:   Click here for a Project Map Back to top Sediment Study The Santa Clara Valley Urban Runoff Pollution Prevention Program (Program) is going to be conducting a sediment study of Stevens Creek this fall. Information will be posted here when available. Back to top Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) is a calculation of the amount of pollutants that a water body can assimilate and still perform all its functions. Development of a TMDL for Stevens & Permanente Creeks will help us to regulate and monitor the health of these creeks and to identify problem areas. Back to top Citizen Streamkeeper Program Our Streamkeeper Spence Everson and some other volunteers are working on a program to train and empower citizens in our watershed to protect our creeks. We are currently preparing a grant request for funds to allow us to prepare course materials and conduct classes nessisary for this program. On the left is a picture of a coyote den in the upper watershed. Back to top