| From the Office of the Governor, State of California
NOTICE OF MEETING
Monday, June 28 2004The Regional Board will meet on June 28, 2004, from 8:30 a.m. to approximately 4:00 p.m. to discuss the potential impacts associated with timber operations in Santa Cruz County. Panelists will address the Board on the following subjects. 1. BENEFICIAL USES OF WATER IN TIMBERED WATERSHEDS
The Board will not be voting on any matters during this meeting or considering any specific dischargers. The Board may give direction to staff. Closed Session Discussion of Cases in Litigation [Staff Counsel Lori Okun].................................Closed
Session
TIMBER HARVEST WORKSHOP AGENDA
8:30 Introduction § Purpose of the Meeting: Roger Briggs, Executive Officer8:45 SESSION 1: Beneficial Uses in Timbered Watersheds of Santa Cruz County § Staff Introduction: Katie McNeill, Environmental ScientistBeneficial Uses in Timber Harvest Areas § Invited Panelists:
§ Staff Introduction: Dominic Roques, Engineering GeologistThe Range of Beneficial Use Impacts and Potential Causes § Invited Panelists:§ Question and Answer 10:30 Break 10:45 SESSION 3: Measuring Beneficial Use Impacts § Staff Introduction: Dominic Roques, Engineering GeologistLunch (Closed Session) 1:00 SESSION 3 continued Current Monitoring Efforts at Regional and State Level § Invited Panelists:3:00 Break 3:15 SESSION 4: Region 3 Staff Proposal For Timber Harvest Monitoring § Staff Introduction: Chris Adair, Senior Water Resource Control Engineer4:00 SESSION 5: Summary of Key Information Discussed/Outstanding Questions and Issues § Summary: Regional Board Staff STATE OF CALIFORNIA
STAFF REPORT: TIMBER HARVEST WORKSHOP
SUBJECT: POTENTIAL IMPACTS TO BENEFICIAL USES OF WATER IN WATERSHEDS ASSOCIATED WITH TIMBER HARVEST SUMMARY The members of the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board
(Regional Board) have requested that Regional Board staff (staff) present
a workshop to clarify the Board’s role in the regulation of Timber Harvest
activities on the Central Coast. Specifically, the Regional Board wishes
to discuss sediment problems and sources in "timber" watersheds and the
role of timber harvests in sediment problems in these watersheds.
DISCUSSION During the May 2003 Board Meeting, the Regional Board directed staff to require monitoring and reporting programs as a condition for approval of waivers of waste discharge requirements for timber operations. In September 2003, staff introduced several tools they would use to help evaluate potential threat to water quality which might be expected from various timber harvest plans. Staff reasoning with respect to monitoring has evolved over the past year but no clear understanding of monitoring needs has emerged beyond the need to immediately address conditions which could impact water quality when they are discovered. This situation has become increasingly frustrating to both Board Members and staff due to the continued repetition of old arguments both for and against different types of monitoring, increased paperwork and less field work. WORKSHOP GOALS The goals of this workshop are: 1. to more clearly define the existing conditions in Santa Cruz County. Existing water quality issues will be explored with an emphasis on current forest practices in the region, other potential sources of sediment in watersheds with timber harvest activities and potential impacts from other pressures on Santa Cruz watersheds, 2. to more clearly define monitoring needs in the context of the existing conditions. Panelists and Board members will explore the different types of monitoring (including practicality and feasibility) and assess monitoring needs in relation to monitoring at the level of individual timber harvest plan versus watershed-scale monitoring, 3. to determine how monitoring strategies employed by Central Coast Regional Board staff compare with monitoring efforts at other regions, 4. and, to determine how current efforts by Central Coast Region staff can interface with existing efforts to protect water quality in Santa Cruz while making our process more effective and efficient. WORKSHOP FORMAT Regional Board staff has assembled a number of experts from throughout the local area and the state including; Research Scientists
These professionals will be divided into panels which will address the major topics of identifying beneficial uses of water in watersheds with timber activities, identifying the stressors on those uses and measuring impacts to those uses. Each panel will make presentations based on the major topic followed by a question and answer session with the Board Members. Time will be set-aside at the end of the workshop for Board discussion. SUMMARY
RECOMMENDATION: This is an information and discussion item. The Regional Board may give direction to staff ATTACHMENTS: 1. Workshop Agenda 2. Jackson Hydrology Report 3. Pete Caferrata Report 4. Preliminary Information from the Lower Little Creek Study 5. A Scientific Basis for the Prediction of Cumulative Watershed Effects (Executive summary) 6. Santa Cruz County Planning and Management Activities 7. Regional Board Timber Harvest Decision Model
Citizens for Responsible Forest Management (CRFM) is a nonprofit public benefit corporation, formed in 1993. The members of CRFM have a fundamental interest in living in a high quality environment; we enjoy living in a world where natural values are respected and preserved. CRFM is committed to preserving and enhancing the ecological stability of the Santa Cruz Mountains environment, especially wildlife habitat and watershed stability, water quality and all beneficial uses of water including fisheries. |