Program Categories:
- Range Camp (for high school youth)
- Watershed Activities
- DVDs on Weeds and Horsekeeping
- Publications and Data
- Irrigated Agricultural Lands Programs
Watershed Activities:
The RCD has projects underway or recently completed in several Contra Costa watersheds. It is active in building watershed awareness throughout the county.The CCRCD obtained funding from the Contra Costa County Fish and Wildlife Committee and contracted with Hagar Environmental Science and Pacific Biology to conduct a Steelhead Habitat and Mapping project through the incorporated portion of Pinole Creek (Lower Pinole Creek). This study measured the quantity and quality of steelhead habitat present in Pinole Creek in the lower watershed and was in partnership with 7the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) which completed an identical habitat mapping protocol on Pinole Creek through their property in the upper watershed as part of their East Bay Habitat Conservation Plan (Upper Pinole Creek Watershed Salmonid Habitat Assessment). These two analogous surveys provide the scientific data which is key to obtaining funding for construction of a fish passage improvement project at the I-80 culverts which are the only total fish barrier in Pinole Creek.
- Alhambra Creek Watershed,
- Kirker Creek Watershed
- Marsh Creek Watershed
- Mt. Diablo Creek Watershed
- Rodeo Creek Watershed
RCD sponsored watershed groups and contacts:
For information on the two groups above, contact Laura Wright (lwright@ci.pittsburg.ca.us) or Mitch Schweikert (mschweickert@losmedanos.net).
Local Weather Data Available Online from the CIMIS Network
Farmers, golf courses, and landscape maintenance professionals can fine-tune irrigation to local weather conditions using weather data online. The Contra Costa RCD maintains a weather station in Brentwood that is part of the CA Department of Water Resources' CIMIS network. Other Contra Costa agencies maintain weather stations in Walnut Creek and Concord. You can view and download data for these stations, and stations state-wide, at the CIMIS website.
Programs for Teens
Range and Natural Resources Camp - held annually during the 3rd week of June - at Elkus Ranch, Half Moon Bay
Contra Costa RCD provides a scholarship for one high school student from Contra Costa County each year to attend the annual Range and Natural Resources Camp at Elkus Ranch near Half Moon Bay. Students spend a week sleeping in tent cabins and learning about watershed ecology and practical land management skills such as plant identification, wildlife conservation, livestock management, wildfire issues, and range analysis and improvement. See the Brochure for more details. Check out the Range Camp Website. Read student testimonials (Hannah and Terilyn). Then fill out the Application! The deadline for submitting scholarship applications is April 18th, 2011. Got questions? contact Mary Grim (925-672-6522 x113).
Field Days and Workshops
Healthy Horses, Healthy Land, Healthy Watersheds - DVD Available!
The Contra Costa RCD hosted a 6 hour workshop for horsekeeping facilities on management of pastures, paddocks, drainage, mud and manure. It also included information on plants that are toxic to horses and local invasive weeds. To order the workshop DVD contact Mary Grim
Rangeland Weed Identification and Management - DVD Available!
Although Contra Costa County is blessed with much open land, weeds infestations can render this land useless for wildlife and dangerous for livestock. The RCD held two workshops on early detection and management of the top weeds of concern for Contra Costa County. To order a DVD of the 2008 workshop on ID and Mangement of Rangeland Weeds, Contact Mary Grim
The weed workshops were funded mostly by a grant from the CALFED Watershed Program and organized collaboratively by the Contra Costa RCD, the Contra Costa Department of Agriculture and UC Cooperative Extension.
Workshop on Maintenance of Ranch Roads and Fire Trails held 2006
The Contra Costa RCD, NRCS and Contra Costa Fire Protection District
recently held a half-day workshop for ranchers to learn
more about the fire trail maintenance program and to exchange ideas with
fire trail program staff about ranch road management. Ranchers had the opportunity to meet the fire trail management program’s staff, learn about the Fire Trail Program and learn how to prevent or manage erosion problems. Thanks
to the USDA-NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service) for funding this
workshop.
If you missed the workshop but would like information on these topics or an on-site consultation
at your property, contact the RCD and NRCS office at 925-672-6522 x102.
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Documents:"Horsekeeping: A Guide to Land Management for Clean Water" - a 100-page binder on manure and pasture management, erosion control, runoff management, and maintenance of trails, roads, and water sources. Know Your Septic System - A two-page brochure on proper care for septic systems. (392 KB). Septic Tank information is also available at http://www.nowra.org/onsite_guide.html Molasses Spraying - A two-paged brochure on a Prescribed Grazing Method for Fire Fuel Management and Rangeland Conservation(127 KB) Note: Links above are to files are in PDF format. Please click here if you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader ®, which is available free.Videos and DVDs:Healthy Horses, Healthy Land, Healthy Watersheds DVDHorsekeeping facilities both large and small, can benefit from this searchable 5 hr. DVD of a workshop on management of pastures, paddocks, drainage, mud and manure. It also includes a talk on plants that are toxic to horses and local invasivev weeds. To order the DVD contact Mary Grim Rangeland Weed Identification and Management DVDThis 6 hour, searchable DVD covers "ID of local problem weeds" (with full screen close-up photos), "which herbicides are effective on which weeds", "grazing management for range improvement;" and "best practices for preventing the spread of weeds." To order a DVD of the 2008 workshop on ID and Mangement of Rangeland Weeds, Contact Mary Grim Yellow Starthistle: Managing an Invasive Alien Species - VHS VideoWith support from Contra Costa RCD, Leif Joslyn of Xenobiota Xposures completed an instructional video on yellow starthistle control methods. CCRCD is pleased to have had a role in creating this new production. Funding for the video was provided by an EQIP Educational grant from NRCS as well as donations from California Department of Food and Agriculture, California Department of Parks and Recreation, Dow Elanco, and the California Native Plant Society. There are two versions of the video. The 26-minute version of the video covers yellow starthistle's history, biology, and several control methods, and is suitable for a general audience. For those who want more information, the 50-minute version has additional interviews with California's leading experts on yellow starthistle and delves into the broader issue of the threat of invasive species to California's biodiversity. The video and can be viewed at the offices of Contra Costa RCD, borrowed
for presentation to groups, or purchased from Leif Joslyn. To purchase
the video, call Mr. Joslyn at (510) 524-3031. For more information about
his other videos, visit Xenobiota
Xposure's website.
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