Ken Tate UCDavis Watershed Specialist and
Holly George Plumas-Sierra UCCE Advisor
work with the local monitoring team
Developing Management Plans
with UC Davis Rangeland Watershed Specialist
Stream Flow & Temperature Measurements
Smithneck Creek Irrigation Ditch
On-Ranch Monitoring

                             The 2010 Irrigated Lands monitoring will begin with the initial sampling event in May.

            A coalition wide Management Plan will be part of the 2010 season activities to respond to water quality concerns   
    identified during the 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 seasons.  Special Study Monitoring and BMP surveys may be a part
    of the coalition-wide plan to help document successful management measures by agriculture dischargers.

            UFRWGroup is coordinating with the NRCS (Natural Resource Conservation Service) and the Plumas County
    Flood Control and Water Conservation District to provide financial and technical assistance to help interested
    ranchers and farmers to develop water  quality and conservation projects for their individual ranch and farm
    operations that will help meet water quality goals of the of the Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program.  Five landowner
    implementation projects have been selected for Plumas Watershed Forum Funding for the first round of applications.  
    Interested landowners should contact Dan at NRCS  520-283-1175, or Carol at UFRWGroup  530-823-8815,
    or Brian at the Flood Control District 283-6243.


            UFRWG will be partnering with other local organizations (SV-RCD, Plumas-Sierra Cattlemen's Association and
    Sierra County Firesafe and Watershed Council and/or others to conduct a  Ranch Field Day and a Sustainable Ag
    Workshop for 2010.   These voluntary workshops are designed to help landowners identify and achieve their own
    production and management goals as they strive to meet state water quality goals as well.    

    Please check back often for details. Dates TBA.  


                
                 http://rangelandwatersheds.ucdavis.edu/main/projects.htm   California Rangeland Watershed Laboratory
Copyright 2010  Upper Feather River Watershed Group
Site updated 2-22-10
Upper Feather River Watershed Group
PO Box 975    Loyalton, Ca  96118
Plumas and Sierra Counties



                    Irrigated Lands Discharge Monitoring
              ILRP - Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program
                   Monthly ambient stream monitoring includes
                   grab samples and field measurements

    Field Measurements:
    Flow:   stream width, depth and velocity are measured with a Flow Meter

    Temperature:   water and air temperatures are recorded each visit,
                       continuous recordings by temperature loggers were installed for       
                       Prop 50 years monitoring

    Dissolved oxygen:  DO meters are used to measure DO (dissolved oxygen),
                               and ambient temperature

    ph:  ph meters are used at each site to obtain ph readings
       
        Electrical Conductivity:  a handheld meter is used to acquire a reading

    Lab Analysis:
    Grab samples  one liter samples are collected at each site to be analyzed at    
    Sierra Environmental Monitoring Lab for the following constituents:

    Nutrients; nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, etc
    Pathogens:  fecal coliform, e.coli indicators
    Electrical Conductivity (EC)
    Total Organic Carbon (TOC)
    Turbidity
    Toxicity: samples collected under Prop 50 studies and tested for three ILP sites
    Macro Invertebrate: studies were conducted Under Prop 50 during 2007/2008


    Several constituents are not tested in our watershed because documentation    
    and initial testing confirm they are low risk elements in the upper feather river     
    watershed region. These constituents include pesticides and other chemicals,
    salinity, and trace metal elements.


     For more information on UFRW Prop 50 & UCCE Monitoring go to:    
    http://ucce-plumas-sierra.ucdavis.edu/Ag_Water_Quality_Program208/


    Water Quality Standards
    UFRW Monitoring:

    E.coli: more than 235cfu/100ml
    cfu=colony forming units

    DO dissolved oxygen:  less than 7.0 mg/liter

    pH: between 6.5—8.5 is ok    

    The 3 UFRW sites have had more than one
    "exceedance" of the above standards, which
    triggers a management plan requirement by the ILRP - Irrigated Lands
    Regulatory Program.

    The DO/pH study, pathogen studies, field days, ag workshops and
    documentation of ranch water quality projects will help meet these requirements.  
UFRWG
Agriculture Stakeholders
advancing water stewardship
ILRP Monitoring