2014-2015 Annual Report SIUSLAW SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT Board of Directors Johnny Sundstrom Chair Ray Kinney Vice Chair Noland Huntington Secretary/Treasurer Kevin Carroll Director Richard Huff Director William Gates Associate Director Bruce Williams Associate Director

Siuslaw SWCD 1775 Laurel Way #4 Florence, Oregon 97439 541-997-1272 Fax 541-997-6296 Email: [email protected]

Website: siuswcd.com ~~~~~

Board Meetings 1st Monday of the Month at the District Office 6:30 PM

District’s Year In Review The 2014-2015 Fiscal Year was another exciting and productive time for us here at the Siuslaw SWCD. We welcomed our new Associate Director Bruce Williams to the team. Bruce brings with him a wealth of valuable experience having spent his professional career working for the Natural Resource Conservation Service. Both the Board of Directors and Staff invested a significant amount of time and energy crafting our Long Range Business Plan, which will help guide our direction through 2020. The District joined the Siuslaw Watershed Council, the Siuslaw National Forest, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians to form the core members of the Siuslaw Coho Partnership (SCP). The Partnership was one of only three pilots selected to participate in the Oregon Coastal Coho Business Plan Process. Currently the SCP is working with multiple State and Federal partners to develop a replicable methodology with the intent of achieving our restoration goals while stimulating local economic potential.

In terms of on the ground accomplishments, we were able to fully implement our Fiddle and Morris Creeks Riparian Restoration and our McMillan’s Forest Improvement Project, while maintaining our prior project areas. We also continued our Riparian Knotweed Control Program, addressing priority reaches throughout the Siuslaw and Coastal Lakes Basins. Permitting for our Grant Creek Stream and Wetland Restoration and our Tenmile Tributary and Off Channel Enhancement concluded, setting the stage for next year’s treatment season. This time around for our Annual Report, we’re electing to provide more of a visual representation of this and our prior years’ accomplishments. Sometimes narrative descriptions can only convey so much, and can tend to sound a bit dry, whereas the old saying goes “a picture is worth a thousand words.” We would like to thank you, and all of our great partners for the continued support. If you are in need of technical assistance, or have any conservation related questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

2014-2015 Annual Report—Siuslaw SWCD Year In Review

Fiddle & Morris Creeks

ship Fund (CRSF). Partners included the Yager Family, Roseburg Resources/ Riparian Restoration Oxbow Timber LLC, the Siuslaw NaFrom May 2014 through May 2015, the tional Forest (SNF), the Natural Resource District implemented our Fiddle and Conservation Service (NRCS), and the Morris Creeks Riparian Restoration on Siuslaw Watershed Council (SWC). the last private properties along Fiddle McMillan’s Forest Improvement Creek, the largest tributary in the Siltcoos Lake Watershed and the District’s This project area is located along the Focus Area since 2013. Both landowners main-stem Siuslaw River, at approxiwere supportive of the project since it mately river mile 24. The project inallowed them to continue to actively cluded treating 4 acres of an excesmanage their working lands, while it sively overstocked 30 year old fir planenhanced terrestrial and aquatic habi- tation, to provide high quality wildlife tats, and in turn improved water quality. habitat and to minimize the chance of excessive damage from wildfire. The The project entailed preparing and planting 10.92 acres of riparian area, stand was thinned to approximately 300 dominant trees per acre building 1,188 feet of livestock exclusion fence, placing 120 conifer logs in a (approximately 12 foot variable spacing). The remaining slash was then recombined 1.5 miles of stream, and removing two problem culverts improving duced to less than 7 tons per acre through a combination of limited refish passage to 0.64 miles of stream. Supporting dollars came from the Ore- moval and chipping via a tractor mounted chipper. The plan is to give the gon Watershed Enhancement Board dominant leave trees 5-10 years in or(OWEB) & the Coast Range StewardPage 2

der to develop additional root strength and crown to support improved growth. Then a follow up entry is planned to thin to an approximate 20 foot spacing. The project was funded through an OWEB Small Grant. Partners included Ed and Jacque McMillan, the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), and NRCS. Siuslaw Basin Riparian Knotweed Control With funding support from the Oregon State Weed Board (OSWB), we continued our efforts to limit the presence of knotweed species in high priority riparian areas throughout the District. In the 2014 treatment season, we assisted 17 different landowners at 18 separate sites. In total we covered 147.16 gross acres of riparian area, treating 14.01 net acres of knotweed, along 9.34 linear miles of stream. Approximately 1 acre of previously treated knotweed sites was replanted with native vegetation.

2014-2015 Annual Report—Siuslaw SWCD Year In Review

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2014-2015 Annual Report—Siuslaw SWCD Post Implementation Project Updates

North Fork Siuslaw Riparian Restoration Stream Bank Restoration Area #1: Prior Treatments Summer 2010

Stream Bank Restoration Area #1: After Treatments Summer 2015

North Fork Siuslaw Riparian Restoration Stream Bank Restoration Area #1: Prior Treatments Summer 2010

Stream Bank Restoration Area #1: After Treatments Summer 2015

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2014-2015 Annual Report—Siuslaw SWCD Post Implementation Project Updates

Page 5

2014-2015 Annual Report—Siuslaw SWCD Post Implementation Project Updates

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2014-2015 Annual Report—Siuslaw SWCD Post Implementation Project Updates

Partners ~~~~~ USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Heather Medina-Sauceda Kate Danks

Siuslaw National Forest

Michele Holman-Jones Paul Burns Casey Hawes

Oregon Department of Agriculture

John Byers Eric Nusbaum Jo Morgan Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board Katie Duzik Kathy Leopold Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife

John Spangler

Cascade Pacific Resource Conservation & Development

Kirk Shimeall

Siuslaw Institute

Siuslaw Stream Team Jim Grano

Siuslaw Watershed Council Liz Vollmer-Buhl Tyler Pederson Mizu Burruss

CTLUSI Margaret Corvi

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2014-2015 Annual Report—Siuslaw SWCD

Siuslaw Soil & Water Conservation District Financial Statements for the Fiscal Years Ending Revenues

June 30, 2014

June 30, 2015

Federal Grants

$

35,776

$

33,319

State Grants

$

131,765

$

257,664

Other Revenue

$

4,792

$

3,710

Interest

$

154

$

116

$

172,487

$

294,809

Personnel Costs

$

53,025

$

62,066

Contract Services & Materials

$

78,266

$

199,146

Grants to Others - Projects

$

-0-

$

-0-

Operating Costs

$

37,261

$

38,743

$

168,552

$

299,955

Change in Fund Balances

$

3,935

$

(5,146)

Fund Balances- Beginning of Year

$

52,538

$

56,473

Fund Balances- End of Year

$

56,473

$

51,327

Expenditures

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2014-2015 Annual Report—Siuslaw SWCD 2014-2015 Annual Work Plan Objective 1: Conservation Program Assistance USDA Program Assistance  Participate in Basin Team meetings & Planning  Provide assistance to NRCS liaison  Provide technical assistance for EQIP, CREP, & WRE SB1010 Related Activities  Participate & provide support for Local Advisory Committee & ODA  Participate on DEQ’s Mid-Coast TMDL LSAC & Sediment TWG  Provide quarterly reports to ODA  Conduct outreach activities for SB1010  Develop two related funding proposals

Objective 2: Conservation Education Public Awareness  Develop & publish newsletter four times per year  Provide media with background information, interviews, and news releases  Participate in local fairs  Give presentations to local groups  Develop & disseminate new District brochures  Education campaign on aquatic contamination issues  Fire Breaks for homeowners  Participate in tours & projects for salmon habitat, weed control, forest management, water quality & wetlands health School and Youth Programs  Forest Field Day  Natural Resource Educational Projects at Florence & Mapleton Schools  Youth Education Projects  Provide sample materials to schools  Siuslaw Stream Team

Project Management & Tech. Assistance  Manage & assist grants  Develop & implement new projects  Manage District projects  Report on District projects  Monitor water quality/ground water Noxious Weed Program  Develop noxious weed eradication grants  Develop noxious weed cooperative agreement with USFS  Maintain noxious weed inventory database  Prioritize English Ivy, Scotch Broom, Gorse, Knotweed & Canary Reed Grass  Provide technical assistance to landowners Water Quality Issues  Research chemical contaminant effects on Coho habitat  Siuslaw Basin lead monitoring  Urban storm & waste water monitoring  River Mussel Assessment  Soil & drinking water issues Public and Landowner Assistance  Respond to landowner & public inquiries  Provide conservation planning  Promote forest health incentives: management, carbon sequestration, biodiversity, water quality & wetlands health Urban and Rural Communities  Assistance to City of Florence, Dunes City, & Mapleton Community efforts New Project Development  Research & write grants  Prioritize Fiddle Creek Watershed - Utilize one on one & small group meetings - Promote land owner incentives, NRCS,CCPI, EQIP, CSP, RAC, OWEB, & Small Grants - Address SOW & AG Water Quality Mgmt Plan

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Objective 3: Siuslaw Watershed Council Cooperation Technical Assistance  Technical assistance with grant writing & project implementation  Assistance with action & strategic plans  Participate as member of Technical Team  Participate in Council meetings & projects  Serve on Executive Board & subcommittees  Review of MOA

Objective 4: District Operations           

Conduct monthly Board meetings Prepare annual budget, work plan, work load analysis, & publish annual report Prepare & announce Annual Meeting Prepare & conduct annual financial review Develop Long Range Business Plan Office correspondence, organization, record keeping, grant reporting, & website maintenance Bookkeeping, bill payments, monthly financial reports Staff evaluations, training & capacity building Review County, DSL & Corps of Engineer permit applications Participate in OACD & NACD meetings OCZMA representation

SIUSLAW SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT 1775 Laurel Way #4 Florence, OR 97439 Phone: 541-997-1272 Fax: 541-997-6296 E-mail: [email protected] siuswcd.com Staff and Associates Seth Mead Watershed Conservationist Jan Jaroncyk Bookkeeper Kate Danks NRCS Liaison Jeff Jones Noxious Weed Control

Siuslaw SWCD Statement of Purpose The purpose of the Siuslaw Soil and Water Conservation District is to encourage and promote the responsible stewardship of natural resources through the coordination of local, state and federal programs, as well as through local conservation education activities. The Siuslaw Soil and Water Conservation District is an equal opportunity employer, providing services to the public without regard to race, color, national origin, religious preference, sex, age or disability.

2014-2015 Annual Report

Post Implementation Project Updates