In December of this year, an unusual storm blanketed the higher ridges with snow. "Snow behind Nicasio" ©Richard Blair 2009.  Photograph used with permission.  To see more photography by Richard Blair and Kathleen Goodwin, visit http://pointreyesvisions.com/. 

Red Barn Classroom

See Full Agenda below 

 

The January Council meeting will focus on the activities and programs of the Regional Water Quality Control Board that affect the watershed.  This will include an update on the status of TMDLs (Total Maximum Daily Load objectives) for pathogens and and the forcast for sediment and nutrient TMDLs in Tomales Bay and its tributaries. 

     Brad Damitz, of the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, and Dominique Richard, Chair of the Working Group on the Tomales Bay Vessel Management Plan and member of the Sanctuary Advisory Council, gave a thorough presentation of the status of the efforts to develop a Vessel Management Plan.  The Plan is being developed in response to potential problems associated with the impact of vessels on the sensitive resources of the Bay and the myriad of federal, state and local authorities that could impact vessel activities.  In addition to the lead agencies (Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary and the State Lands Commission), another nine agencies are involved.  

 

     The process was started in 1994. The Sanctuary tried, with the help of many local Stakeholders, to develop some basic agreements concerning vessel usage on the bay. The agencies with jurisdiction for the bay could not agree on how to proceed with the agreements. In 2007, with the Sanctuary and the State Lands Commission taking the lead, a scoping document was produced inviting public input. In response members of the Council formed an ad hoc committee to respond to the scoping documents with recommendations / agreements on vessel management on Tomales Bay. This early committee was transformed by the Sanctuary into a working group and significant progress has been made since that time.

 

     Major issues addressed by the working group include:

The process and procedures for finalizing the plan, which will include numerous opportunities for public input to a draft plan, were described.  After completion, it is anticipated that the State Lands Commission and Marin County will implement the mooring permitting program. 

 

 

 

     After a long delay caused by the State Budget freeze, we are now able to begin work on the Chicken Ranch Beach project which will improve water quality and habitat values at this site.  TBWC Foundation has received money from a variety of sources to develop a restoration plan.  We have received $76,000 from the State Coastal Conservancy, $25,000 from the Marin Community Foundation, $20,000 from Marin County, and $3,700 from the Inverness Foundation, and we have raised another $10,000 locally.  We have contracted with Kamman Hydrology and Engineering to produce the plan, which should be completed by the end of June.  Public meetings to seek input into the planning process will be held during the spring (watch for announcements in future eNewsletters!). 

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