C150033 Application

• Contract/PO #: C150033
• Contractor Name: North Fork River Improvement Association
• Contract Type: Grant
• Water District: 0
• County: Delta
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Application

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The following is a list of tasks to be perfonned:

1. Review previous relevant studies and aerial photographs in the North Fork area. This
will be used to be sure that work is not duplicated and that the study builds on
existing data. Photos will identify morphological changes in the basin. This work
should be completed within 2 months of the commencement of the study.
2. Collection offluvial and bedload sediment samples throughout strategic locations in
the watershed to establish a database and develop a watershed sediment budget. The
collection of data will continue through a minimum of 2 runoff seasons.
3. Research basin hydrology through existing USGS data and supplemented with
additional measurements at strategic locations within the basin. This will include a
study of water demands for each irrigation diversion and minimum in-stream
requirements as determined by existing diversion decrees compared to supply. Final
outputs will be a water budget for the watershed. Collection of data will continue
through a minimum of 2 runoff seasons and will require another 6 months for
evaluation.
4. A vegetative analysis will be performed to understand changes in the riparian zone
due to changes in the basin hydrology prior to construction of the dam. It will also be
used to develop new and innovative techniques for encouraging deposition of
sediment on the floodplain and new types of riparian plantings and techniques. This
will also require 2 runoff seasons to complete and another 6 months to evaluate.
5. A formulation and evaluation of alternatives will then be developed in a final report
following the analysis of all the data. The report will describe the study process and a
history of the study with a record of major issues, meetings, and decisions made at
each point in the process as well as final study recommendations.

Study Schedule and Budget

SIS

Time to Com lete
2 months
30 months
30 months
30 months
36 months

Cost Estimate
$5,000
$40,000
$50,000
$30 000
$30 000

3.0 Summary

This is the first draft in the formulation of a study plan that will provide crucial
information toward the goal of maintaining sustainable agriculture in the North Fork
Valley while improving stream stability, water quality, riparian and aquatic habitat, and
ecosystem function. This 3-year study is preliminarily expected to cost approximately
$155,000. Other proposals to partner in this study are expected to go out to the Bureau of
Reclamation, the Western Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education
Program, and other smaller foundations and agency programs. The need is substantial to
not only the North Fork Valley but throughout many watersheds in the western United
States.