Creek Daylighting Plan Update

The plan and profile of the existing Willow Creek drainage through Sausalito is now mapped on an aerial photograph and available for review.  Email me if you would like a PDF for reference.  It is 5 MB and 7 pages of 11 X 17 dimension, in case you want to print it.

Creek board of directors have met with and selected Prunuske Chatham, Inc. of Sebastopol to assist in creek restoration design work between Lincoln Drive and the Bay.  The emphasis of the design will be in the upper part of the watershed, on the school campus, to provide a “proof of concept” design to share with the community and receive feedback, and build support.  But the whole creek alignment will be considered for daylighting, identifying opportunities and constraints.

Marin Watershed Forum, Sunday Nov. 17 meeting synopsis by Amy Pertschuk, FOWC board member

Marin County Watershed Forum
Watershed Groups Roundtable – November 17th, 2013, San Rafael Community Center

What watershed do you live in?

Steve Moore and Amy Pertschuk had the opportunity last weekend to gather with representatives from nine watersheds in Marin County to share the history of our efforts and to explore ways to work together to support each other and broaden public and policy level support for our efforts.

This was an impressive group of dedicated community leaders that included former Mayor Susan Stompe from Novato Creek Watershed, award winning educator Laurette Rodgers of S.T.R.A.W., public official Mitch Avalon from Contra County Public Works, hydrologist Rob Carson from Tomales Bay Watershed, Science teacher Sue Holland of Miller Creek and Zen Buddhist Mary Morgan of Green Gulch Creek all of whom have solid experience and much to share about day-lighting, invasive plant removal, restoration, community and government engagement. Inspiring!

Here are a few bright ideas and strategies used by some of these groups, ones that we might employ to help advance our own “Big Audacious Goal”.

In no particular order, would be great to gather in whole or in a smaller group to evaluate the merits of each of these and other ideas and see if one or two might rise to the top of our agenda for 2014.

Rachel Kamman, of the Watershed Forum, suggested that we have a mural painted on a wall downtown that was a visual rendition of what the creek will be once we have achieved our goals. Painted on the Southern wall of Driver’s? Her point was that it is hard to get a community engaged in a project unless they can “see” what they are working towards.

Many of the groups had worked directly with S.T.R.A.W. or with the Conservation Corp on multi-month or multiple year environmental education partnerships. Working with S.T.R.A.W. could help us expand and build on the 7th grade efforts to date.

Kate Powers of the Gallinas Watershed Council organized Watershed Tours to introduce the community to their creek. Is there a path through the creek to the corporate yard? Could we blaze one through and lead tours from the Bay to the highway, along and above the creek?

Community weed pulling events to grow community engagement and eradicate invasives. In Novato they are battling Spartina and cord grass. Threats to creek neighbors as well.

Susan Stompe emphasized the importance of getting local developers onboard. Could we develop a strategy to engage the developers in a win-win day-lighting proposal to put before the city council?

One group held “Dinner Meetings” with diverse stakeholders in the community to expand community involvement. Dinners or lunches with Rotary, Lions, Historical society, Woman’s Club etc could bring in new and deeper support.

Include T.E.K. all along the way. Traditional Environmental Knowledge, also known as Tribal Ecological Knowledge.

NOTE: Many of these groups came together initially in the face of adversity like the floods of 1982. Other hot topic community issues that fueled their efforts included water quality, environmental degradation, and endangered species.

Conclusion
Thank you for your support of creek efforts, and please contact me if you would like to play a more active role in moving some of these exciting concepts forward in our community.  Check out our website at www.friendsofthecreek.org

Steve Moore, Parent at Willow Creek Academy
Director, Friends of Willow Creek

steve@friendsofthecreek.org