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PAST NEWS ITEMS

2009

GREAT SIERRA RIVER CLEAN UP

The first Great Sierra River CleanUp day was a joint effort of the Bureau of Land Management, Sierra Foothill Conservancy, Kim Evans Memorial River Clean-Up, the Sierra Nevada Conservancy, and the Watershed Council. Volunteers collected over 2,000 pounds of trash, recycling, and debris from the Merced River and Bear Creek.

Graffiti was scrubbed from the rocks at a popular swimming hole in Bear Creek.

2008

RIVER-WIDE BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT COMPLETED

The two-year river-wide biological survey has been completed by Stillwater Sciences of Berkeley, California, as part of a Merced River Alliance Project. The data provided by this study will establish an initial baseline for future restoration and management actions. Read Stillwater's 2008 Final Report.

RUSSIAN ENVIRONMENTALISTS VISIT WATERSHED

Pacific Environment, a nonprofit organization that supports grass roots environmental groups in the Pacific Rim, recently brought several Russian environmental leaders to the Mother Lode Country. The five women spent a day with the Upper Merced River Watershed Council, learning about our organization and our volunteer program. A major concern for these leaders is water pollution from gold mining in Russia.

The group and the watershed staff spent the morning at the California State Mining and Mineral Museum. Following careful questioning through Russian/English interpeters, expert Randy Bolt provided valuable insight on solutions to mining concerns in California and how they might apply in Russia. After an informed stroll through the model landscape demonstration project, an exchange of information, friendship, and possibilities took place at the watershed office.

Learn more about Pacific Environment and the work being done in Russia, China, and other areas of the Pacific Rim.

2008

WATER BUGS ARE ALIVE AND WELL! RESULTS ARE IN FROM 2007 MONITORING

In October, 2007, under a grant from the Sierra Nevada Alliance, specially trained volunteer monitors collected nearly 2,000 benthic macroinvertebrates (BMI) from four sites in the watershed. Our river is alive and well, according to the results received last summer following months of tedious laboratory analysis of those samples.

Different organisms tolerate different temperatures, oxygen levels, and other conditions, so the species identified in a section of river or stream can provide an assessment of water quality. The presence of three groups of BMI in particular, stoneflies, mayflies, and caddisflies, tell us that the Upper Merced River water is healthy!

Results from the 2008 monitoring of the same sites confirmed another year of the same good news and establish a solid baseline of data.

2007

INVASIVE PLANT REMOVAL

For a Summer 2007 update on invasive plant eradication in the watershed, please click on River Reach Newsletter at left and see pages 6 and 7 of Volume 4.

Yellow starthistle and Italian thistle threaten the Upper Merced River Watershed as well as much of California. After four seasons of hand-pulling, mowing and Waipuna hot foam application, the Bureau of Land Management, US Forest Service, concerned individuals and groups have made progress in the removal of both of these non-native invasive species.

Volunteers play an important role in preserving our native plants. More volunteers are needed! Click on How Can I Help? at left.

Upper Merced River Watershed Council

Our river, our land, our future