Upper Merced River Watershed Council

Our river, our land, our future
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CITIZEN WATER QUALITY MONITORING
 
FOR OUR MONITORING TEAMS:
The next quarterly water quality monitoring will take place on Saturday, August 21, 2010. You can now prepare ahead by reviewing the monitoring Quick Start and Step By Step Instructions. 
  
 
 
ABOUT THIS PROGRAM
Citizen water quality monitors are people just like you who care about the watershed. All training is provided. No science background is required. It's a great way to experience your watershed! Because access to monitoring sites is over steep or unstable terrain, this activity is not suitable for everyone. To learn more, contact us. View the data our citizen monitors have collected from 2004 to present. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Four times each year, families, couples, and individuals collect important data at their adopted sites. The data is compiled to tell an ongoing story of conditions in the watershed. Currently, 14 sites from Yosemite National Park to the north fork of the Merced River are being tested for air and water temperature, pH level, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, turbidity, and nitrate levels.  Release your Inner Chemist and join us in preserving water quality in the watershed! More volunteers are needed! To get started, contact us.
 
MERCED RIVER CENTER AT BRICEBURG
 
 
The Bureau of Land Management's historic Briceburg Visitor Center, which has also served over the years as a restaurant, gas station, and store, is being renovated through a grant from the Sierra Nevada Conservancy.
 
Terry McLaughlin, Education Coordinator for the Upper Merced River Watershed Council, is directing the project that creates the Merced River Center at Briceburg. Here Comes Mabon Construction has upgraded and opened the space for more efficient use in showcasing the Merced River Canyon.
 
The new design accommodates training for watershed volunteers as well as the Council's outstanding informational presentations. Community groups will be invited and encouraged to use the space as well. Mariposa County High School art students created a mural at the center showing an underwater river view.
In 2009, National Park Service rangers joined the Bureau of Land Management in staffing the center to provide extended hours of operation.  
 
Improved signage and stellar interpretive displays are planned with the goal of bringing more local residents and visitors to a better understanding of the human and natural history of the watershed.
Watch for updates!
 
 
 
   

 CONSERVATION LANDSCAPING PROJECT

 
Brochures to guide you through the features in each area are now available at the site. You can visit any time or view a brochure online. 
  

This project demonstrates Best Management Practices (BMPs) such as erosion control, water conservation and native plant gardening techniques that community members can observe and then implement on their own property. The project was funded by the Sierra Nevada Alliance. 
 
The Sierra Nevada Conservancy and Mariposa County Fairgrounds allowed us to use their building and space at 5039 Fairgrounds Road as the "model home." Rain gutters and catchment tank have been installed, terraces and retaining walls built, and a dry creekbed and stone steps completed. Native plants provide color and wildlife habitat. 
 
A free brochure at the site explains the features of the Conservation Landscaping Project and provides sources of detailed information about how to create your own conservation garden.  Watch for information on a workshop in the spring where you can design your own home landscape based on the concepts demonstrated at the project. 
 
Funding for this project has been provided in full or in part by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and the Clean Water State Revolving Fund through an agreement with the State Water Resources Control Board. The contents of this brochure do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the State Water Resources Control Board, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use. Mariposa County Resource Conservation District acknowledges the Sierra Nevada Alliance for funding and support of this project. For more information on the Alliance, visit www.sierranevadaalliance.org.