Draft
12/8/03
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BIG CHICO CREEK WATERSHED ALLIANCE
STRATEGIC PLAN, 2004 - 2006
MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the Big Chico Creek Watershed Alliance is to protect and enhance the ecological integrity and economic vitality of the Big Chico Creek watershed through cooperative efforts. In partnership with landowners, interested citizens, government agencies and private enterprise, we work to foster education, understanding, sustainable land management, and ecosystem and water quality restoration and conservation.
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ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY
GOAL 1. BROADEN BOARD REPRESENTATION
By late 2004, the Alliance will broaden its membership, recruiting directors from key stakeholder areas or organizations, resulting in a diverse and active Board of Directors.
Objective 1.1. Recruit board members from sub-watersheds.
A. Sycamore (all directors)
B. Mud (all directors)
C. Lindo Channel (Roger Cole)
Objective 1.2. Recruit community leaders (Kristin Cooper-Carter).
Objective 1.3. Recruit land managers (all directors).
Objective 1.4. Recruit directors who can assist in developing the Alliance’s economic viability (all directors).
Objective 1.5. Recruit Sierra Pacific Industries (Roger Cole).
GOAL 2. HIRE PROFESSIONAL STAFF
By early 2004, the Alliance will obtain grant funding for a part-time coordinator to conduct outreach, coordinate with other organizations, develop projects and seek on-going funding.
Objective 2.1. Develop general organization document/description (Barbara Hennigan, Timmarie Hamill, Ken Margolis).
Objective 2.2. Research potential funding sources (Susan Strachan).
Objective 2.3. Develop fundraising goals (all directors with Ken Margolis).
Objective 2.4. Develop proposal applications (all directors with Ken Margolis).
GOAL 3. DEVELOP ORGANIZATIONAL DOCUMENTS
By early 2004, the Alliance will complete nonprofit status filing to enable tax-deductible community contributions and quality for grant programs. By mid 2004, the Alliance will obtain an insurance policy to cover individuals acting as Big Chico Creek Watershed Alliance directors. By late 2004, the Alliance will obtain funding and complete Watershed Management Strategy.
Objective 3.1. Complete and submit forms for federal and state nonprofit status (Susan Strachan).
Objective 3.2 Obtain board insurance policy.
A. Identify requirements and cost estimates for insurance (Roger Cole).
B. Obtain funding for insurance (all directors).
Objective 3.3. Complete Watershed Management Strategy
A. Obtain funding (all directors)
B. Conduct outreach (funded coordinator)
C. Finalize and adopt strategy (all directors and funded coordinator).
GOAL 4. Develop Membership Base
By early 2005, in order to provide a stable source of funding and to increase the participation of the community in management of the Big Chico Creek watershed, the Alliance develop and implement an effort to obtain dues-paying members for the Alliance.
Objective 4.1. Identify existing organizations that are interested in collaborating (all directors).
Objective 4.2. Develop membership campaign w/membership classification scheme (responsible party?)
Objective 4.3. Engage the media and associate membership campaigns with on-going projects (responsible party?).
Objective 4.4. Develop broad-based membership campaign that includes such efforts as (responsible party?)brochures ,newspaper editorials ("What is wrong and what is right, with this picture?"builds enthusiasm), tours, fundraising events/spring-time run, billboard project.
Objective 4.5. Develop "Place Map" with watershed identifiers to be sent to new members (Kristin Cooper-Carter).
Objective 4.6. Obtain list of watershed landowners and approach for membership (responsible party?).
WATER QUALITY
GOAL 6. INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF WATER QUALITY ISSUES
By early 2005, the Alliance initiate a citizen monitoring program to assess the health of Big Chico Creek and to engage watershed stakeholders in management of the creek’s water quality.
Objective 6.1. Seek funding for the development of a robust, technically valid citizen monitoring program (Timmarie Hamill, Susan Strachan).
Objective 6.2. Invite speakers to stakeholder meetings to present updates on local water quality issues (Timmarie Hamill, Susan Strachan).
Objective 6.3. Develop MOU with the RCD, City of Chico, Butte County Office of Water and Resource Conservation, and Butte County Office of Education to support citizen monitoring efforts (Timmarie Hamill, Susan Strachan).
Objective 6.3. Develop program and seek funding to reduce urban stormwater run-off pollutants, including monitoring, outreach and coordination with the City of Chico’s NPDES Phase II Stormwater Runoff Program (Timmarie Hamill, Susan Strachan).
FISHERIES
GOAL 7. RESTORE FISH PASSAGE THROUGH IRON CANYON
By late 2004, the Alliance will obtain agreement from resource agencies and secure funding to restore the fish ladder at Iron Canyon.
Objective 7.1. Develop a dialogue with City of Chico, Department of Fish and Game, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service and the Department of Water Resources (Kristin Cooper-Carter, Roger Cole, Susan Strachan).
Objective 7.2. Identify constituencies of Big Chico Creek’s Spring Run chinook salmon and build a public outreach campaign (Kristin Cooper-Carter, Roger Cole, Susan Strachan).
Objective 7.3. Conduct tours for local government staff, community members, and media representatives (Kristin Cooper-Carter, Roger Cole, Susan Strachan).
GOAL 8: DEVELOP STEELHEAD RESEARCH PROJECTS
By mid 2006, identify and seek funding for projects that assess steelhead in Big Chico Creek.
Objective 8.1. Work with CSU, Chico Ecological Reserve and develop a list of feasible collaborative projects (Kristin Cooper-Carter).
Objective 8.2. Solicit sport fishermen's input, ideas, and involvement in research projects (Kristin Cooper-Carter).
GOAL 9: PARTICIPATE WITH THE ANADROMOUS FISH RESTORATION PROGRAM
By late 2004, the Alliance will increase the visibility of Big Chico Creek in the restoration planning processes of the Anadramous Fish Restoration Program and will develop positive working relationships with program staff.
Objective 9.1. Establish an on-going dialogue with AFRP managers (Kristin Cooper-Carter).
Objective 9.2. Attend important meetings such as the Spring-Run Work group (Kristin Cooper-Carter).
NATIVE Plant Species Preservation
GOAL 10. DEVELOP EFFECTIVE NON-NATIVE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR THE BIG CHICO CREEK WATERSHED
By mid 2005, the Alliance will develop partnerships with other community organizations to implement controls for non-native plant species in Bidwell Park that can be extended to other areas of the Big Chico Creek watershed.
Objective 10.1 Coordinate with City of Chico and Friends of Bidwell Park to develop strategies and implement them in the City’s Parks Master Management Plan (Kristin Cooper-Carter).
Objective 10.2 Develop fact sheets and brochures to address the public's perception of herbicide use for control of non-native plant species (Kristin Cooper-Carter).
GOAL 11. DEVELOP THE BOARD'S UNDERSTANDING OF WETLAND MITIGATION BANKING PRACTICES IN THE BIG CHICO CREEK WATERSHED.
By mid 2004, the Alliance will seek information on the mitigation bank policies, procedures and projects that are identified for the Big Chico Creek watershed.
Objective 11.1. Schedule USFWS presentation (Kristin Cooper-Carter, Susan Strachan).
GROUNDWATER
GOAL 12. PARTICIPATE IN AND PROVIDE INFORMATION ON GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT IN BUTTE COUNTY
By early 2004, the Alliance will initiate an effort to engage the public in groundwater management efforts that are developing in Butte County.
Objective 12.1. Schedule a Board of Directors presentation with Toccoy Dudley of the Department of Water Resources and invite broad group of stakeholders (Susan Strachan).
Objective 12.2. Based on current understanding of groundwater functions and local issues, develop a media campaign (Barbara Hennigan, Timmarie Hamill).
Objective 12.3. Designate one Board member to regularly attend Integrated Watershed Stakeholder Group meetings (Barbara Hennigan).
FLOOD MANAGEMENT
GOAL 13 DEVELOP A LONG-TERM SOLUTION FOR SYCAMORE CREEK FLOODING ISSUES AT COHASSET ROAD
By mid 2004, the Alliance will seek an agreement among the agencies and landowners that are involved in management of Sycamore Creek for the repeated flooding that occurs at the Cohasset Road bridge.
Objective 13.1. Work with City of Chico, local resource agencies, funding agencies, and landowners to develop an understanding of the source and impacts of the flooding (Roger Cole).
Objective 13.2. Participate in Cohasset Road redevelopment project (Roger Cole).
STAKEHOLDERS/PARTNERSHIPS/CONSTITUENCIES
GOAL 14. DEVELOP PARTNERSHIP WITH BIG CHICO CREEK ECOLOGICAL RESERVE
By late 2004, the Alliance will develop a partnership with the Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve to cooperate on projects and sustainable funding sources.
Objective 14.1. Identify collaborative projects, and develop a prioritized list (Roger Cole, Kristin Cooper-Carter, Susan Strachan).
Objective 14.2. Conduct joint public outreach events (Roger Cole, Kristin Cooper-Carter, Susan Strachan).
GOAL 15. DEVELOP PARTNERSHIP WITH BUTTE COUNTY RESOURCE CONSERVATION DISTRICT
By early 2004, the Alliance will obtain funding for RCD and Alliance program integration and by late 2005, complete steps necessary to fully develop a partnership with the RCD through formal agreements and planning document revisions.
Objective 15.1 Seek joint funding with RCD to integrate Alliance and RCD programs (Susan Strachan).
Objective 15.2. Develop Memorandum of Understanding with RCD (Susan Strachan).
Objective 15.3 Seek Associate Directorship for Alliance Board member (Susan Strachan).
Objective 15.4. Integrate Big Chico Creek watershed planning documents into RCD strategic workplans (Watershed Management Strategy and Existing Conditions Report) (Susan Strachan).
GOAL 16. PARTNER WITH OTHER WATERSHED GROUPS IN BUTTE COUNTY INTEGRATED WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLAN DELEVOPMENT
By early 2004, the Alliance will seek role for watershed groups in Butte County’s development of an Integrated Watershed Management Plan.
Objective 16.1. Meet regularly with the Butte County Director of the Department of Water and Resource Conservation (Barbara Hennigan, Susan Strachan).
Objective 16.2. Schedule joint meetings with other watershed groups (Barbara Hennigan, Susan Strachan).
GOAL 17. PARTNER WITH THE CITY OF CHICO
The Alliance will maintain an ongoing partnership through the strategic plan period with the City of Chico.
Objective 17.1. Develop an on-going dialogue with key City employees to discuss issues affecting Big Chico Creek.
A. Iron Canyon fish passage (Kristin Cooper-Carter, Roger Cole, Susan Strachan)
B. Bidwell Park Master Management Plan update (Kristin Cooper-Carter)
C. NPDES Phase II Stormwater Management Program (Timmarie Hamill, Susan Strachan)
Objective 18.2. Provide BCC tour for new Parks Commissioners and other staff (responsible party?).