Piercy Watersheds Association

by Anne Seaquist of Piercy Watersheds Association
October 1, 2000


At the end of the season's low water flow, we are down in the McCoy Creek canyon clocking eight-hour workdays on our restoration project. We were awarded support in late September from the FishAmerica Foundation, in conjunction with the NOAA Restoration Center. In the nick of time before the impending winter storms, the foundation generously funded our McCoy Creek Stream Restoration Project (designed by Jeff Hedin).

A serious slide occurred in 1995 when a debris pile directed the creek into the far bank. We estimate that between 1995 and 2000 the slide released 3,000 cubic yards of sediment! Our project returns the creek to its original channel and constructs rip-rap, willow walls, and felts to support the failing banks.

We began work in Fall 1999 and recovered 125 feet of the original channel. Work continued this summer, and, combined with the current efforts, we expect to recover an additional 140 feet of channel and protect the slide from releasing more than the possible 6,000 cubic yards of sediment. We are very happy to be in the creek working and are amazed by the progress of our hand labor crew of six. We hope the steelhead and chinook salmon will be happy with the clearer and cooler waters of McCoy Creek. And perhaps this year we will find coho in the canyon!

In coordination with the California Wild Heritage Campaign, we also have organized two hikes this season to the BLM Red Mountain Management Area. Jeff Hedin made advance route-finding trips before the climb to Red Mountain and provided detailed knowledge of the area. More than a dozen people participated, exploring the unique red soil and ancient forest and field-checking to provide information for upcoming proposed wilderness legislation. We appreciated the opportunity to experience the amazing wild places that are so near! We will keep you updated about future hikes next season.



This article can be found online at www.treesfoundation.org/publications/article-62

Forest & River News is produced by Trees Foundation. For more information contact:
Piercy Watersheds Association
P.O. Box 44
Piercy, CA 95587
Phone: (707) 247-3020 Fax: (707) 923-4210