COTTONWOOD CREEK FALL HARVEST CELEBRATION WRAP UP ...............

VOL 1
USING GENETIC MARKERS TO IDENTIFY GENDER OF CALIFORNIA CHINOOK SALMON ......................... 3

No. 6

November 2009

BILLS

CORNER ........... 4

ADDRESSING THE NEWEST ISSUES AFFECTING THE COTTONWOOD CREEK WATERSHED

Watershed watch
sulting in near un-penetrateable riparian area. This project, by discouraging illegal dumping and camping, will improve downstream water quality for anadromous fish habitat in Lower Cottonwood Creek. This project is being made possible by the FishAmerica Foundation, The American Sport Fishing Association, and The NOAA Restoration Center. A Botanist from Enplan inc. will be tagging endangered and beneficial plants and grasses. CCWG will work to clear the area of nonnative invasive plants and a more natural ecosystem will be created. Land Restoration will be assisting CCWG with immediate removal of invasive species of plants. All vegetation will be chipped and either used as mulch or removed from the site. Native plants will be planted to replace the invasive and are being

CROWLEY GULCH WATERWAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT

An environmental restoration project to correct negative human influences on the Crowley Gulch riparian waterway. CCWG is currently seeking volunteers who are willing and able to assist in picking up trash and replanting native plant species.

Crowley Gulch is a tributary of Lower Cottonwood Creek and runs through Cottonwood. The area to be restored lies directly south of Gas Point Road and extends for a distance of approximately mile. The area is bordered on one side by West Cottonwood Junior High School and on the other by Cottonwood Community Center and Park, which includes the Little League Field and other facilities. The lands on both sides of the creek are maintained by public or government entities. The Crowley Gulch Waterway Improvement Project is an environmental restoration project to correct negative human influences on riparian waterway. The major human influence is illegal dumping and camping, with associated pollution and biological hazards. What makes the area so attractive for illegal camping and dumping is the overgrowth of vegetation, re-

generously donated by Happy Valley Nursery and Wyntor Gardens. Besides helping reduce the amount of illegal camping and dumping, the project will serve as an outdoor classroom for West Cottonwood Junior High School. This project coincides with other efforts and plans of the CCWGs Kids for the Creek Program, which includes the adoption of watersheds to serve as outdoor ecological classrooms for students, who will perform restoration and monitoring programs as part of their science curriculum. This part of the plan for Crowley Gulch is also dependent on efforts to make the waterway accessible. CCWG is currently seeking volunteers who are willing and able to assist in picking up trash and replanting native plant species. Project date has yet to be announced but will take place at the end of November. If youre interested or would like more information please

COTTONWOOD CREEK FALL HARVEST CELEBRATION RESOUNDING SUCCESS

The final date for the Cottonwood Creek Certified Farmers Market & Artisan Fair held on October 23rd a complete success.
Friday, October 23rd the 1st Annual Cottonwood Creek Fall Harvest Celebration marked the final market day for the 2009 season of the Cottonwood Creek Certified Farmers Market & Artisan Fair. There were 41 vendor booths joining the event; including hot food, crafters, artists and local farmers. It is estimated that the event hosted approximately 450 attendees. We had planned on only coming for a few minutes and ended up staying for the entire time! There was so much to do and the kids loved making the Indian Headbands! - Carolyn B., Cottonwood, CA Children enjoyed making Indian Headbands at the CCWG EcoArts booth, balloon animals by Anderson Moose Clowns, games hosted by the Girl Scouts and Grace Baptist Community Church, and entertainment by Las Vegas Comedy Magic Entertainer, Bryan Gilles. Musical entertainment was provided by Pine Dogz, John Vestal and the Window Painters. Attendees enjoyed a beer garden donated by North Star Brewery, raising money for CCWG. Horse drawn wagon rides were also provided by Dove Hollow Farms. Drawings were held every 20 minutes during the event for prizes donated by local sponsors and businesses. Prizes included Gift Certificates for Tours from Shasta Glide & Ride, Bistro & Catering Co., Costco, Starbucks, and Napa Auto Parts. Big compliments to the great team managing the Friday Market in Cottonwood. You did such an outstanding job! We look forward to seeing you again next year. - Linda H., Cottonwood, CA

Services from Xtreme Tanning & Salon, Steves A-Z Appliances, iDesign Technology. Other prizes were provided by Elegant Bean, GreenGos Natural & Organic Food To Go, Burrito Bandito, Round Table Pizza and 808

There were three entries for the 1st Annual Scarecrow Contest. There were 214 attendees who voted for their favorite. Congratulations to Girl Scout Troop No. 70074 who won First Place and $100 in the scarecrow contest. A special thank you to participating vendors, volunteers and community members who helped make the 1st Annual Cottonwood Creek Fall Harvest Celebration possible. Check out our Facebook page for pictures of the event. http://www.facebook.com/pages/ Cottonwood-Creek-Certified-Farmers-Market -Artisan-Fair/138612029915. For information on next years Farmers Market please contact CCWG at (530) 347-6637.

2010 CCWG ELECTION ROSTER ANNOUNCED

Elections will be held January 28, 2010 at 5:30pm, location TBA.
The Cottonwood Creek Watershed Group (CCWG) formally announced in August that it was accepting applications for the upcoming 2010 elections. Six applications were received and five of the applications were eligible according to the CCWG bylaws. Three seats will be up for election, the names of the applicants are as follows: Jim Busher, Gerald Kohler, Ronald Myers, Sherry Rosen, Louise Wilkinson. The elections will be held at the 2010 Annual Meeting on Thursday, January 28th at 5:30pm. In addition to the elections, a presentation by Executive Director Brynn Nolan will be given on the past years accomplishments, projects and the future outlook of CCWG. This event will include a potluck dinner; location will be announced in December. For more information contact CCWG at (530) 347-6637. Water Saving Tip #31 Plant it smart. Drought efficient landscaping is a great way to design, install and maintain both your plants and irrigation system. More importantly, it will save time, money and water.

USING GENETIC MARKERS TO IDENTIFY GENDER OF CALIFORNIA CHINOOK SALMON

AS REPORTED BY CALFED
There are a wide variety of pollutants that are capable of altering the endocrine system of animals, or interfering with the genetic information that directs cellular processes and the physiological functions that they control. Pollutants that directly interfere with the integrity or repair of genetic information by binding or damaging DNA are genotoxic. DNA damage is not necessarily limited to the individual in which the damage originally occurs. DNA damage that occurs in the progenitor cells of gametes may be inherited by subsequent generations if that damage is not corrected by cellular repair mechanisms. Chronic exposure to genotoxic substances can, over time, have a progressively more negative effect on exposed populations. Genetic damage or disruption of the endocrine system during early development may be the precursors of some of the numerous effects reported at higher levels of biological organization such as the feminization of males, developmental abnormalities, and infertility. Problems such as these would contribute to the loss of genetic variation within and decreased reproductive potential of affected populations. In 2001, fallrun Chinook salmon with incongruent genetic and phenotypic sex (apparent XYfemales) were detected in naturally spawning and hatchery populations throughout the Central Valley. Controlled breeding experiments were performed to test the validity of available malespecific genetic markers to identify sex. These breeding experiments inferred that a genetic rearrangement or mutation rather than altered sexual development caused by endocrine disruption is responsible for observed incongruence between sexual genotype and phenotype. Apparent XYfemale Chinook salmon may mechanism may pose no serious threat to Chinook salmon populations. In order to discriminate between alternate models used to explain the incongruence between sexual genotype and phenotype, breeding experiments were performed using genetically normal and apparent XYfemales. Offspring were evaluated cytogenetically via Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization (FISH) to examine how the malespecific probes localized on chromosomes. In addition, Mendelian inheritance of rainbow trout derived microsatellite loci were tested in families used for cytogenetic analysis. Apparent XY female offspring appear to have inherited a truncated Ychromosome (Y*). Microsatellite linkage and FISH analyses suggest that apparent XYfemale fallrun Chinook salmon in California are not the result of a Y chromosome to autosome wholearm translocation. The Y* chromosome transmitted by apparent XYfemales may be a Y that no longer confers genetic information necessary for development as a phenotypic male. The Y* chromosome could be the result of a mutation or recombination between sex chromosomes. For more information there will be a Brown Bag Meeting held regarding this topic on November 10th from 12:00 Noon 1:00pm at the CALFED Bay-Delta Program, 5th Floor, Delta Room, 650 Capitol Mall, Sacramento, CA 95814.

be symptomatic of exposure of fish to genotoxic environmental contaminants. Mutational degradation of the Ychromosome and subsequent loss of the sex determining region, or incorrect repair of damage to the Y chromosome leading to a translocation between the sex chromosomes may be responsible for the apparent XYfemale Chinook. Frequent, true sexreversal, as would occur by the presence of a Ychromosome that lacks a functional sexdetermining locus, could have long term serious implications for genetic diversity of a species. Conversely, if malespecific genetic markers have merely moved to the X chromosome or an autosome, and are thus no longer exclusively associated with the Y chromosome, apparent sexreversal through such a

WATER BILLS PASS CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE ENDING YEARS OF WRANGLING

AS REPORTED BY ENVIRONMENT NEWS SERVICE (ENS) SACRAMENTO, California, November 4, 2009 (ENS) - The California state Legislature today approved a far-reaching water package featuring an $11-billion bond as the Sun rose over the Capitol building after an all night legislative session. The package includes a comprehensive policy measure that improves water conservation, groundwater monitoring, water rights and governance as well as a water infrastructure bond to be placed on the ballot in November 2010. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has indicated he will sign the legislation into law, ending decades of political wrangling and failure to deal with the state's water worsening crisis. "Water is the lifeblood of everything we do in California," said the governor this morning. "Without clean, reliable water, we cannot build, we cannot farm, we cannot grow and we cannot prosper. That is why I am so proud that the legislature, Democrats and Republicans, came together and tackled one of the most complicated issues in our state's history. This comprehensive water package is an historic achievement." On October 11, the governor ordered the legislature to meet in a special session to address California's water crisis. He says the water package passed in the special session today accomplished that goal. The historic plan increases water supply reliability while improving the fragile Sacramento -San Joaquin Delta, the source of drinking water for two-thirds of the state. The plan includes both a comprehensive policy package that improves water conservation, groundwater monitoring, water rights and governance as well as a water infrastructure bond to be placed on next year's ballot. "The package includes conservation and storage, groundwater protection, water rights protection, and Delta protection and represents the most significant water infrastructure and policy advances since the State Water Project in the 1960s," said Assembly Speaker Karen Bass. "This is a responsible plan - no one is getting 100 percent of what they want. Everyone who gets something has to give something, too. It is the only way to balance the many different individual interests for the overall greater good of having a safe and stable water supply for the entire State of California," Bass said. Assembly member Jared Huffman, a San Rafael Democrat who chairs the Assembly Committee on Water, Parks and Wildlife, and Assembly member Anna Caballero, a Salinas Democrat who chairs the Assembly Committee on Local Government, were part of the Speaker's negotiating team on the water package. "The package of water policy bills passed by the Legislature today reflects the most significant improvement in California's water management in decades," Huffman said. "The bills, if signed by the Governor, would set critical water conservation mandates, finally bring California more in line with other western states regarding groundwater monitoring and enforcement of water rights, and the Delta bills would provide the direction needed to resolve the 30 year gridlock over water and fisheries in the Delta," Huffman said. Huffman said he believes these bills will "help to reverse the water crisis in California while also protecting and restoring the ecosystem and salmon fisheries in the Central Valley and Delta." Caballero said, "We worked really hard to create a water package that will bring resources to communities hard hit by the lack of water. Additionally, the package will prioritize drought relief water projects for farmers and farm workers; helping to put people back to work and create jobs." "This package deserves to be signed by the governor and then the bond needs to be passed by the public," Bass said. "It is our best hope to ensure clean, reliable water for California's families, farms and businesses." Assembly Minority Leader Sam Blakeslee, a San Luis Obispo Republican, said, "The water package passed this morning by the Assembly is a bipartisan approach to ending California's water crisis. It solves a problem that has been 40 years in the making by ensuring new water supply, protecting water rights and promoting conservation. These actions will help bring much needed water and jobs to Californians throughout our state." Senate Republican Leader Dennis Hollingsworth said, "After more than two years of negotiations, Senate Republicans have reached an agreement with the majority party that meets the water supply needs of California's growing cities and farms. The agreement would implement a strategy that includes conservation, storage facilities, recycling, and Delta protection measures." "With hundreds of thousands of acres fallow and tens of thousands of unemployed farmers and farm workers, this comprehensive water package represents a step toward getting water flowing and helping people get back to work," said Hollingsworth. California's water system was last upgraded in 1960, for a population of 15.8 million. Now, 36 million people call California home and the California Department of Finance projects that over 59 million will reside in the state by 2050. "In 2005, enough water to supply 13 million families for a year was lost to the sea because there was nowhere to store it. Securing storage capacity for water created by rainfall and snow melts has been a key point Republicans have pushed for in this comprehensive water legislation," said Hollingsworth. "It is important that this water measure address not only environmental and individual needs, but that economic uses of water resources are factored into this water use plan. From a practical standpoint, increasing water storage is a no-brainer when the state faces such severe water shortages in the future and has lost such a significant amount of water due to inadequate storage capacity," said Hollingsworth. The bond would set aside $3 billion for new water storage and $2 billion for ecosystem restoration in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. It would fund recycling and groundwater cleanup needed in Southern California and a dam removal project on the Klamath River in Northern California. It would cover restoration of the Salton Sea and watershed projects on the San Gabriel and Los Angeles rivers. The conservation measure sets a target of reducing urban per capita water use by onefifth by 2020. Agencies that fail to meet their targets would lose opportunities for state water grants and loans.

BILLS CORNER
A series of articles for decision making for you, your family and your land. Hi Folks. Hope your life is going well and this note finds you healthy and happy. The last Bills Corner article focused on What to Do now that you have a piece of heaven in the country. We reviewed together the first step in making your ranching experience provide for quality of life, income generation, and enhancement of your land for future production. Hopefully, applying Step 1, you have sat down with your family members and asked them individually what they enjoy most about country living (young children should be part of this process since their feelings count too), and what their future expectations or dreams are for what they want this land to provide for them. If, or when, you have this discussion consolidate their responses to develop a picture of your familys needs and/ or desires. We are now at the SECOND STEP, divided into three parts: 1. Quality of Life - Why you are doing this land thing in the first place!Make your sentences short and to the point. Let your imagination go as you brainstorm many ideas. Maybe its simply to enjoy the outdoors and the beauty of your land. Maybe its to raise your children in an outdoor environment where taking care of the chores helps to develop responsibility and work ethic. Maybe its your love of animal husbandry or the opportunity to have a beautiful, bountiful and healthy food garden plot to supplement your familys pantry. It may be all of the above, or for completely different reasons. The point is to clarify why you are becoming a real rancher/farmer. Save this list to refer back to from time to time. 2. Forms of Production Include the whole family in preparing a list of plants and/or animals you would like to raise on your land. Briefly describe the kinds of animals or plants you want to raise to make a profit to support your quality of life. It may be to raise vegetables to sell at a profit at the Cottonwood Creek Certified Farmers Market and Artisan Fair. It may be to raise feeder pigs to sell to 4-H and FFA members. It may be to sell pasture-raised chicken eggs, or meat to your community. The potential is endless for production and income from small to large acreages. Take the blinders off as you possibilitize this part of your goal, writing down whatever is suggested. You never know what the suggestion might be that would excite the family. You may even want to have a back-yard BBQ, inviting your friends/neighbors over to help you develop this list. Be sure to include the children they sometimes have some great ideas that can be refined to fit your quality of life. Once your list is complete you need to do two things: make sure the production unit you have chosen will fit your quality of life statement. No matter how profitable the production plan looks, if it does not support your quality of life, dont do it! Remember the reason you have chosen to live in the country is because of the kind of life style it provides. Once you have selected one or more possibilities the next step would be to determine the cost and returns benefit. In other words, what is the profit potential? The safest way to determine the potential is to double your costs and half your returns. If the project still makes a profit your pretty safe in saying it will be a good, profitable venture. Future Resource Base The basis for your production and quality of life is how well you take care of your land. You will want to continually enhance your soil by building biological capital into it. In other words, how can you continually make your soil a better place for micro-organisms to thrive, making your soil a living, breathing dynamic entity that supports an ever increasing production of the product that will provide for you and your family. The best indicator of soil health is the amount of earthworms it supports. The best way to monitor soil health is by taking a shovel-full of moist soil and counting the earthworms you see in the shovel. Keep a record of the earthworm count over the years to see how you are doing. To complete this third part of your second step you should acquire a plat map and/or an aerial view of your land. Use the map(s) to lay out your potential fencing and/or building needs, irrigation system (if you irrigate) and any other visions of what you want your land to look like in the future. Write a physical description of how your property will look in the future. Define the soil condition you want, including tilth, workability, earthworms per shovelfull or any other physical or biological conditions that you want. Its a good idea to go to the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) office in your area and pick up a copy of your soils map to determine the potential for your soil. What you have just developed is a Holistic 3-Part Goal for your family and your ranch/farm. Put this goal on your refrigerator or mirror so you can see it every day. This reminds you why you are doing this land thing. You will also use this Holistic Goal later on as you start making decisions leading to your goal. After you have completed this second step, you will be ready for the next Bills Corner that will describe in detail STEP THREE. I will be looking forward to chatting with you as we move into the application stage of your Holistic Goal. See you soon, and have a wonderful and thankful Thanksgiving Day.

About Bill

Bill Burrows is a Certified Registered Educator for Holis -tic Management International, with International headquarters in Albuquerque, NM. He has given seminars throughout the Western US, and several countries in Africa. He and his family operate a Sunlight Har-vesting ranch west of Red Bluff, CA, raising cattle, sheep, goats, dry land farming with majority of income from Agritourism (Hunting club for Wild Boar, Blacktail Deer, Wild Turkeys, Dove, Quail and a guided California Ground Squirrel hunt).

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FUEL REDUCTION AND NEW COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLANS BY 2010

AS REPORTED BY THE ANDERSON VALLEY POST As evidenced by the wild land fires of 2008, most wild land in Shasta County is highly susceptible to catastrophic wildfires. In light of this very volatile environment, the Shasta County Board of Supervisors has contracted with the Western Shasta Resource Conservation District to update seven existing strategic fuel reduction plans and to develop a new Community Wildfire Protection Plan in western Shasta County by June 2010. The fuel reduction plans will create a network of projects such as shaded fuel breaks, thinning and defensible space. Shaded fuel breaks are located mostly along fire access and escape routes to provide safer escape routes for residents and safer access for firefighters when wildland fires threaten. Plans to be updated include the Cottonwood Creek Watershed Strategic Fuels Reduction and Management Plan, Cow Creek Watershed Strategic Fuels Reduction Plan, French Gulch Fuels Reduction and Management Plan, Lakehead Area Strategic Fuels Reduction Plan for Private Land, Lower Clear Creek Watershed Strategic Fuels Reduction Plan, Shasta West Strategic Fuels Management Plan and the Fire Safe Plan for the Shingletown Community. These plans can each be viewed at www.westernshastarcd.org under the Shasta County Fire Safe Council link. The new Community Wildfire Protection Plan will include the Stillwater-Churn Creek watersheds and Jones Valley planning area. are complimentary with each other and to what is occurring on adjoining private commercial forest lands. Approaching it on this manner will allow us to accomplish fuel reduction on a landscape basis in the long run rather than piece meal." Delaney noted the effort demonstrates the county boards' dedication to reducing fire danger for Shasta County residents. Meetings specific to each plan will be held throughout western Shasta County during the next several months. Public input is crucial to assure the best plans possible are developed, Delaney noted. For information, contact Lee Delaney, Fire Safe Program Manager, at 530-365-7332, ext. 203. His email is lee@westernshastarcd.org. The funding for the effort is from funds provided to Shasta County under the Federal Secure Rural Schools and Community SelfDetermination Act - Title III- County Funds. These funds are intended to support planning efforts to design fire safe communities.

Lee Delaney, fire safe program manager for the conservation district, stated that, "Most of the plans are five to nine years old and need updating." "A review and update of the plans and development of the Stillwater-Churn Creek CWPP will point us in the right direction when we submit grant applications to construct or maintain fuel reduction projects," Delaney continued. "The updated plans will assure the projects

UPCOMING EVENTS
ABOUT US The Cottonwood Creek Watershed Group (CCWG) is an organized association of landowners, residential home owners, business owners, and other private parties. The groups goal is to work together to maintain, conserve and restore a healthy and productive Cottonwood Creek Watershed. CCWG will work to preserve the environment, private property and water rights, and the economic resources of Cottonwood Creek Watershed through responsible stewardship, liaison, cooperation and education. 6
November 9th - Livestock Production and the Williamson Act Seminar. 68pm at the Tehama County Board of Supervisors Chambers, 727 Oak Street Red Bluff, CA. For more information call (530) 527-3101 November 11th - Veterans Day November 12th - CCWG Board Meeting located at the Cottonwood Assembly of God off Gas Point Rd. at 5:30pm. November 12th - Northstate Water Public Forum & Workshop. Located at the Chico Masonic Family Center, 1110 W. East Ave., Chico. From 1:006:00pm. For more information call (530) 624-0239 November 26th - Thanksgiving Day (OFFICE CLOSED) November 26th - 24th Annual Turkey Trot. All proceeds benefit Womens Refuge Good News Rescue Mission and SWEAT Running Club. For more information call (530) 224-5412 November 26th - No CCWG Community Meeting due to Holiday. November 28th - Red Bluff Christmas Parade, 5:30pm, Downtown Red Bluff. For more information call (530) 8911650.

A PUBLICATION OF: Cottonwood Creek Watershed Group Brynn Nolan Executive Director P.O. Box 1198 20404 Gas Point Rd. Ste. A Cottonwood, CA 96022 Office (530) 347-6637 Fax (530) 347-6346 www.ccwgrp.org info@ccwgrp.org PRODUCED BY: Sheri Curry