HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 02262002 - PR1 PR1
THE BOARDOF SUPERVISORS OF
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
Certificates of Appreciation were presented to the following individuals for having made
exceptional contributions to the fish and wildlife resources of Contra Costa County.
David Harper,Matt Dashner,Jerry Pense and Howard Turner from the Public Works
Department and Jose Setka and Bert Mulchaey both from the East Bay Municipal
District.
THIS IS A MATTER.FOR RECORD PURPOSES ONLY
NO ACTION WAS TAKEN
Contra
"Tdi: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS �2 MAR ,. A » Costa
AM 11: 38
FROM FISH AND WILDLIFE COMMITTEE County
DATE: February 26, 2002
SUBJECT: PRESENTATION OF CERTIFICATES OF APPRECIATION TO INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE
MADE EXCEPTIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO FISH AND WILDLIFE RESOURCES
SPECIFICREOI EST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATIONS
PRESENTATION of Certificate of Appreciation to the following individuals who have made
exceptional contributions to the fish and wildlife, resources of Contra Costa County, as
recommended by the Fish and Wildlife Committee.
> David;,Harper(Public Works Department)
Matt Dashner(Public Works Department)
Jerry Pense(Public Works Department)
Howard Turner(Public Works Department)
➢ Jose Setka`(East Bay Municipal Utility District)
➢ Bert Mulchaey (East Bay Municipal Utility District)
FISCAL IMPACT
None.
BA KGROUND/REAEONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS'
In 1998, the Fish and Wildlife Committee voted unanimously to recommend that the Board of
Supervisors initiate a Fish and Wildlife Committee certificate of appreciation program. The
Committee believed the program would be a valuable mechanism for,expressing appreciation to
those who have made substantial contributions to the local environment in this area. They also felt
the recognition program could increase community awareness about the importance of protecting
and enhancing the County's fish and wildlife resources. The Board of Supervisors approved this
recommendation on February 3, 1998 and recognized nineteen individuals as the first recipients of
this award. The award has been presented several other times since then to a range of worthy
recipients. 5 x - o
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES SIGNATURE: F{r'ti C fOr
Brett Morris, Chair
Fish and Wildlife Committee
ao RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY'°ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDA71ON OF BOARD COMMITTEE
k--'—APPROVE X OTHER
SIGNMONNINSINN
ATURES « R'
ACTION OF BOA0Pf C3Nr --Q APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
�� I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
UNANIMOUS (ABSEW2 ^ ' ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE
SHOWN.
Contact: Kae a(925/335-1230) ATTESTED ' ' %
cc: ommunity Development Department(CDD) JOHN SWEETEN, CLERK OF
CAO, Attn: Julie Enea THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
Clerk of the Board, Attn: Maddy Book AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
{
BYZr DEPUTY
PRESENTATION OF FISHANDWILDLIFE CERTIFICATES OF APPRECIATION
February 2002
Page 2
On January 19,2002,the Fish and Wildlife Committee voted unanimously to recommend
this award to the individualswho assisted in restoring riparian habitatfor native trout in San
Leandro Creek.
Two fishery biologists from East Bay Municipal Utility District(EBMU'D)were conducting research on
rainbow trout in San Leandro Creek as part of an ongoing monitoring program.The Rainbow Trout,
which lives in Upper San Leandro Reservoir, is a rare, unhybridized strain of this species of trout.
San Leandro Creek is also the location where the Rainbow Trout was first discovered in the late
1800's. Construction of two darns, the Chabot Dam in 1875 and the Upper San Leandro Dam in
1926, landlocked this population, technically known as Onchorynchus mykiss irideus. Since the
upper San Leandro Creek watershed above San Leandro Reservoir has never'been planted with
trout, this population has remained unhybridized and is considered to be an important genetic
resource.
During the course of the research('February-April 2001),the fishery biologists,Jose Setka and Bert
Mulchaey, visited the area at least two times per week. They discovered that a portion of San
Leandro Creek, near Pinehurst Read, had a culvert that prevented the trout from moving upstream
to its normal breeding area. In fact, no trout were observed upstream of the culvert. Mr.Setka and
Mr. Mulchaey consulted the Public Works Department and the Fish and Wildlife Committee to
discuss ways to solve the issue'.
One of the Public Works Bridge Crew Members,Matt Dashner,suggested using a downed redwood
trunk to 'create a "fish ladder jump pool" where trout can jump and rest momentarily before
continuing upstream. Using organic materials such as the downed redwood trunk was a very
creative and environmentally benign idea,compared to using conventional cement and other man-
made materials for a fish ladder.' This restoration idea became a core of the construction plan to
restore the trout habitat and was approved by the Board in September 2001.
After the Board approved the plan, Mr. Dashner along with David Harper,Jerry Pense and Howard
Turner, also from the Public Works Department, attached the trunk to the existing culvert. As a
result, trout can now proceed upstream, beyond the culvert, to breed, and thus retrieve the fish
population upstream of the culvert.The trunk that was installed also stopped further erosion of the
culvert. It is reported that the fish population is back to normal and the trunk is intact.
For their great work that restored habitat for rare fish'with an environmentally sound method, the
Contra Costa County Fish and Wildlife Committee would like to award the Certificate of Appreciation
to Mr.Setka, Mr. Mulchaey, Mr. Dashner,'Mr.Harper, Mr. Pense and Mr.Tumor. The Committee is
grateful for their creativity and resourcefulness in resolving this problem. The Committee
appreciates community involvement, and will continue to support the fish and wildlife of Contra
Costa County in the years to cornea