November
Meeting Highlights:
¨
Bill Pearcy reported that the temperature monitors have been retrieved
from around the watershed.
Approximately 50 were placed, and approximately 4 were missing. These data will be available within the next
couple of months and will be presented to the council.
¨
Students at Philomath High School have been conducting water quality
tests on Newton Creek, and are examining macroinvertebrates on Mary's
River. The council asked for a
presentation by the students in the near future.
¨
A draft plan from the engineer is expected this month for the Newton
Creek Wetlands Assessment being conducted by the City of Philomath.
¨
Court Smith discussed different perspectives on riparian areas and how
local viewpoints often differ from those of scientists. Court raised three
questions: 1) What should a riparian area look like? 2) How much will it cost
to produce such riparian areas? and 3) Who will pay? A discussion revolving
around these three questions followed. In this discussion, questions were raised,
such as: to what degree should channel position be
constrained? what kind of vegetation should be considered as representative of
a healthy riparian area? and what role
should beaver be allowed to play in riparian management?
¨
Ethen Bennett (929-4537) described a study he conducted of changes in the
Wren area between 1945 and 1993. His study was based on a comparison of aerial
photographs, and he looked at vegetation cover, roads, and development.
¨
Kim Mattson (745-2045), owner of Ecosystem Northwest, described the
assessment process, how it was to be conducted, and what products would come
out of it. A draft document will be available by the end of the year with 4
main chapters: 1) History and Characterization of the Watershed, 2) Current
Conditions and Measures of Change, 3)
Elements of Change and Causes of Change, 4) Future Trends of Change. A
public meeting is scheduled for December 1st to allow for landowner input on issues of
concern in the Marys River Watershed. Six analysts will work on this
preliminary assessment including people with expertise in fisheries, streams,
forests, hydrology, water quality, soils, geomorphology, history, and GIS.
¨
On Dec. 3 at 7 PM a meeting will be held in the Corvallis library meeting
room concerning Corvallis Storm Water Management Practices. On Dec. 5th there
will be a field trip, to be announced at the Dec. 3rd meeting.