indian valley restoration and water - ca climate...

Indian Valley Restoration and Water Luke Hunt Director of Headwaters Conservation American Rivers [email protected]

Julie Fair, Max Odland: American Rivers Austen Lorenz: SF State University

mailto:[email protected]

Indian Valley 1. Flow 2. Groundwater 3. Damage and Recovery

Indian Valley 3.5 acres of pond 2.0 acres of fill 1.2 miles of channel

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1

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0 5 10 15

Lower Gauge

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2 Upper Gauge

Discharge (cfs)

Stag

e (f

t)

Discharge (cfs)

Stag

e (f

t)

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Lower Gauge

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Jan 2013 Apr Jul Oct Jan 2014

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cfs)

Annual Flow

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Lower Gauge

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10.0

Jun 01 Jul 01 Aug 1 Sep 01

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Summer Flow

Upper Gauge

Lower Gauge

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10.0

Jun 01 Jul 01 Aug 1 Sep 01

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cfs)

Summer Flow

Sink Source

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Lower Gauge

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2.5

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7.5

10.0

Jul 01 Aug 01 Sep 01

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5.0

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10.0


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cfs)

2012

( Before Project) 2013

(After Project)

2014

How Much? When?

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-1

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Dis

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cfs)

2012 ( Before Project)

2013 (After Project)

2014

Difference (Outflow – Inflow)

Year Snow Water Eq May 1 (in)

Total Summer Inflow

June-Sept (acre-ft)

Crossover Date

(Outflow > Inflow)

Meadow Subsidy

June-Sept (acre-ft)

2012 13 18.6 6/26 2.6

2013 10 19.9 6/17 5.4

2014 11.9 13.4 6/9 15.2


Total Summer Inflow

June-Sept (acre-ft)

Crossover Date

(Outflow > Inflow)

Meadow Subsidy

June-Sept (acre-ft)

2012 13 18.6 6/26 2.6

2013 10 19.9 6/17 5.4

2014 11.9 13.4 6/9 15.2

2015 0


2012 13

2013 10

2014 11.9

2015 0

9/4/2012 Pre-Project

8/15/15 9/10/15

Groundwater Depth

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2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Dep

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ft)

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6

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Across Years

Before After

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well 4

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Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct

Groundwater Depth

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ell 3

well 4

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well 6

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Dep

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ft)

By Month

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Across Years

well 1

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ell 3

well 4

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well 6

Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct

By Month

2.1 ft

0.7 ft

0.2 ft

1.4 ft

0.7 ft

Rise in Groundwater Level after Project

Groundwater Depth

Depth

Coca-Cola Replenish Estimate

Depth/2 X Meadow Area


Depth/2 X Meadow Area


Replenish Volume = Depth/2 X Meadow Area X Specific Yield = 3 ft/2 X 500 ac X 0.33 = 225 acre ft

Indian Valley 3.5 acres of pond X 3’ deep 15 acres of floodplain X 1.5’ 8 acres of floodplain X .7’ 15-20 acre feet

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Jan 2013 Apr Jul Oct Jan 2014

Year 1 Damage

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00:00 06:00 12:00 18:00

Flood 7/26/2013 Peak Flow: Upper Ga.= 100cfs Lower Ga.= 180cfs 1.5 hours > 20 cfs ~8,000 cuft of sediment in uppermost pond

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cfs)

2013 2013

2013 2013

2015

2013

2015

Half-way through project reach

2013

2015

Bottom of project

Take homes:

1. Meadow soaks up water in spring, releases in summer. 2. Restoration increased summer outflows. 3. Net effect spring-summer is to reduce volume. 4. Groundwater elevated 1-2 feet. Narrow area affected. 5. Greatly increased summer aquatic habitat --- pools vs dry 6. Rapid sedimentation.

Thanks! Chuck Loffland, Rick Hopson: USFS Alpine Watershed Group staff and volunteers Jim Wilcox and Terry Benoit: Plumas Corporation Austen Lorenz: San Francisco State Sierra Nevada Alliance Americorps Program Julie Fair, Max Odland: American Rivers NFWF, the CA LCC and Coca-Cola provided essential funding.

indian valley restoration and water - ca climate...

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