For the past 50 years the Western Shasta Resource Conservation District (WSRCD) has worked with willing landowners throughout western Shasta County to conserve and restore natural resources. This year marks our 50th year in conservation, which makes it very special to announce the opening of our WSRCD Resource Mitigation Library Program.
Development projects and public works are often proposed within areas containing sensitive habitats including ephemeral and intermittent streams, riparian corridors, and oak woodlands.  It is always preferable to avoid such sensitive resources when siting public works and development projects, or provide on-site mitigation within the footprint of the project when avoidance is not possible. Nonetheless, development and public works projects occasionally result in habitat loss or degradation requiring off-site mitigation. Finding appropriate locations for off-site mitigation acceptable to resource agencies can be challenging and time consuming. Because of these difficulties the WSRCD has used our ongoing relationships with both private landowners and public agencies to develop an alternative for off-site mitigation needs.
For the past six months we have been reviewing a concept with regulatory agencies to create a process allowing off-site mitigation to be completed within or adjacent to the watershed in which impacts occur.  The WSRCD has identified a list of off-site mitigation sites, on which some form of resource enhancement can be accomplished.  These sites have been compiled into a “Library” of opportunities for use as some form of mitigation. We have compiled information for each of these sites, including a scope of work, budget, photos, maps, and permitting and monitoring requirements. The Library contains sites with one or more of the following habitat enhancement opportunities: riparian and oak woodland establishment; stream bank stabilization; ephemeral and intermittent stream enhancement; in-stream habitat improvement; wetlands establishment and enhancement; and more.
Any development or public works entity that is required to accomplish off-site mitigation and wishes to use the WSRCD Resource Mitigation Library Program needs only to follow a three-step process:

1. Review the off-site mitigation options in the Library and select one or more that potentially fulfill your mitigation requirements.
2. Review the mitigation opportunities with the regulatory agency(s) that have legal jurisdiction over the resources affected to determine if it/they are acceptable.  (Agencies having legal jurisdiction over the resource impacted have the “last right of approval” over any off-site mitigation.)
3. When the off-site mitigation meets agency approval, contact our Program Coordinator to prepare a contract. Once the contract is signed and payment is received, the WSRCD staff will implement the field work, complete appropriate maintenance and monitoring, and periodically report to the responsible regulatory agency(s).

A Library project can be either fully- or partially-funded.  For larger projects, several fee contributions may be accumulated from different entities before the on-the-ground mitigation work can be completed.

In developing the WSRCD Resource Mitigation Library Program, the WSRCD will take the following steps for each potential off-site mitigation project, in order to facilitate the process:

1.  Acquire landowner permission for placing the potential mitigation site in the Library.
2.  Assign a number to the mitigation site, enter it into the Library, and post it on our web site.
3.  Once funding is received, acquire landowner approval for initiating field work on their land.
4.  Discuss unique or complicated mitigation measures with specialists before developing a scope of work and budget.
5. Determine the necessary environmental compliance process and list of required permits.

The WSRCD Resource Mitigation Library Program can be a great time saver for developers or public works agencies.  In addition, the WSRCD serves as an impartial third-party that not only accomplishes the work, but provides accountability to the applicable regulatory agencies.  For all of these reasons using the program makes a lot of sense!

For additional information please call Mike Grifantini (Program Manager) at 365-7332 (Extension 207) or email mikeg@westernshastarcd.org . Mike is available to meet with you or give short presentations.  More information can also be found on our website, at http://www.westernshastarcd.org.

Mary Mitchell
District Manager