X DECEMBER IN THE NORTH

STATE FOOD GARDEN....... 2

VOL 1 No. 7 December 2009

X MANY THREATS, MUCH CAN

BE DONE ........................ 3

Watershed
X CALIFORNIA MAY EASE GRAY
-WATER RESTRICTIONS .... 5

ADDRESSING THE NEWEST ISSUES EFFECTING THE

COTTONWOOD CREEK WATERSHED
watch
CCWG ANNUAL MEETING AND
BOARD OF DIRECTOR ELECTIONS
January 28th, 2010 located at 20595 Gas Point Road, Cottonwood at 5:30pm.
The Cottonwood Creek Watershed Group (CCWG) would like to invite
you to attend the CCWG 2010 Annual Meeting on January 28th at
5:30pm. The meeting will be held at the Cottonwood Community Center,
20595 Gas Point Road, Cottonwood, CA.
The event will kick off with a potluck din-
ner. A main course of Beef Stew, cornbread,
biscuits and drinks will be provided by
CCWG. Attendees are encouraged to bring a
side dish, salad, or dessert. Attendees will also
be given the opportunity to enter for their
chance to win All-Day Lift Passes for two com-
pliments of Mt. Shasta Ski Park.
Executive Director, Brynn Nolan, will be giv-
ing a brief presentation on the past year’s sig-
nificant accomplishments and recognition of
volunteers. She will also unveil a new web site,
which will provide superior project tracking
abilities and enhanced volunteer coordination and communication.
CCWG formally announced in August that it was accepting applications
for the upcoming 2010 election. Six applications were received and five of
the applicants 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.
Each candidate will be asked to provide a brief introduction to the audi-
ence and highlight their qualifications and experience that they would bring
to the Board of Directors. After which Cottonwood Creek
Watershed Group Stakeholders will be invited to cast their
vote for their choice of three candidates to fill the open
seats. There will be one vote per household. Volunteers will
be counting the votes headed by community member Joy
Johns.
“CCWG’s Annual Meeting is a great way to celebrate our
success so far, and engage more stakeholders as we prioritize
our efforts and resources,” said Sheri Curry, Board of Direc-
tors Secretary.
For more information please contact CCWG by calling
(530) 347-6637.

The Cottonwood Creek Watershed Group is happy to welcome an addition to our team,
Keith Hackney of Redding. As an AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers In Service To America) mem-
ber, it is his mission to fight poverty with a passion. It will be Keith’s mission to head the start-up
of the Food Bank for Cottonwood and surrounding communities. His project will be partnered with
the Community Garden and Farmers Market, projects that two existing VISTA’s have started.
For more information on the AmeriCorps VISTA program visit their website at
www.americorps.cov/vista
DECEMBER IN THE NORTH STATE FOOD
GARDEN
By: Sherry Rosen, Hacienda Farms, Cottonwood, CA
This article is the start of a series of quarterly ramblings centered
around seasonal garden activities, focused specifically on the North
State and its unique climate.
The Sunset Western Garden Book classifies the majority of the North
State as Zone 9, though foothill gardeners (Shingletown, Mt. Shasta,
Burney, Weaverville) will find themselves in Zone 7. Zone 9 means
high daytime summer temperatures and almost constant sunshine dur-
ing the long growing season. First frost is generally in mid-
November, last frost is usually April 15th.
It is possible to grow almost any kind of vege-
table and many types of fruits here in the North
State. After years of gardening in several cli-
mate zones of Northern California, I marvel at
how great it is to garden here. Hacienda Farms
is lucky to be located in the Cottonwood Creek
Watershed, with basically creek loam for soil.
The property is irrigated by A.C.I.D., and the
soil is nutrient rich - not the red clay found in
many nearby areas. There are many ways to
enrich soil nutrients, and I will go into that
further in a future column.
One of the most fantastic things about grow-
ing food in the North State is that a year-round vegetable garden is so
easy to achieve. Many leafy greens thrive in our cold, rainy winter
climate, and freezing temperatures are necessary for fruit set in stone
fruits. Onions, garlic, leeks and shallots develop their best flavor
when grown over the winter months, and need practically no care until
the warmer days of spring. Peas planted in August are now flowering
and getting ready for a final crop.
All it takes is a bit of planning and you, too, can be harvesting deli-
cious vegetables all year long.
Once the frenetic holiday activities have ended, and the short, dreary
days and long, cold nights are upon us, it is time to sit close to the fire
and begin planning for spring. I usually begin by referring to my jour-
nals of past seasons, where I record what I planted, and when and
where I planted it. Sometimes this time consuming task gets away
from me, but the information proves so useful that I try to keep track
PACKED UP AND MOVED
DOWN THE STREET
CCWG has relocated their office to 3645 Main St., Cottonwood.
CCWG Board of Directors and Staff is very excited to announce the
relocation of our office to 3645 Main Street in Cottonwood. The new
office sits on a large lot that will be landscaped by CCWG staff and vol-
unteers. CCWG is currently seeking plant donations, preferably native
plants to accommodate the new landscaping and are hoping to make it
into an educational site for native landscaping.
Volunteers are needed to assist CCWG in raking leaves, pulling weeds
of all my garden work.
I begin with the most recent year, and recall the successes and fail-
ures, in order to decide which varieties to plant again, and which ones
to eliminate. The plot maps are particularly useful, because it is a
good idea to rotate crop locations from year to year. Planting the same
crop over and over in the same location can deplete soil nutrients and
harbor diseases and pests. Since different crops use different nutrients
from the soil, varying the locations also utilizes soil more effectively.
Seed catalogs, on-line research and visits to local garden centers
begin in January when bare root fruit trees, berries
and perennial vegetables arrive (rhubarb, horserad-
ish, asparagus, and Jerusalem artichokes). My
favorite supplier of organic products is Peaceful
Valley Farm Supply located in Grass Valley, CA.
Their website, www.groworganic.com, is a great
resource for all sorts of gardening products and
information. A print catalog is also available.
Local, independently owned garden centers can
be a wealth of information about local growing
conditions. Their plants are often more locally
grown, thus better adapted to the area than plants
trucked in from large nurseries in Southern Cali-
fornia. Although the plants might cost a bit more, in the end your
results will be better.
Since the garden itself requires less care in the winter, this is a good
time to concentrate on tasks that require large muscle work, like rak-
ing, shoveling, fixing fences, and cutting wood. It’s also a good time
to put a layer of mulch over the garden beds, even if they are empty.
Placing a layer of leaves, grass clippings, wood chips, or whatever else
is in your yard, over the beds will help protect the soil from the harsh
winter elements, and also curtail some of the weed growth. Plus, it’s
quite easy to rake up your mulch layer and begin with nice clear beds
come spring.
If you have specific food gardening questions, Sherry can be reached
at: haciendafarms@gmail.com.
and planting the new landscape. This is a great opportunity for students
to fulfill their community service requirements.
The next Board of Directors meeting will be held at the new office at
5:30pm on December 17th. CCWG would like to invite you to come by
and check out the office and take a tour.
2

There are currently many volunteer
opportunities with CCWG for ongoing
and upcoming projects. Please con-
tact us if you are interested in volun-
teering for any of the following pro-
jects:
Crowley Gulch Project: Seeking vol-
unteers who are willing and able to assist
in picking up trash, removing overgrown
blackberry bushes and replant native plant
species.
General Support: This could include
anything from raking leaves, pulling
weeds, planting trees, or mailing out
letters and other office needs.
Community Garden: Seeking to
establish a list of people interested in
assisting in the start up and general
maintenance of a Cottonwood Com-
munity Garden.
For more information on any of these
or other projects please contact
CCWG by calling (530) 347-6637.
OAK REFORESTATION PROJECT
CCWG received a $19,500 grant to conserve, protect and plant an estimated 2,000
oak tress in the Cottonwood Creek Watershed. Landowners needed to participate.
CCWG has recently been approved for an Oak which are not donated or grown.
Woodlands Reforestation Grant that will allow CCWG is currently looking for local landown-
them to assist local land owners in replacing ers who live in the Cottonwood Creek Water-
downed, diseased oaks or those who have had a shed and have the need of having 2-200 oak tree
loss of oaks for other reasons. seedlings to be planted on their property
Gray Pines Nursery has kindly donated 1,000 Applications to apply for the reforestation are
oak tree seedlings towards this project. CCWG available by contacting the group at 347-6637 or
has collected acorns to start seedlings and will bnolan@ccwgrp.org.
be purchasing the remaining needed seedlings
CROWLEY GULCH PROJECT
Community beautification project to begin the first week of December.
The Crowley Gulch project is currently under- Volunteers will be needed for mid December
way with on-the-ground work to begin the first to help plant native plants and collect garbage.
week of December. The project which lies For those interested in donating native plants or
between Gas Point Rd and First Street in Cot-
helping finish the project, please contact
tonwood will unplug the waterway, remove
invasive species and improve water quality for CCWG at 347-6637.
the mainstem of Cottonwood Creek. The work
will also help beautify the area which is behind
the Cottonwood Community Center, Little
League Park and children’s playground.
Botanists recently identified any invasive
plants to be removed and tagged the beneficial
plants to stay. Tractor work will begin by mow-
ing down large stands of blackberries and later
hand crews will move in for any work next to
the gulch itself.
3
MANY THREATS AND MUCH
THAT CAN BE DONE
AS REPORTED BY FORESTLAND STEWARD

Watersheds in California Start by finding out about As a landowner, you can

face many challenges.
There are threats from
habitat loss, soil erosion,
pollutants, invasive spe-
cies, climate change, and
numerous other factors.
These threats affect every-
one; we all live down-
stream from someone or
something.
Private landowners can
have a great impact on the
watershed through every-
day actions and restoration
activities. Working to
improve the watershed may
also improve your property
and your quality of life.
the issues affecting your be a good steward of your
area and learn what can be watershed by maintaining
done to address them. your roads, controlling
At the personal level, erosion, allowing large
your lifestyle choices can woody debris to remain in
affect watershed health. the waterways, eradicating
Simple actions, such as exotic pest plants, and
conserving water, minimiz- practicing good forest man-
ing use of chemicals that agement.
can end up in the water-
ways (e.g., pesticides and
fertilizers), disposing of
household waste responsi-
bly, and generally being
aware of your impact on
the watershed can make a
big difference when multi-
plied by many people.

CURRENT WATERSHED THREATS

ADAPTED FROM STEWARDSHIP GUIDE FOR THE RUSSIAN RIVER,
http://sotoyomercd.org/Stewardship-Guide.pdf

• Excessive soil erosion decreases drinking water quality, dimin- problems.

ishes fish habitat by filling in pools, reduces insect abundance,
smothers fish eggs, and reduces a stream’s ability to carry flood
waters. Excess sediment in the water also reduces oxygen in the
water.
• Illegal or excessive stream diversions can reduce flows,
thereby lowering the quality and the quantity of summer rearing
habitat for steelhead, salmon, and other native fishes and aquatic
organisms.
• Removal of woody material decreases cover habitat for fish
and other wildlife, and can alter pool development.
• Loss of habitat can occur from the removal of native plants or
the construction of smooth walls along streambanks that lack the
benefits of riparian vegetation.
• Impervious or hard surfaces, such as roofs and roads, lessen
the amount of water that soaks into the ground for groundwater
recharge. This can increase flooding and lead to bank erosion
• Bare, unstable streambank areas with little or no plants to
contribute to bank erosion and sediment, and do not provide
adequate shade or wildlife cover.
• Excess nutrients from manure, fertilizer, or septic systems can
cause algae to grow at a high rate. Too much algae can use up
oxygen in the water which in turn can cause stress or death to
fish.
• Pollutants such as metals, pesticides, sewage, medicines, oil,
yard waste, trash, and other debris harm fish, wildlife, and their
habitats. Excess landscape irrigation, household greywater,
sodium from softened water, and swimming pool or spa water
that drain into waterways are also considered pollutants.
• Warm water (>60°F) can stress fish. Temperatures over 75°F
can be lethal to salmonids.
• Invasive introduced plants, such as giant reed (Arundo donax),
vary the structure and function of the riparian corridor, crowd-

GOODSEARCH AND GOODSHOP FOR CCWG

Stores give you discounts on your purchase plus donate a percent of your purchase to your cause!

What if Cottonwood Creek Watershed Group earned a
donation every time you searched the Internet? Or how
about if a percentage of every purchase you made online
went to support our cause? Well, now it can!
GoodSearch.com is a new Yahoo-powered search engine
that donates half its advertising revenue, about a penny per
search, to the charities its users designate. Use it just as
you would any search engine, get quality search results
from Yahoo, and watch the donations add up!
GoodShop.com is a new online shopping mall which
donates up to 30 percent of each purchase to your fa-
vorite cause! Hundreds of great stores including Ama-
zon, Target, Gap, Best Buy, ebay, Macy's and Barnes
& Noble have teamed up with GoodShop and every
time you place an order, you'll be supporting your
favorite cause.

4
CALIFORNIA MAY EASE GRAY-WATER
RESTRICTIONS
Rules making it easier to install systems that recycle water for garden use.
AS REPORTED BY SUSAN CARPENTER OF THE LA TIMES
California may soon adopt more lenient rules washing machine in a one- or two-family dwell- soil (or a solid shield) covering the release
allowing residents to recycle water from their ing, and ones that recycle water from a single point.
clothes washers, showers and other household plumbing fixture or drain, also in a one- or two- • Systems must minimize contact with hu-
sources for use in their gardens. family home. mans and pets.
Homeowners were able to begin installing gray Homeowners must follow 12 guidelines but do • Water used to wash diapers or similarly
water systems without a construction permit as not need permits. Among the guidelines: soiled or infectious garments cannot be
of August 4th, 2009. That's a reversal of past used.
requirements, which stipulate that homeowners
who install systems recycling sink, shower, bath-
• Water cannot contain hazardous chemicals
derived from cleaning car parts, washing
tub and laundry wastewater not only get permits
greasy rags, disposing solutions from home
from the appropriate administrative authority but
photo labs or similar activities.
also install the systems underground with exten-
For more information on the revised code and
sive filtering apparatus.
to read all 12 guidelines, go to hcd.ca.gov and
In the summer of 2008, Senate Bill 1258 passed
type in "gray water standards" in the search field.
requiring the state's Department of Housing and
Community Development to revise the code "to
conserve water by facilitating greater reuse of
gray water in California." The code's revision
was scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, 2011, but
because of the state's continuing drought, the • The installation cannot affect other plumb-
new code was submitted for emergency adop- ing, electrical or mechanical components
tion. including structural features, sanitation or
Complex systems that discharge more than 250 potable water supply.
gallons per day may still require construction • The gray water must be contained on the
permits. But the new gray-water standards do site where it is generated.
apply to lower-volume residential systems, in-
cluding ones that recycle water from a single
• If gray water is released above ground, there
must be at least 2 inches of mulch, rock, or

ABOUT US
The Cottonwood Creek
Watershed Group
(CCWG) is an organized
association of landown-
ers, residential home
A PUBLICATION OF:
owners, business owners,
Cottonwood Creek
Watershed Group and other private parties.
Brynn Nolan The group’s goal is to
Executive Director work together to main-
tain, conserve and restore
P.O. Box 1198 a healthy and productive
3645 Main Street Cottonwood Creek Wa-
Cottonwood, CA 96022 tershed. CCWG will
Office (530) 347-6637
work to preserve the
Fax (530) 347-6346
www.ccwgrp.org environment, private
info@ccwgrp.org property and water
rights, and the economic
PRODUCED BY: resources of Cottonwood
Sheri Curry Creek Watershed
through responsible
stewardship, liaison,
cooperation and educa-
tion.
5
UPCOMING EVENTS
NOVEMBER 28th - DECEMBER DECEMBER 17th - CCWG Board
19th - Cottonwood Chamber of Com- Meeting located at 3645 Main St., Cot-
merce Christmas Tree Lot. Located at tonwood at 5:30pm.
Etc. Mercantile, 3308 Main St., Cotton-
wood. Proceeds benefit West Valley DECEMBER 24th
Sober-Grad. Open Mon-Fri 4-8pm , Sat - Christmas Eve
-Sun noon-7pm. OFFICE CLOSED
DECEMBER 5th-6th - Meet Santa at DECEMBER 25th
the Cottonwood Chamber Christmas - Christmas Day
Tree Lot. Etc. Mercantile, 3308 Main OFFICE CLOSED
St., Cottonwood. 12-3pm.
JANUARY 1st -
DECEMBER 8th-9th - California New Years Day
Board of Forestry Meeting. Located in OFFICE CLOSED
Sacramento for more information call
(916)653-8007.
DECEMBER 9th - 2009 Water Edu-
cation Symposium at Carlino’s Event
Ceter, Rolling Hills Casino. 2655 Bar-
ham Ave., Corning. 8:30am to 3:00pm.
For information call (530)527-3101.