North Santiam Watershed Council

May 2010 e-Update

Greetings from the North Santiam Watershed Council!

Please join us at our next council meeting this Thursday, May 13^th, at 7PM at the Stayton Community Center. And please join us at the “Wet your Whistle in the Watershed” event on June 11^th! More details in our e-update below!

LifeSource Shopping Day

NSWC Weed and Clean

USACE Open Houses:  May 12/Stayton and May 17/Mill City

NSWC Council Meeting: May 13^th—7pm

Field Trip:  Kingston Prairie Preserve, Saturday, June 5—9 am to 2 pm

Learn the River Trips—North Santiam River Guides Association

NSWC Meeting—June 10^th, 7pm

Wet Your Whistle in the Watershed Event: Friday, June 11^th –6 to 9 pm

Please contact council@ nsantiamwatershed.org for more information regarding any of the events or if you have an event for us to add!

LifeSource Shopping Day—A success!

Thank you to all NSWC supporters who shopped at LifeSource in Salem in support of Earth Day! LifeSource generously donated 5% of their profits from April 23^rd to the Council.  Coordinator Liz Redon and board members John Caruso and Suzette Boudreaux were present at the store from about noon through the evening, and had the chance to speak with many of you. Thanks for your support, and thank you, LifeSource!

NSWC North Fork Weed and Clean—A cleaner, less weedy North Fork Road

Last Saturday, May 8^th, members of the North Santiam Watershed Council joined Marion County Weed Control District, the US Forest Service, the Opal Creek Advisory Council, the North Santiam Canyon Economic Development Corporation, and local residents to pick up trash and pull weeds along North Fork Road. 35 people were there to help, and were fed a tasty lunch from the Marion County Search and Rescue crew. A big thank you to all who helped with this event!

USACE Open Houses:  May 12/Stayton and May 17/Mill City

Two Open Houses hosted by the Army Corps of Engineers are scheduled for May 12 (Stayton Community Center) and May 17 (Mill City Middle School), where you can learn about endangered fish, dams, and reservoirs in the North Santiam Watershed, meet the agencies and take part in presentations and discussion sessions. Topics include operating the Willamette Valley dams (including Detroit and Big Cliff), balancing competing water uses, and the recent biological opinions.

Questions are welcome in advance so staff can work to respond to them in the presentations. E-mail questions to Willamette@ usace.army.mil by Wednesday, May 5. Questions are also welcome at the door. Additional questions? Call the Corps of Engineers at 503-808-4510.

NSWC Council Meeting: May 13^th—7pm

The May North Santiam Watershed Council meeting will be held on Thursday, May 13th at 7 pm. Glenn Dolphin from the Oregon Marine Board to talk about the Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Program. Meet at the Stayton Community Room (400 Virginia Ave.).

Field Trip:  Kingston Prairie Preserve, Saturday, June 5—9 am to 2 pm

This 52 acre Nature Conservancy Preserve southeast of Stayton is the best example of native prairie remaining in the central Willamette Valley.  Both wet and dry prairie habitats harbor native grasses and host several rare wildflowers.  Bring water and lunch.  For directions or questions, call John Savage at 503-399-8615 after 7 pm. Sponsored by the Willamette Valley Chapter of the Native Plant Society, the hike is free and open to the public.

Learn the River Trips—North Santiam River Guides Association

For more information, please contact Bill Sanderson at 503-897-3301.

Mehama to Stayton, June 5, 2010

Fishermen’s Bend to Mehama, June 26, 2010

Packsaddle to Fishermen’s Bend, July 10, 2010

NSWC Meeting—June 10^th, 7pm

During our June NSWC meeting, we will start our Watershed Council Self Evaluation, review the biennium progress report, and continue the discussion on fiscal policy. Your involvement will be helpful!

Wet Your Whistle in the Watershed Event: Friday, June 11^th –6 to 9 pm

The North Santiam Watershed Council will join the Calapooia and South Santiam Watershed Councils at a joint regional fundraising event hosted by the Calapooia Brewing Company in Albany. Please mark your calendars for this fun event with residents from your neighbor watersheds! Join us from 6-9 pm on the evening of Friday, June 11th. Live music, a limited silent auction, family-friendly outdoor area, regional brews and Calapooia Brewery’s famous root beer are just some of the fun!