Job Opportunity for River Advocate in Coloma

The Foothills Water Network seeks a part-time Project Assistant to support the Coordinator in restoring aquatic health and recreational benefits to the Yuba, Bear, and American Rivers. The Project Assistant will work from home and attend meetings at the Foothills Water Network office in Coloma, and in Auburn. Responsibilities include: organize workshops, events and group forums; manage financial information; collect and organize information relevant to relicensing including: economics, hydrology, science, and recreation; draft and edit agendas, emails, letters, memos, and reports; communicate with water agencies, consultants, resources agencies, and conservation groups; manage the Foothills Water Network’s information systems by developing outreach materials and updating and maintaining website and database; prepare program materials and progress reports; other duties as assigned.

Qualified candidates will have a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience, strong interpersonal communication, telephone, and writing skills, experience organizing events, knowledge of water resource issues, knowledge of Outlook, Excel, Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat, Power Point, Adobe Photoshop and Internet, ability to communicate professionally with a variety of stakeholders, including local conservation leaders, statewide advocates, local government staff and elected officials, and a professional organized approach to work. Successful candidates will have the ability to lay out work tasks, ability to focus on his/her own work, complete tasks on time and with high quality, and the ability to multi-task and balance competing priorities. Candidates should be highly motivated, positive in disposition and integrity, with a personal commitment to rivers, and have a sense of humor.

This position has a flexible schedule, approximately 10 hours per week and pays $15 - $17 per hour, commensurate with experience. The Project Assistant reports to the Foothills Water Network Coordinator and is a contract position for six months, with a potential for extension. This position will start as soon as possible.

The Foothills Water Network is a non-profit interbasin environmental forum dedicated to facilitating information-sharing and conservation strategies with the overall intent of restoring aquatic ecosystem health and water quality in the Yuba, Bear, and American Rivers.

This position is now open and the application process will start immediately. Applications will be accepted through February 12th but interviews will be arranged with qualified candidates as soon as possible. Email a 1-2 page cover letter and resume to julie@foothillswaternetwork.org . Telephone: 530-622-8497. Click here for more about this nonprofit.

The American River Flows Free Again!

The American River near Auburn is flowing free for the first time in 40 years after local agencies closed the tunnel and rebuilt the riverbed around the Auburn Dam site. Since it is likely that the Auburn Dam will never be built (after years of controversy and $400 million dollars) government agencies have returned the river to its original bed, with a few manmade improvements paddlers will love. An architecturally designed permanent river bottom – a series of pools lined with stone embedded in concrete – will create a swirling stretch of class III rapids as long as the water is up, according to the agencies that spent $30 million to restore the riverbed. Because of the attraction, the designers also created a concrete "portage" path alongside the river where paddlers can easily portage their kayak, canoe or raft, perhaps to carry it back for another ride down the rapids.

Boaters accessing this newly opened recreation area will likely put in at the confluence and take out at Rattlesnake Bar, 6 miles downstram, flows permitting. Although the stretch does not rival the exciting class IV and V stretches on the upriver forks of the Middle and North American, this mellow stretch will be perfect for families, paddling instruction, and anyone looking for a scenic, mellow river trip. According to Bill Center, former El Dorado County Superviser, owner of Camp Lotus, and longtime paddler, "It really does open up a sweet section of the river."

The restoration work also included a water-pumping station on the riverbank that will serve 55,000 homes a year for the Placer County Water Agency. Builders created a chute alongside the left bank that will channel a stream into the pump station. The $30 million price tag for the entire river restoration work includes the high cost of the pumping station.

Boaters could begin using this stretch of river as early as next spring, although there are some challenges faced by Auburn State Parks and Recreation Department regarding parking. Jay Galloway, Park Superintendent, expects to hold hearings and invite public comment on the revised recreation plan sometime next spring. Stay tuned so your voice can be heard. For more information, click Friends of the River article, or Sacramento Bee article. Photo courtesy PARC.

Off Season Chili Bar Put-In Operation

Posted for Mike Bean - As many of you have already discovered, this year the gate to the lower parking area at Chili Bar Put-In on the South Fork of the American River is being left open during daylight hours. The upper lot which is not part of the conservation easement owned and managed by the American River Conservancy (ARC) will most likely remain closed. It would be helpful for people parking in the lower lot to keep an eye out for dumping, campfires, vandalism, or other activities that would make it difficult to keep the gate open during the off season. Monies collected by private and commercial users of Chili Bar Put-In go to pay for seasonal staff and maintenance of the lower parking lot facilities. Any profit seen during a season goes into a disaster fund for major repairs. When funds in disaster fund reach $70,000, any profits are to be used for conservation activities performed by ARC. ARC has submitted a grant to acquire Richard De Chants' interest in the Chili Bar property and transfer the underlying fee title portion of the property to El Dorado County.

I would like to thank those that support ARC through their use of Chili Bar Put-In as well as those that support ARC through donations and volunteer time. The American River Conservancy is working hard to increase riverside habitat and water quality which I think directly benefits the experience of boaters on the South Fork of the American River.

Thanks again,
Mike Bean
Board Member
American River Conservancy

photo credit: Donna McMaster

Oct 13-16 - National Whitewater Symposium in Coloma

From Dan Crandall: Current Adventures and The River Store are hosting the 4th Annual National Whitewater Symposium here in Coloma October 13-16. The event is based at the Earthtrek Camp below the 49 bridge, and does require advance registration. Visit the website or call Current Adventures at 530-333-9115 for info or to register. You can also e-mail Dan directly at Dan@Kayaking.com with questions or interest.