On March 27, 2025, ECOS submitted a letter regarding support for three community project requests for Sacramento County FY26 Appropriations.
Tag Archives: watersheds
American River Watershed Forest Management – Presentation 05/29/2024
Mega Fires, Water Supply, and the Environment
Join us Wednesday, May 29, 2024 at 6:00 pm on Zoom
(ECOS Board Meeting will begin at 7:00 pm)
Link to join: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6656164155
To phone in: 669-900-6833, Meeting ID: 665 616 4155
The forest lands of the American River Watershed are an integral component of our Region’s ecosystem, providing habitat for wildlife and residents, recreational opportunities for all, carbon sequestration and timber harvesting, and a critical source for the capture, storage and release of water resources for us, the delta, and downstream beneficial water uses.
Join ECOS and a panel of experts on May 29 from 6 pm until 7 pm to learn about how Placer County Water Agency (PCWA) has become involved in ecological forest management and the science behind implementing this work. Learn how the last century of forest management has degraded ecological sustainability and contributed to the megafires that threaten the future of forests. Discuss what is being done to correct these mistakes and what we all can do to sustainably manage our watershed and others throughout the west.
- Tony Firenzi, Director of Strategic Affairs with PCWA, will provide an overview of how his agency interfaces with the forest environment and the business case for their leadership in managing forest lands. Tony will closeout the discussion with critical policy matters that need collaborative resolution to continue on a trajectory of progress.
- Marie Davis, Registered Geologist and consultant to PCWA, will expand on the case for ecological forest management and present the partnerships and collaboration that are necessary to advance these projects. She will use PCWA’s French Meadows Forest Restoration Project as an example and discuss the collaboration with federal, state, and local government, NGOs, and UC Merced to bring this project to success. She will present efforts to respond to both wildfire damage and what work needs to be carried out to protect the forests from the ravages of future wildfires.
The survival of our forest lands is critical to all our lives and environment, both regionally and globally, so it is essential that ECOS consider these and other perspectives. Bring your issues, questions, and ideas on the 29th and join the conversation.
ECOS Board Member Rory Pilling Wins Watershed Contest!
What can you do to improve your watershed?
Safety For People Means Safety For The Environment
Rory Pilling and Rae Jacobson are proud to place first in the 2021 Caring for Our Watersheds contest for their proposal to raise awareness about the social and environmental issues surrounding homelessness. Specifically, the group will advocate for the passing of the Right To Rest Act to ensure that homeless people can live in the main parts of Sacramento- allowing access to sanitation and trash disposal, as well as proximity to transport and job opportunities. Their hope is that the Right to Rest Act will protect homeless individuals, but also alleviate some of the waste and environmental impact from homeless encampments along Sacramento waterways.
For first place in the contest, Rory and Rae won $1,000 for themselves and $1,000 for their school, George Washington Carver School of Arts and Sciences. In total, students compete for over $6,000 cash rewards and participating schools are eligible for over $11,000 cash rewards. Nutrien also provides $10,000 in funding to help implement students’ ideas.
Check out the top finalists here.
Caring for Our Watersheds California, 2021
View photos of the event on Facebook here.
Where is Your Watershed?
Do you have your facts straight about your local watershed? The Sacramento River Watershed is a beautiful place to work, live, and play. Learn more about our watershed and how you can help protect it here.
Creek Week 2020
Creek Week 2020 was cancelled because of COVID-19, but…
You can still help clean our creeks and other natural areas this fall and beyond! Whether you want to venture out with a small team on your own or join in an organized clean-up, please read and follow the clean-up guidance.
Join an Organized Clean-Up
A few organized clean-ups are offered in October. Check dates and locations on the Creek Week website. Registration for these organized clean-ups is open. Receive your Creek Week thank you memento at the clean-up location.
Random Acts of Clean-Up
Dates: Any morning in October you choose. Check creekweek.net pages for suggested creek spots or choose somewhere near your home that could use some trash clean-up. Registration not required. Report your clean-up results and receive a Creek Week thank you!
How California Can Solve Its Water Crisis With Existing Water
December 26, 2019
By Heather Cooley
ComStock’s Magazine
Californians have made real strides to conserve over the past several decades. San Francisco and Los Angeles use the same amount (or less) water today as they did 30 years ago, despite substantial growth.
…
California has a chance to model what a truly resilient water system looks like, combining nature and technology to make the most of every drop and dollar. Just as we are doing in the energy sector, we should be focusing on no-regrets water projects that make economic and environmental sense.
Click here to read the full article.
(Photo: Pixabay via Pexels)
Water Forum II Update Effort
Updated January 5, 2020
ECOS and Habitat 2020 are part of the Water Forum update effort.
The year 2021 will see a lot of activity including discussions and formulation of new Water Forum Agreement language. The following chart prepared by the Water Forum staff lays out the issue topics and the Water Forum Agreement update schedule for the coming year. The foundational learning sessions conducted in 2020 were recorded and can be viewed by accessing the Water Forum website. This year, the issues focused Work Groups (WG) will be developing any specific language changes to the existing Water Forum Agreement. Proposed changes will be discussed in Caucus and Plenary sessions before their eventual ratification by the Water Forum Agreement Signatories. You can follow the progress of the potential modifications to the Water Forum Agreement on the Water Forum website.
To support deliberations, a series of learning sessions were held in July and August 2020 to provide current and potential Water Forum signatories with information to promote a shared understanding of several cross-cutting topics: climate change, fisheries, habitat, groundwater management, and urban water management planning (including demand management, water use efficiency and conservation). An additional educational session on the management of the American River Watershed was held in the fall of 2020. Summaries of these sessions can be found on the Water Forum web site.
The year 2021 will see a lot of Water Forum update activity including discussions and formulation of new Water Forum II Agreement language. The Water Forum II Draft Timeline, prepared by the Water Forum staff, lays out the issue topics and the Water Forum Agreement update schedule for the coming year. This year, issue focused Work Groups (WG) will be developing specific language changes to the existing Water Forum Agreement. Proposed changes will be discussed in Caucus and Plenary sessions before their eventual ratification by the Water Forum Agreement Signatories. You can follow the progress of the potential modifications to the Water Forum Agreement on the Water Forum Web site link above.
The document The Water Forum Past, Present, and Future provides a cogent summary of the history of the Water Forum Agreement, what has happened over the course of the past 20 years that may result in the need for the Agreement’s updating, and what future impacts the region is likely to face and how an updated Agreement will help the region adapt to these changes.
The Water Forum is composed of four caucuses – Environmental, Public interests, Water Purveyors, and Business. ECOS and Habitat 2020 members as well as other environmental groups are represented on the Environmental Caucus. As a prelude to the learning sessions and upcoming negotiation discussions, each caucus developed a Statement of Interests to clarify its intentions and interests in a renegotiated Water Forum Agreement. Access to the Environmental Caucus Statement of interest is possible through this link.
There are a significant number of ECOS members who are actively involved with the Water Forum and this renegotiation effort. If you have questions about the Water Forum or its programs, please contact the Water Forum’s Executive Director, Jessica Law. Questions about the Environmental Caucus Statement of Interests can be directed to Habitat 2020.
