The ability of SYRCL to effectively protect and restore the Yuba River is dependent upon the effectiveness of our collaboration with a variety of stakeholders and organizations which own or manage portions of the watershed. The River Science Program at SYRCL actively participates in each of the following cooperative management groups:

Yuba Watershed Council

The Yuba Watershed Council has been a friendly and cooperative host to a large variety of stakeholders and organizations interested in coordinating activities within the Bear and Yuba Watershed. SYRCL has been awarded funds for watershed coordination activities in 2009-2010 that will allow us to assist this council in developing more forums for communication, plans of action and informational products. yubawatershedcouncil.org

Yuba Strategy Steering Committee

SYRCL established this steering committee in 2007 to guide the process of watershed assessment. Members from the Tahoe National Forest, California Department of Fish and Game, Nevada County and other resource management groups contributed critical management questions and the development of conceptual models for interactions within the Yuba Watershed. The Steering Committee will be maintained as a resource for ongoing watershed assessment and quality control.

Upper Yuba River Studies Program

The Upper Yuba River Studies Program was initiated in response to proposals by SYRCL to investigate the feasibility of restoring salmon and steelhead populations to the Yuba River watershed above Englebright Dam. With funding by CalFed, management by the California Department of Water Resources and input from a variety of stakeholders the program developed a comprehensive list of studies and an ambitious work plan in 2001. The program exhausted $9M of funding in seven years and was not renewed for funding after CalFed budget restrictions took effect in 2007. Due to the persistence of SYRCL and partners such as American Rivers, the program did publish the Upper Yuba River Watershed Chinook Salmon and Steelhead Habitat Assessment Report which concludes that there is sufficient habitat existing in the upper Middle Yuba and South Yuba rivers to support restoration of salmon and steelhead populations. watershedrestoration.water.ca.gov/fishpassage/projects/upperyuba.cfm

Foothills Water Network

The Foothills Water Network represents a collaboration of conservation groups in the Yuba, Bear, and American River watersheds. The network facilitates the integration of sub-watershed issues and interests into a region-wide movement to change the course of water and energy management in the Sierra Foothills. Within the work of FWN, SYRCL has most actively participated in the strategies and proposed study plans associated with relicensing of hydropower projects owned by PG&E and Nevada Irrigation District. foothillswaternetwork.org

Lower Yuba Technical Working Group

The Lower Yuba River Technical Working Group was formed in 1998 as part of an amendment to PG&E’s license to operate their Yuba Narrrows project. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission recognized the need for an information sharing forum to facilitate discussion on a variety of technical issues concerning the management of the lower Yuba River. The TWG is an open information sharing body which meets 3-4 times per year. SYRCL makes routine announcements and presentation to the TWG concerning our watershed coordination activities and restoration project developments. More importantly, River Science staff make certain to participate in all topics germane to protection and restoration of the river.

The Yuba Accord

The Yuba Accord includes a Fisheries Agreement which directs the Yuba County Water Agency, the National Marine Fisheries Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the California Department of Fish and Game, the Bureau of Reclamation and four non-governmental signatories to cooperatively manage the flows of the Yuba River according to certain guidance criteria, and also to allocate $550,000 in annual funding for the monitoring and evaluation of the condition of fish and fish habitat. SYRCL is the sole non-governmental organization to consistently and actively participate in the River Management Team.

Yuba-Feather Workgroup

SYRCL lobbied for Proposition 13, the state water bond, in conjunction with the Wild and Scenic campaign in 1999. The bond allocates $70 million for non-dam flood-protection projects on the Yuba and Feather Rivers and sets aside an additional $20 million to mitigate resulting impacts on fish, wildlife, and riparian habitat. The Yuba City/Marysville area, situated where the lower Yuba joins the Feather River, has a history of catastrophic flooding. The Yuba-Feather Workgroup was formed to evaluate environmentally-sound methods of achieving greater flood protection. SYRCL and Yuba County initiated the workgroup, and other members include the Water Agencies in Yuba and Sutter Counties, the Department of Water Resources, Department of Fish and Game, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, Friends of the River, and the Sierra Club.

Sacramento River Watershed Program

SYRCL is a coalition member in the Sacramento River Watershed Program, and this partnership represents one part of our efforts to work for the whole Yuba River, from headwaters to the Golden Gate. We have also partnered with the Bay Institute in our work with the Yuba Accord and Bay-Delta aspects of our campaign for Salmon. sacriver.org