Plan adopted to control logging sediment in the Elk River watershed

New waste discharge requirements for timber harvest activities conducted by the Humboldt Redwood Company were adopted earlier this week as part of comprehensive action plan to control sediment in the Upper Elk River watershed.  The Elk River, one of the primary tributaries to Humboldt Bay and an important salmon spawning and rearing habitat, has been utilized for rural residential, grazing, and timber harvesting since the 1850s.

The North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board (NCRWQCB) adopted the water discharge requirements, built on Humboldt Redwood’s proposed practices, to address potential discharges of sediment from logging operations due to high levels of fine sediment deposited in the river over the past 20 years, primarily from past logging activities. The sediment deposits have resulted in significant cumulative impacts, including such consequences as filled-in channel beds, impaired beneficial uses of the river, increased flooding frequency and magnitude, and threats to public health, safety, and infrastructure.

“Today’s permit marks an important step forward,” said Regional Water Board Executive Officer Matt St. John. “Together with the Action Plan for the Upper Elk River Sediment Total Maximum Daily Load adopted by the Regional Water Board in May of this year, the Elk River Watershed Stewardship program, and the Elk River Recovery Assessment, this permit brings us closer towards recovery of the Elk River watershed.”

The waste discharge requirements include various water quality protection measures such as landslide prevention, riparian protection zones, roads management measures, harvest rate limits, and wet weather requirements. They also include measures to address existing sources of sediment along with a feasibility study to evaluate potential methods to control, trap, or meter sediment from in-stream sources.

Additional information on the new waste discharge requirements can be found at:  http:// http://waterboards.ca.gov/northcoast/water_issues/programs/timber_operations/elk_river_wdrs/

The Elk River Recovery Assessment includes an analysis of river hydraulics and sediment transport in Elk River to Humboldt Bay including an assessment of a variety of sediment removal and restoration activities; pilot stream remediation projects; and development of remediation and restoration options to promote recovery of the ecosystem and beneficial uses of the river.

The Elk River Watershed Stewardship program brings together residents, land managers and other stakeholders to collaborate on projects to improve watershed conditions via a steering committee led by Humboldt County, the University of California Cooperative Extension, Natural Resources Conservation Service, CalTrout and the Regional Water Board.