Click to view the Rural Roads Application for 2010.
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| Winding through the Santa Cruz Mountains. |
Introduction
In Santa Cruz County, rural roads have been identified as a major source of sediment by watershed plans, assessments, and sediment Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) reports. The Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County (RCD) has been addressing erosion and sediment issues related to roads since 1996. This program provides technical and cost share assistance to private road associations to facilitate the construction of erosion control projects as a means of managing excessive sediment loads generated by these roads in critical TMDL -listed watersheds. The result of the program has been the construction of multiple rural road erosion control projects, educational programs and technical trainings, public tours of projects, and annual newsletters. The rural roads program continues to expand to deliver erosion control projects with direct water quality benefits and now includes four major watersheds in Santa Cruz County.