Erosion control work began in 1996 with a State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) grant to construct three erosion control projects in the San Lorenzo River Watershed. Following this work, a TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load) Technical Report and Implementation Plan for the San Lorenzo watershed was completed along with assessments for the Soquel Creek and Aptos and Valencia Creek watersheds. These reports indicated that all were impaired and that rural roads were a significant source of sediment pollution for all of the waterways. In order to address road-related sediment concerns in a more comprehensive manner, the RCD applied for and received two additional grants from the SWRCB. These grants allowed the RCD to expand the Rural Roads Program from the San Lorenzo River Watershed to include the Soquel Creek and the Aptos and Valencia Creek Watersheds. Over the course of ten years the Rural Roads Program has resulted in seventeen rural road erosion control projects. Fifteen of these projects were implemented in the Boulder Creek and Felton areas of the San Lorenzo River Watershed, one project was completed in the Soquel Creek Watershed and one in the Aptos and Valencia Creek Watershed.
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| Workers install a properly sized culvert to capture water emanating from steep slopes above this rural road and direct it to a location protected from erosion. |
In 2006 the RCD received a fourth grant to continue its program through 2008. To date, the dollars expended have been matched by grants from the State Coastal Conservancy, the Fish America Foundation, the California Department of Fish and Game and in-kind and cash match from private road associations.
Rural road erosion control projects begin with a site visit by an RCD Project Manager and a Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) representative to document erosion control concerns. The identified concerns are then reviewed and prioritized by a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). Following this review, a hired consultant completes a formal assessment and detailed designs for projects that have high resource protection value and whose landowners are interested in implementing conservation practices. The RCD then works with road associations and local contractors to facilitate the implementation of these project designs. The projects range in size and extent, but include a range of erosion control Best Management Practices (BMPs) such as velocity dissipaters, water bars, properly-sized and installed culverts, and out-sloping to direct water off the road.
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| Workers install a properly sized culvert to capture water emanating from steep slopes above this rural road and direct it to a location protected from erosion. |
In addition to the implementation of erosion control projects, the program seeks to provide technical assistance to rural landowners and road associations through education and outreach efforts. Results to date include the development of a BMP Training Program for local contractors, six road workshops, five watershed tours, and four technical training sessions for watershed groups, and education and outreach materials including six individual newsletters. The program also has resulted in the creation of a Private Roads Maintenance Guide for Santa Cruz County that provides user-friendly technical information on a broad range of erosion control techniques and is widely distributed at no charge to private road associations and other interested parties.