Overview
The Cottonwood Creek Watershed Group (CCWG) is an organized group of landowners, with some families having lived in the watershed since the late 1800s. These landowners are integrating with more recently arrived residents, business owners and other private parties to maintain a healthy and productive watershed. CCWG was formed in 1998 through the volunteer efforts of landowners. Implementation of the group’s goals and objectives received a large boost in 1999 when CCWG received a CALFED grant to formally create the organization (i.e. hire a watershed coordinator, develop articles of incorporation, create a board of directors, obtain non-profit status, etc.). Since that time CCWG has provided environmental education via monthly stakeholder meetings and a quarterly newsletter to all residents in the watershed and other interested parties. In April, 2002 a watershed assessment was completed, and in cooperation with the public school system, a comprehensive environmental education program for all schools in the watershed has recently been developed. Currently, CCWG is actively addressing fire and fuel loading concerns within the watershed. To summarize, CCWG is broad-based, is very active and works in a collaborative fashion with its technical advisory committee. This committee is comprised of federal, state and local agency representatives and provides natural resource expertise to the watershed group (see TAC below).
Technical Advisory Committee (TAC)
Over the last few years the CCWG watershed coordinator has developed a strong network of working relationships with agencies and resource professionals who assist in the success of the watershed group. The following participants and collaborators actively participate in achieving CCWG’s goals and objectives (some of which have representatives on the TAC):
| Anderson-Cottonwood Irrigation District (TAC) |
Landowners |
| Western Shasta Resource Conservation District |
Fishing guides |
| Tehama County Resource Conservation District |
Water companies |
| CA Department of Water Resources (TAC) |
Shasta County Farm Bureau |
| CA Department of Fish and Game (TAC) |
Tehama County Farm Bureau |
| National Resource Conservation Service (TAC) |
CH2MHill (consulting firm) |
| Regional Water Quality Control Board (TAC) |
UC Davis Extension (TAC) |
| US Fish and Wildlife Service (TAC) |
US Forest Service (TAC) |
| CA Dept. of Forestry and Fire Protection (TAC) |
Homeowners associations |
| U.S. Bureau of Land Management |
US Army Corps of Engineers |
| Sacramento River Watershed Program |
Sacramento Regional Foundation |
| CA Department of Transportation (TAC) |
Union Pacific Railroad (TAC) |
| Sierra Pacific Industries (TAC) |
Private timber companies |
| Gravel extractors |
Other interested parties |
| California Farm Bureau Federation |
Evergreen School |
| Forest Institute for Teachers |
Sunflower CRMP |
| Shasta County Roots & Shoots |
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Cottonwood Creek is located in northern California and is the largest undammed tributary in the northern Central Valley (CH2MHill 2002). It lies within Shasta and Tehama counties and is a westside tributary to the upper Sacramento River. Cottonwood, the main town in the watershed, lies along Interstate 5 halfway between the cities of Red Bluff and Redding. Cottonwood Creek and the main tributaries flow 124 miles through the watershed.
While the watershed covers a large geographic area, the location of the town of Cottonwood is as follows:
Latitude: 40.2309
Longitude: -122.1647
Cottonwood Creek Stream Hydrological Unit Code (HUC) Numbers:
Lower Cottonwood 18020102
Headwaters: 18020113
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