DELTA-SIERRA GROUP

Mokelumne Coast to Crest Trail Council The Mokelumne Coast to Crest Trail has decided to merge with the efforts of other organizations to establish a multi-use trail in San Joaquin County. Consistent with their vision is getting the designation for a Water Trail from Camanche Dam to the Mokelumne-Consumnes confluence. They are committing themselves to working with the San Joaquin County Resource Conservation District and the Lower Mokelumne River Watershed Stewardship Steering Committee's master plan. Although a Water Trail is not the ideal arrangement it is their intention to pursue a land trail that will ultimately work its way thru the Delta and beyond. For more information on the activities of the MCCTC visit their website at http://www.mc2ct.org/.

The Delta-Sierra Group and the Mokelumne Coast to Crest Trail Council are collaborating on the continued efforts to complete the Coast to Crest Trail along the Mokelumne River. Below are outings and EBMUD activities that are a part of that effort. Trailbuster workdays are every two weeks throughout the year. Projects last from 4 hours to 6 hours. Please RSVP Steve Diers at (209) 772-8260 or email him at sdiers@ebmud.com prior to attending. For more information, see the Mokelumne Monitor Newsletter at: http://www.mc2ct.org/work_days_and_other_activities.htm. Trailbuster work parties meet at MW & RD office, 5883 East Comanche Parkway, Campo Seco. For additional information about EMUD trails see http://www.ebmud.com/services/recreation/sierra/trails/default.htm.

We strongly encourage participation in these activities. However the Sierra Club has no involvement in the planning of these activities and makes no representations or warranties about the quality, safety, supervision or management of such activities. They are published only as a reader service because they may be of interest to the readers of this web site.

East Bay Segment

We have received final permission from the EBRPD to place our trail discs and map panels on trails within the park district. Now we are waiting for GIS information from EBRPD to send to the company who will develop the maps for the strategically located exhibit panels. Then we can mount the maps and install the trail discs for the 52 miles of the western terminus of the MCCT!

San Joaquin County Segment

Mokelumne Coast to Crest Trail recently adopted a resolution designating the San Joaquin Segment of the MCCTC a water trail, from Camanche Dam to the Cosumnes River confluence. This is consistent with San Joaquin County's General Plan identification of this reach of the Mokelumne River as a "significant resource area for recreation", as well as the master plan of the Lower Mokelumne Watershed Stewardship Council. Proposed access points include Mokelumne Day Use Area, Stillman McGee Park, Lodi Lake Park, Woodbridge Regional Park and the confluence of the Cosumnes and Mokelumne River.

The Water Trail Steering Committee is submitting an application to National Park Service Rivers and Trails Conservation Program to create a plan for a Water Trail. San Joaquin Resource Conservation District (SJRCD) will be the lead agency. MCCTC will be a collaborating partner, along with the Lower Mokelumne River Watershed Stewardship Steering Committee. Consistent with the recreation element of the Lower Mokelumne Watershed Stewardship Plan, the San Joaquin County General Plan and the Mokelumne Coast to Crest Trail Master plan, the Steering Committee seeks a water trail designation for the Lower Mokelumne River.

It is the purpose of the National Park Service application to gain the assistance to facilitate the involvement of all public, private and individual stakeholders in a process to develop a comprehensive plan for a non-motorized Water Trail. This trail will promote wellness and wellbeing, as well as the protection and appreciation of the natural, wildlife and scenic resources of the watershed environment. This MCCT segment will provide linkage to East and West segments of the MCCT, as well as regional trails, such as the proposed California Delta Trail and Central Valley Rails to Trails, from Woodbridge to Sacramento.

As part of the application process to National Park Service Rivers and Trails Program, letters of endorsement from the river stakeholders and other community stakeholders were required, representing several categories. Endorsements for the application and project have been received so far from Lodi Health Organization, Central Valley Rails to Trails, and Senator Tom Torlakson, author of the California Delta Trail resolution.

Camanche and Pardee Watershed Segment

In February Karen Smart and Phil Swartzell of the MCCTC were joined by EBMUD Ranger Supervisor Paul Watkins and Ranger Naturalist Steve Diers in a presentation before the Amador Land Trust to explain the possibility of an alternate route for the MCCT through the properties once owned by the New Penn Mine, Inc. This was an introductory meeting to inform the ALT of the issues surrounding the Penn Mine property and to explore the possibility of a land purchase by a non-profit entity and the subsequent acquisition of an easement for the MCCT. There were many unanswered questions, but the audience was attentive and there may be follow-up correspondence or meetings with EBMUD, the ALT and other agencies or parties with interests in the New Penn Mine parcels.

On April 22 51 individuals attended the Longest Mile Wildflower hike. This year's slogan for the Calaveras County Fair was "pollywog tails and Sierra trails" so 40 individuals from the Community Covenant Church of San Andreas volunteered their time to pick up litter during the fair. On the back of their T-shirts were the MCCT logo and the web address. The Mokelumne Trailbusters moved 2.5 tons of native rock to build 32 linear foot retaining wall 28-48 inches high, put down straw and native grass seed then covered it with erosion matting on a very steep fill slope. They also put down straw and installed a fascine on the cut slope. These measures are to prevent massive erosion to a section of trail that receives heavy surface flows after a storm event.

On the trail east of this Trailbusters used 2.5 tons of building rock to built 56 linear feet of 14 to 16 high rock retaining wall to prevent storm run off from head cutting the trail tread. Brochure boxes were installed at each of the MCCT sign in booths at Camanche South Shore Staging Area, Turkey Hill Equestrian/Group Campground, Campo Seco Staging Area eastbound and Campo Seco Staging Area westbound. Since the MCCT brochure boxes were installed in the 4 sign-in booths no donations have resulted from this effort.

As a result of winter storms numerous trees down across trail had to be removed. And portions of the MCCT had to be repaired w/ the SWECO fill ruts, grade & widen tread, install rolling dips. The map for the segment between the Lower Log Boom & Highway 49 is completed. A trail contractor has viewed the trail & bridge needs at the Penn Mine Monitoring Stations and for trail construction between the high water mark and the EBMUD property boundary on the trail section between Penn Mine and Arkansas Bend and will bid on this job.

Kent Reeves, EBMUD Wildlife Biologist completed the Biological Assessment for the portion of the proposed route of the MCCT through the Campo Seco BLM parcel, the Lower Log Boom to Middle Bar and Middle Bar to the EBMUD boundary near the Highway Bridge. This will take a CDC crew 85 crew days (21.25 weeks or 5.3 months) to brush a 12-foot wide swath for the trail alignment through BLM location and 2.5 miles from the Lower Log Boom to Middle Bar and 2.8 miles from Middle Bar to the EBMUD boundary near the Highway Bridge. Once the trail is completed through the Campo Seco BLM parcel we could open an additional 2.87 miles of the MCCT west of the Campo Seco Staging Area. This would mean trail users would have a total 4.87 miles (one way) west of the Campo Seco Staging Area to use. Poison oak encroaching onto trail open to the public was sprayed in July.

Lower Mokelumne Canyon Segment

Efforts are continuing to identify alternative potential routes for the Lower Mokelumne Canyon segment of the Coast to Crest Trail. While the Board of Supervisors of Calaveras County has passed a resolution supporting the concept of the MCCT and the trail is mentioned by name in the county's general plan, the trail corridor is not yet defined. Because no trail corridor is defined in the general plan, the trail presently cannot receive consideration when land zoning or development proposals are reviewed. Calaveras County is now preparing to update its general plan and community groups within the county are forming to devise community plans to augment the general plan. At least a tentative trail alignment and a listing of its public benefits needs to be developed to favorably affect the county's planning processes.

We continue to network with the Calaveras Support Collaborative and with community planning committees and other organizations to identify projects, which would yield direct or indirect support for development of this segment of the MCCT. Comments supporting National Wild & Scenic River designation for that portion of the Mokelumne River between Salt Springs and Tiger Creek reservoirs were presented to the Amador County Board of Supervisors July 11 at Jackson.

The MCCT's Lower Mokelumne Canyon Segment will pass through the Pacific Forest and Watershed Stewardship Council's Upper Mokelumne River Watershed Unit. The Land Conservation Program of the Stewardship Council is in the process of identifying present and potential beneficial uses within the planning unit. We have provided information regarding our trail planning to Stewardship Council staff and consultants and are pleased to see a conceptual route for a trail, representing the MCCT, on one of their maps. Council staff has requested that we keep them informed of on our planning efforts. The same planning map identifies "historic Standard Canal trail" on the Amador County side of the river and the old Calaveras Public Utility Ditch on the Calaveras side of the river for restoration. It would be useful to investigate the possibilities for building trail bridges across the Mokelumne River at PG&E watershed properties to be funded by Stewardship Council grants. If feasible, such bridges could link Amador and Calaveras trails and open new MCCT alignment possibilities. Volunteers are needed to assist with these time sensitive opportunities.

Upper Mokelumne Canyon Segment

The Stanislaus national Forest has recently completed planning for 15 miles of trails and roads to extend the MCCT from the western edge of Alpine County to Mosquito Lakes, and then from Pacific Valley to the head of Marshall Canyon. Of the 16 miles 12 are within Alpine County. This will extend the trail to within 7 miles of Ebbetts Pass. Three miles of trail were completed in 2004. In 2005 7 more miles of trail were completed from Mattley Trailhead to within a mile East of Calaveras Dome. Work on the Trail will resume in the spring/summer of 2006 as soon as the site is dry enough.