Bear River

Bear River Watershed Group

Vision Statement
The vision of the Bear River Watershed Group is to ensure a healthy, sustainable, economically viable watershed for future generations.

Mission Statement
The mission of the Bear River Watershed Group is to develop and promote a collaborative effort between all stakeholders within the Bear River Watershed in order to:

Plan and implement those activities and projects that will enhance the quality of the watershed.
Educate and create a local awareness on the importance of maintaining a healthy watershed.
Promote a local responsibility for good stewardship while respecting the missions, roles, and rights of each participant.

Objectives

To create a partnership between all interested stakeholders in the Bear River Watershed to work collaboratively on a locally based watershed management plan.
To identify historical, existing, and desired future watershed conditions.
To establish baseline water quality conditions for future reference to sustain water quality, and improve water quality when necessary and appropriate.
To develop a database of biological resources.
To develop a strategy or recommendations to promote desired future conditions.
To promote education and awareness of watershed issues for all stakeholders.

Bear River Fact Sheet

The Bear River basin has over 950 miles of streams.
The Bear River Basin is approximately 500 mi2, 126,000 hectares, and 320,000 acres.
There are three major reservoirs on the Bear River with a capacity of 173,743 acre feet.
The Bear River basin rises from 25’ above sea level to 5802’ above sea level.

Issues
Mercury Hot-spot identification and cleanup
Habitat Restoration
Creek Restoration
Suburban Development
PGE Divestiture

Invasive Botanical Species
Development Mitigation
Citizen Stewardship
Erosion
Mining Lands Rehabilitation

Four Main Resource Areas
Hwy 49-Wolf Creek Corridor is the most developed part of the Bear River Basin and will continue to remain so as we expect most residential and suburban development to take place in this area.

Dry Creek Basin is mostly rolling oak woodlands and open range. With the exception of Camp Beale, we expect it to remain this way for the foreseeable future due to a lack of developed water resources.

Bear below Camp Far West will remain in orchards and rangeland but face increasing urban pressures from Olivehurst on the north and Lincoln to the South.

Bear above Rollins/Hwy 174 is likely to remain in timber but with increased subdividing challenging effective timber and watershed management. Fortunately, two landholders, Sierra Pacific Industries and Tahoe National Forest, seem unlikely to part with these resources soon.

The members of the Bear River Watershed Group meet at least quarterly to discuss watershed health concerns, ongoing water quality monitoring and watershed projects, grant opportunities, and future projects intended to improve land management practices and watershed health. In addition, we often have given by regional experts.

Anyone interested is invited to attend the meetings and participate in the projects.