From the State Water Resources Control Board:
An application for discharge of dredged or fill material to waters of the state was received by the State Water Board for Kern Plateau Meadow Restoration Project. The purpose of the Project is to restore thirteen (13) degraded headwater stream-meadow complexes utilizing low-tech restoration techniques that rely on strategic placement of hand-built habitat structures, such as: (1) postless and postassisted beaver dam analogues, (2) post-assisted log structures, and (3) sod (sedge) plugs. A total of 1,993 structures will be placed in stream channel totaling approximately 6,539 linear feet, or 1.15 stream miles, of permanent impact across all thirteen (13) meadow sites. All structures will be built using hand tools and utilize local natural materials (e.g., conifer, sagebrush, willow). Structures will scale to the size of the channel width and depth but will generally be 1 to 3 feet tall, 5 to 15 feet wide (laterally, bank to bank), and an average of 3.2 feet in depth (longitudinally, upstream-downstream).
Most of the Project meadows are within the Golden Trout Wilderness Area where access will be walk-in only, with potential use of pack mules for equipment and gear. Non-wilderness area meadow sites (Kingfisher Stringer, Round Mountain Stringer, Snake Creek and Soda Creek Meadows) will be accessed using pre-existing designated Forest Service routes, where parking will occur in existing designated areas, and walk-in access will then be achieved.
Staff will consider all comments submitted in writing and received during a 21-day comment period that begins on the date of issuance of this notice and ends at 5:00 p.m. on May 31, 2023. For additional project information, contact information, and instructions on where to send comments, please see the public notice document posted on our Certification and Wetlands Program Public Notice webpage (https://www.waterboards.ca.
