Here is the entire beaver problem in miniature: city complains that beavers take trees. Worth A Dam replants trees. City complains that trees block Creek. Rinse and Repeat. Apparently the reporter’s conversation with the mayor was not very convincing because she is generous to our plight. Here’s Lisa White’s article from the Contra Costa Times, as well as a picture from last summer showing the area south of Escobar where the trees were planted. How many of those original obstructions can you count?
Mayor worries that willows may block flow of Alhambra Creek
MARTINEZ —The Alhambra Creek beavers have a cluster of new wiillow trees to gnaw, courtesy of their strongest supporters.But as is the case with just about anything having to do with these toothy visitors, the gift has stirred up a bit of controversy.The pro-beaver nonprofit Worth A Dam raised $2,000 and secured enough donations to plant 30 willow trees along the creek bed between Ward and Escobar streets earlier this month. The volunteers notified Mayor Rob Schroder, City Manager Don Blubaugh, the public works director and the city engineer via e-mail of their intention to plant the trees in “those parts of Alhambra Creek that have been impacted by beaver acitivity.” Their goal, said spokeswoman Linda Meza, was to replenish the beavers’ food supply and stabilze the creek bank.
Worth A Dam volunteers thought they had the city’s blessing. After all, Tim Tucker, the city engineer, provided chicken wire and wire cutters and directed the volunteers on where and how to plant the trees, according to Meza. So they were perplexed — and a little miffed — when Schroder suggested at the end of the City Council meeting last week that the city may move the trees if it turns out they block the water flow.”The tone of it was we had gone out on our own without any guidance, without any direction and gone and planted trees in the creek,” said Meza, who did not attend the meeting but watched the videotape to hear Schroder’s remarks. Video of council meetings is available on the city’s Web site.
Schroder said Earl Dunivan, Jr., a downtown property owner who called Tucker twice to express concern about the tree planting, pointed out to him that the location of the willows could be a problem.Dunivan did not return calls seeking comment. Although Schroder believes the city may have to dig up and replant the trees, he said he does not intend to remove them from the creek.”From my uneducated, novice view it looks as though they have been planted in the stream bed which could be an impediment to the stream flow,” Schroder said. “My concern was not that they were doing the planting, my concern is just where they did the planting.”Schroder has directed city staff to review the Alhambra Creek flood control plans to determine if the volunteers planted the willows in an acceptable location.He also questioned whether the group needed permission from the state Department of Fish and Game.
Laurie Bryden, a senior wildlife biologist with the state Department of Fish and Game, said Worth A Dam did not need a permit to plant the trees in the creek. Meza believes the location of the trees conforms with the guidelines outlined in the Contra Costa County Alhambra Creek watershed plan. Tucker, who is responsible for the project, is on vacation. But Schroder does not believe the trees are a critical issue.”Maybe some of them, if not all of them, need to be moved. I just want to be sure this conforms with the original plan,” he said.
Ahh is it just me or is it touching to see such genuine concern for our waterways?
