Carlsbad Watershed Network (CWN)
Vision
Carlsbad Hydrologic Unit
History
 Members

In the past 140 years, 75% of San Diego’s coastal wetlands have been lost as a result of urban development. The water quality in this region has been significantly degraded with the increase in urbanization and the decrease of natural open space areas. Effective planning measures must be implemented to counter the effects of impaired natural habitat functions.

Carlsbad Watershed Network

The Carlsbad Watershed Network (CWN) was formed by a coalition of non-profit conservancy groups dedicated to the protection of the four Northern San Diego County coastal lagoons and their watersheds. The group of six non-profits convened in 1997 and organized itself through a memorandum of agreement in February 1998.

The CWN works collaboratively with the cities and agencies in the Carlsbad Hydrologic Unit (CHU). The CWN vision is dedicated to...

Vision

vision "Protect, restore, and enhance the quality and beneficial uses of water, habitats, and other natural resources of the watersheds of the Carlsbad Hydrologic Unit and the adjacent coastal shoreline."

The primary functions of the Carlsbad Watershed Network (CWN) is to:

The CWN’s monthly meetings include all the member organizations involved in watershed management and resources issues including all agencies, jurisdictions and non-profit organizations with an interest in streams, creeks and lagoon resources.



Carlsbad Hydrologic Unit

The Carlsbad Hydrologic Unit covers 210 square miles, juridictions_small portions of Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, Escondido, Encinitas, Solana Beach, Carlsbad and portions of unincorporated San Diego County. The CHU includes seven adjacent coastal watersheds that drain to the Pacific Ocean including the Loma Alta Creek, Buena Vista Creek, Agua Hedionda Creek, Canyon del Encinas Creek, San Marcos Creek, Cottonwood Creek and Escondido Creek.

The CHU contains four major coastal lagoons: Buena Vista, Agua Hedionda, Batiquitos and San Elijo, map of CHU jurisdictions gis as well as, the Loma Alta Slough. The CHU also includes three lakes, two storage reservoirs, urban and natural drainage, native habitats, open space, beaches, recreational activities, agriculture, aqua farms, power and desalination plants.

A watershed includes all land that drains to a common point. Because all live downstream, we impact the watershed and its natural resources -- the soil, water, air, plants and animals. All water bodies in the watershed suffer some degree of impairment. As water quality deteriorates, the habitat for endangered and threatened species is further reduced.

The CHU is a logical area in which to plan and implement comprehensive watershed-based natural resource use and protection. A watershed approach is more effective because it:

See CHU for an extensive look at the condition of the Carlsbad Hydrologic Unit and the issues and challenges regarding clean water, native habitat, wildlife and recreation and development.

History


1996: Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation board members agreed to pursue California Coastal Conservancy (CCC) funding to do a needs assessment of the lagoon and identify stakeholders of the Agoura Headwind Lagoon. The $7,300 grant resulted in a Framework Plan which provided the impetus for a more formal group meeting of 36 stakeholder groups with direct or indirect jurisdiction of the lagoon plus other affiliated groups within the entire Carlsbad Hydrologic Unit (CHU).

May 28, 1997: The first joint networking meeting for lagoon foundations and creek conservancies in the Carlsbad Hydrologic Unit took place under the auspices of the California Coastal Conservancy and the Resource Conservation District of Greater San Diego (RCDGSD).

Feb.. 12, 1998: A formal agreement was signed to form the Carlsbad Watershed Network (CWN) to support and develop coordinated efforts to seek funding for the protection and improvement of the CHU . The initial signatories included

October 1998: The first CWN grant was received from the CCC to create a volunteer program for the construction and maintenance of trails. This included a demonstration project for construction of and trail section number three of the Carlsbad Citywide Trails System from the Buena Vista Lagoon to Hosp Grove..

April 1999: CWN received the Trail Project Award for the City of Carlsbad Pilot Trail Project at the 16th Annual California Trails Conference. See Trail Project Award.

In 1999: The State Water Resource Control Board awarded a grant to the Carlsbad Watershed Network to develop a management plan for the Carlsbad Hydrologic Unit. The funding came from the Clean Water Act 205(j).

October 2002: A second memorandum of agreement was reached by the non-profit environmental organizations to join as the Watershed Protection Coalition and act as the core group of the Carlsbad Watershed Network. These non profits also agreed to work together toward common goals of public education, habitat protection, restoration, and acquisition, and facilitate endorsement and implementation of the Carlsbad Watershed Management Plan (CWMP).

In late 2002, the Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) assumed the lead in convening monthly meetings which had been previously convened by the Resource Conservation District of Greater San Diego (RCDGSD)

In late 2002, the Carlsbad Watershed management Plan (CWMP) was completed by the consultant team of KTU & A, Merkel and Associates, Inc. and The Rick Alexander Company and The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). The SWRCB with local assistance from the SDRWQCB provided assistance and direction for the planning. The RCDGSD provided the day to day management of the plan development.

Feb. 2003, CWN convened a work session at the City of Escondido to develop a CWN Plan of Action for the implementation of the CWMP recommendations. Thirty or more representatives from environmental foundations, conservancies, agencies and municipalities participate to create a plan addressing Public Outreach, Technical and Beneficial Uses, and Watershed Management Plan/Open Space Protection.

Sept. 2003, the Unite States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) funded a watershed coordinator through the efforts of the UC Natural Reserve System. Funding also provided for citizen monitoring training for residents and teachers and for mentoring students in water quality testing.

Nov. 2003, City of Carlsbad Community Activities Grant provide additional funding for the implementation of four Watershed Stewards Training to develop citizen monitors. Funding was acquired through the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation. Funding from the USEPA and the City of Carlsbad made Watershed Stewards training possible for 2004.

June 2004: The State of CA, with Prop 13 funds, granted $3.96 Million for the Dr. Alan Thum Invasives Removal Project in the Riparian Zones. Dr. Thum, a CWN participant crafted the pre proposal for this grant prior to his untimely death on May 14, 2003. The San Elijo Lagoon Conservancy applied for and is the recipient and fiscal agent for this project on behalf of the CWN.

Aug. 2004 San Diego Foundation granted Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation funds to implement Watershed Stewards Training for 2004-5 in conjunction with CWN.

Members

The CWN is made up of the following non profit environmental interest groups (Go to Members for a listing of links to member and participants web sites.)

These groups are aligned to the vision of the CWN, to protect, restore, and enhance the quality and beneficial uses of water, habitats, and other natural resources of the watersheds of the CHU and the adjacent coastal shoreline.

Each organization represents a group of concerned citizens who are stewards for the well being of their local watershed resources, and who recognize the need to cooperate to attain common goals. They aim to foster a larger watershed partnership within the CHU in which all stake holders work voluntarily and cooperatively at the watershed scale toward improved environmental conditions.

The CWN is represented by local jurisdictions including:

Federal, state and local agencies actively participate as interested stake holders and include the following:

These government agencies and organizations all deal with water resource issues within the CHU.

Member organizations recognize the commonality of objectives that transcend the focused concerns of both specific areas and individual groups. Each member provides the network with updates of programs or projects they are considering to be the most effective method to approach the task at hand. If a task is specific to a particular organization's primary interests, then they are the lead agency.

Other interested non-profit groups, agencies, private and public entities include:

These organizations' missions involve the protection and promoting clean water and watershed health.

Go to Members for a listing of links to member and participants web sites.