The March 30 planting project is done. Here’s a round up of photos and observations.

The Forest Service assigned five personnel. They provided instruction, equipment and leadership on the ground. They praised us saying we knew how to through a good party. They may be able to partner with new projects this season and promised to keep me in their loop. Barber Flats interestingly is a target.

With last minute unanticipated subtractions and additions TU contributed at least a dozen and a half to two dozen persons including the cooking crew. Weather was perfect. Kudos to Fred Hebert and his two buddies for a chili based lunch with our kitchen equipment. They gave Leadership credits to one Eagle Scout. Boy Scouts (BSA) will monitor “take” during the summer. FS will share details with us.

The BSA swelled our ranks immensely with scouts and their family members. There were easily four dozen persons all actively cutting and planting from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. sans 45 minutes for lunch. Together we all placed literally hundreds of 12 to 18 inch pieces into the embankments along Pierce Creek both below and well above the bridge and even under the bridge and around wattles FS had installed earlier to bank retard erosion near the bridge. Rain is anticipated now soon to follow this week that should help. I would like to add to Dr O’s report the planting went really well and Doug did show and there were probably several other members that showed also who didn’t send in emails but may have been on some of the other lists. Every one got fed well and there was no food left to clean up Fred was able to get a few of the scout to take seconds to polish off the chili.

The Forest Service did an outstanding job in mitigating the impacts of the migration barriers left after the initial big blowout the willows initially planted were well established below the bridge. There is a potential barrier where the creek drops off the alluvial fan into the South Fork that will probably change after high water this year. If BOR doesn’t start releasing water very soon we will probably seem some very high water on the SF later this spring.

I did stop below the tailwater put in to see what the talk was on the so called alternate put in was about. I don’t think it is a big deal yet. It is a very steep high bank and only soft boats can be launched there You have got to want to fish that section pretty bad to put a boat down that bank. At the 600cfs that the river was at there was a route thru the rapid. There was at least one must make move a weaker boatman would probably not want to run it at this level or lower, once the river comes up it should open up and be plenty of room just some big waves and maybe a hole to stay out of.

Over all it was a good outing couldn’t beat the weather