by Kathy Whitlow, Operations Manager

Photo: presentation slide Thank you to everyone who attended the Martis Watershed Assessment presentation this past Tuesday. We had an excellent turnout for this event, with over 100 people in attendance!

You’ve let us know how much you appreciate the work that has been done:

“…it was an awesome evening that I’ve been looking forward to for a while.” ~Jacqui Zink

“Great job last night. Thank you for all your work and effort. What a turn out!” ~Scott Bower

We also love that you’ve been sharing your memories of Martis Valley with us:

“Last night was fabulous. You are all doing such important work. I remember the Martis in the 50’s. Lots and lots of deep, fast running finger-lets coming down from the forested mountains to the south. These little streams spanned out all across the valley floor and were teeming with lovely trout. The valley was full of the glorious sound of cattle, grass hoppers and singing black birds clinging to tender willow branches dancing in the breeze. I return to that valley often in my dreams.” ~Stefanie Olivieri

We’ve been receiving many positive comments from presentation attendees and look forward to sharing more with you in the near future about potential restoration in the Martis Valley Watershed. In the meantime, please click here to view a copy of the presentation.

This presentation serves as a launching point for future restoration work. The actual assessment will be posted on our site by the end of February. As mentioned on Tuesday, this assessment will serve as a living document and will change over time as we plan projects, work with stakeholders and reassess restoration needs in the Martis Watershed.

Thank you to our engaging speakers for the evening: Dave Shaw, Balance Hydrologics, Inc.; Kevin Drake, Integrated Environmental Restoration Services; and TRWC’s own Beth Christman. An extra special thank you goes out to our funders: the Bella Vista Foundation, the Martis Fund and Watershed Council donors. This assessment would not have been possible without your generous support.