Ongoing monitoring of forest health and growth is undertaken by the
maintenance of the CFI plots and periodic onsite checks. CFI plots
have already been established in the Little Creek Unit, Scotts Creek
Unit and Valencia Creek. The CFI plots on the remaining Swanton Pacific
Ranch forests are currently being installed. The purchase of data
logging equipment would facilitate the data gathering process and
the purchase of a differential beacon receiver would improve the accuracy
of hand-held GPS equipment for locational positions.
The flumes on Little Creek are also monitored to determine water
quality and quantity and are in the process of being repaired and
strengthened after damage from the 1998 storms. In addition, it would
be desirable to re-instrument and restore the USGS gaging station,
abandoned for more than 20 year, once the County places a stream bottom
control point to stabilize it. The County has expressed an interest
in using the station as one of the County’s flood estimation
gauges.
Valencia Monitoring Update
