The upper merced river watershed council will expand current efforts to protect water quality and biodiversity within the upper merced river watershed, in central california

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation awarded a $321,118 Project Grant to the Upper Merced River Watershed Council under the Cooperative Watershed Management Program (CFDA 15.554). The grant supports the Council's efforts to protect water quality and biodiversity within the Upper Merced River Watershed in central California. Key activities include building a volunteer base, launching a community awareness program, establishing a monitoring plan, and incorporating traditional ecological knowledge from the Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation. The project aims to improve the sustainability of recreation, enhance water quality monitoring, and increase outreach for the headwaters of the North and South Forks of the Merced River. The award period is from September 2024 through December 2028.

The area is greatly impacted by climate change, recreation, agriculture, wetland drainage, and urbanization, which have led to a decrease in meadow acreage and glacier size, an increase in non-native species prevalence and wildfires, and changes to both hydrology and water quality. Building on their four-year watershed work plan developed through a 2021 watersmart cooperative watershed management program phase I grant, the council will build a strong volunteer base, launch a comprehensive community awareness program, and establish a monitoring plan. The council will work with the southern sierra miwuk nation, federal agencies, friends of the river, mariposa trails, mariposa county resourceconservation district, the merced river conservation committee, and sierra nevada alliance improve sustainability of recreation, better water quality monitoring, and increased outreach of the headwaters of the north and south forks of the merced river all the way to lake mcclure. As part of the watershed work plan objectives, the council will work closely with the southern sierra miwuk nation to incorporate traditional ecological knowledge into monitoring practices.