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1Message Page 1 of 2 COREY Kurt A From: FINNEY Kevin P Sent: Wednesday, November 24, 2004 9:56 AM To: ALVERSON Ed R; COREY Kurt A; BJORKLUND Neil H; GALLUP Steve S; HAMLIN Peggy D; KLOPE Paul W; LONG Jack E; MEDLIN Johnny R; MILLS Gale L; WALCH Therese; WOLD Eric N; ZUCKERMAN Linda S (OR) Subject: Delta Ponds Project Update We have made some exciting and significant progress on the Delta Ponds project since we last updated you on the project. Some recent accomplishments include: 1. In June the City received a $389,000 Community Conservation Initiative grant from the US Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to fund habitat improvement work at the Delta Ponds. The first phase of the work began earlier this month when the City's contractor began removing ivy, blackberries and other invasive plants from 28 acres of the Delta Ponds. PeaceHealth has assisted these efforts by providing an easement across their property, allowing easier access to City property along the ponds. The goal of this work is to remove invasive non- . native vegetation and replace it with native vegetation that will provide better habitat for birds and other wildlife. 2. The City has completed construction of the concrete portion of the North Path that will provide an accessible pedestrian route down to the ponds near the radio tower. McKenzie River Broadcasting provided a very generous easement across the property, making it possible for all visitors to the ponds to get down to the water's edge. The grading of the gravel portion of the North Path, just south of the River Terrace Apartments, has also been completed recently. 4. Over 50 Rotarians representing several local clubs came together for work parties during the past month to work on the North Path, placing, raking, and compacting over 75 cubic yards of gravel. They also pulled and dug ivy and blackberry plants along the path, spread compost and native straw along the sides of the trail and sowed a mix of native seed. 5. Working with Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) and City staff, students from the University of Oregon Environmental Studies Program developed a program to monitor fish, wildlife and vegetation at Delta Ponds during the upcoming year. Students will conduct the baseline monitoring and will provide direction for Stream Team volunteers who continue the monitoring. Earlier this month the students, and ODFW and City staff installed a fish trap in Debrick . Slough to determine which fish species are moving between the ponds and the Willamette River. 6. New Delta Ponds Project Partners who have joined the project in the last few months include Willamette Riverkeeper and PeaceHealth. Dave Predeek has stepped up to serve as the project contact at the Native Plant Society of Oregon. Ongoing work on the Delta Ponds project includes: 1. City staff is completing the design work for the small parking area to be constructed in the northwest corner of the ponds, on property donated by McKenzie River Broadcasting. -The facility will include parking spaces for ten cars, a portable restroom, a drinking fountain, bike racks, landscaping, irrigation and a paved connection to the existing concrete path down to the ponds. The parking lot and associated amenities will be constructed this spring using grant funds provided by State Parks. 2. Army Corps, Lane County and City staff met again in September to work on the transfer of County lands for the project. The three agencies are working together to gather the information necessary so that Lane County staff can finalize the location of the proposed property lines along Delta Highway. 3. City staff and the City's consultants are completing the applications for permit applications for the project, including those required by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Division of State Lands. On the funding front, the omnibus spending bill passed by Congress last week included a $250,000 appropriation for 11/29/2004