Gustavus Watershed Council

Gustavus Watershed Council

Proposal to become a committee within the City of Gustavus

Fawn Bauer and I last appeared to request assistance (funds and support for letter; see below) from the GCC for water sample analyses and circulation of a letter requesting well water quality reports from Gustavus citizens. At that meeting, a council member moved to have us become a subcommittee of the Lands Committee.  We are extremely grateful to the City for its confidence and support of our endeavor to gather baseline water quality information for Gustavus and the invitation to participate in the Lands Committee.

However, since that meeting, we’ve talked with Gustavus citizens in support of developing an independent Watershed Council that would not only gather baseline water quality information and ensure safe drinking water for all but also work with Gustavus citizens to sustain healthy streams for salmon and recreational use.

A watershed council typically partners with city committees, local business interests, local environmental interests and private citizens to protect the health of the watershed through research, education, communication, and restoration.  In Gustavus, unlike many Alaskan communities, we are blessed with a relatively pristine watershed.  We see ourselves as a community that prospers while protecting the land and water around us.  By providing baseline information and advice, a watershed council can help insure that our vision is sustained into the future.

As its pilot project, the GWC is working with students to conduct baseline monitoring of water quality in Rink Creek, the Salmon River, and the Good River.  As funds become available, GWC can document current surface and groundwater quality at numerous sites and assess and evaluate threats to water quality and freshwater habitat.  The GWC can assist individual committees tasked with development plans so as to help them avoid problems with water quality and fish habitat.  For example, the GWC can assist the Road Committee in addressing hydrology issues along the Rink Creek Road corridor.  The Watershed Council can partner with local businesses and with the Gustavus Forelands Group (former Land Legacy) to procure funding and environmentally sensitive designs for trails that will accommodate multiple uses.  The Council can work with the City and with individuals on designs for streambank protection and remediation.  The GWC can assist concerned citizens with evaluation of home well-water quality. 

We feel that as an independent committee, the Gustavus Watershed Council would perhaps be in a better position to apply for state and federal funds as well as to network with other watershed councils throughout Alaska.  The GWC seeks to form a balanced and diverse partnership of citizens, businesses, and organizations who, collectively, will be the stewards of a healthy watershed.

We propose to further discuss this idea at the May 4 work session with the hope of submitting a resolution for creation of a Watershed Committee. Thus we respectfully request that action on the proposed resolution tonight be postponed.