July 9, 2016 - The East Merced Resource Resource Conservation District will be hosting a Lower Merced River Water Resource Tour on Thursday July 14th.  Participants will tour the Santa Fe Aggregates facility at Bettencourt Ranch in Winton, the Merced River Hydroelectric Project at New Exchequer Dam, and the Henderson Park Salmon Habitat Enhancement Project in Snelling.  Transportation and lunch will be provided for all participants.  The tour is provided at no cost thanks to funding from the Merced IRWMP Grant and the MID Foundation.

Register Online at www.lowermercedriver.org/register





SFA Quality Control Technician Scott Ross and SFA Biologist Jasmine Green will be our hosts.  We will be touring the crushing plant, extraction pit, and reclamation area adjacent to the Merced River. 



MID will discuss the recent impacts of the drought and the implications for laws and policy affecting senior water right holders. Officials from the District will also provide a brief overview of the history of the construction of New Exchequer Dam.




Cramer Fish Sciences will be hosting a walking tour of the Lower Merced River Salmon Habitat Enhancement Project at Henderson Park.






Lower Merced River Water Resource Tour Itinerary

Time	Activity	Notes
7:30-8:00	Meet at Ag Commissioner’s Office  2139 Wardrobe Ave, Merced, CA 95341	Tour Bus Arrives at 7:30am
8:00-8:45	Travel to Bettencourt Ranch	Tour Begins
8:45-9:45	Santa Fe Aggregates Tour Plant & Reclamation Site	SFA Production Crew SFA Biologist Jasmine Green
9:45-10:30	Travel to Lake McClure	Video of New Exchequer Dam Construction
10:30-12:00	Lake McClure Power Generation Tour	MID Staff
12:00-12:30	Travel to Henderson Park Clubhouse	Enjoy the bus ride!
12:30-1:15	Lunch and MID Presentation/Discussion	MID Staff Lunch Provided by MID Foundation
1:15-2:15	Salmon Restoration Site Walking Tour	Cramer Associates
2:15-2:45	Santa Fe Aggregates Presentation/Discussion	Santa Fe Aggregates Environmental Manager
2:45-3:15	EMRCD Presentation/Discussion	Steve Starcher/Jean Okuye
3:15-3:45	Return to Ag Commissioner’s Office	Tour Ends

Details:

1.                   Classic Charter Tour Bus with Restrooms

2.                   Maximum of 40 Tour Participants

3.                   Sack Lunches & Water Provided

4.                   Online Registration on Eventbrite

Contacts:

Steve Starcher, sstarcher@lowermercedriver.org, 559-289-8874

Jean Okuye, jokuye@lowermercedriver.org, 209-756-2421

Registration:

Online at www.lowermercedriver.org/register


Funding:

A special thanks to the MID Foundation for providing lunch!

The Lower Merced River Water Resource Tour is financed under the Safe Water, Water Quality and Supply, Flood Control, River and Coastal Protection Act of 2006 (Proposition 84) Merced River Education and Enhancement Program.  It is a project of the East Merced Resource Conservation District.
Source: San Joaquin River Stewardship Program, DBA Lower Merced River Stewardship Program