Upper Merced River Watershed Council_Business

Upper Merced River Watershed Council Home About Contact Join Stewardship Programs Partner Organizations Watershed Map Wild & Scenic Board of Directors Current Focus Bureau of Reclamation Grant Received The UMRWC board is delighted to announce that our application for the Bureau of Reclamation's 2021 WaterSMART Cooperative Watershed Management Program Grant was chosen for funding. For the next 2 years, we will engage in stakeholder engagement to revitalize the organization and develop a comprehensive watershed work plan with our federal, tribal, and community partners. The press release announcing the grant can be found here. Current Focus The current focus of the Upper Merced River Watershed Council includes implementation of the program funded by the recent WaterSMART grant as well as continuation of our effort to support ongoing programs including trails along the Merced Wild and Scenic River, monitoring water quality and any threats to the river’s Wild and Scenic Status and therefore public access to the river. Visit our Stewardship Programs page for more detail or read about some of our programs below. The Merced River Trail The Merced River Trail is a concept envisioned by many local people for many years to support use of the existing railroad bed on the North side of the Merced Wild and Scenic River as a trail with appropriate mitigation efforts to minimize the impact of trail use on our natural resources. You can read much more about this project here. Monitoring and Documenting Threats to the Merced River’s Wild and Scenic Status The Wild and Scenic Status of the Merced River has several advantages to our community, first it guarantees public access to the river for recreation including hiking, rafting, kayaking, fishing, horseback riding, etc.. This is not only of benefit to those who live here and want to enjoy the river, but it is also a non-Yosemite based activities for visitors to our area, benefiting our local economy.Second, the protection afforded by Wild and Scenic status makes sure that the river remains in a condition that will assure that those visit the river will have a positive natural experience. However, over the last 20 years, there have been a number of threats to the Wild and Scenic status of the Merced River, both to the headwaters in Yosemite National Park, and also to the lower end of the Wild and Scenic River where it flows into Lake McClure. Since these threats are as real today as they ever were, another focus of the Watershed Council is to monitor and document these threats. Please visit our page on the Merced Wild and Scenic River and the links therein. Other Programs You can read about the other programs our group conducts and organization with which we coordinate our efforts on our Stewardship Programs and Partner Organizations pages. Upcoming Events Mariposa County Trails Day JUNE 4, 20229:00 AM- 4:00 PMMARIPOSA ARTS PARKHwys 140 AND 49 SOUTHIn conjunction with National Trails Day, Mariposa County will celebrate itsdiversity of its many trails-hiking, biking, horseback riding, rafting, kayaking, & fishing.Representatives from 20 local groups to field questions and provide information:Speakers, poets, and music in the morning. Guided activities in the afternoon. THE GREAT SIERRA RIVER CLEANUP September 17. Mark your calendars for this day of fun and stewardship on the Merced River. More info to come. Copyright 2022 Upper Merced River Watershed Council