Small Grant Program

Updated 08/26/2024

The Westside Sac Integrated Regional Water Management Coordinating Committee (CC) developed a small grant program to help accomplish the vision of the Westside IRWMP. The small grant program disperses funds as available to projects or programs that meet the goals and objectives of the IRWMP. No more than 25% of unobligated Westside IRWMP funds will be expended per fiscal year towards this program. There is no match requirement; however, points are awarded to projects or programs that demonstrate a local match.

The Westside Sac IRWM CC opens the small grant program periodically and it is advertised through the listserv (to sign up, contact us) and on the Funding page of this website.

As of September 2024, the Westside Sac IRWM CC has provided over $86,000 to local projects that support Goals and Objectives in the Westside Sac IRWM Plan. Select projects funded through the Westside Sac IRWM small grants program are described below.

Family Picnic and Canoe Tour at Lake Solano

In 2023-24, the Putah Creek Club and Winters Middle School were awarded $1,200 to hold a club family picnic and canoe tour of Lake Solano on February, 2024. This special day helped students and their families foster a positive relationship with the creek and our natural world.

Ten students, their families, and school mentors enjoyed a burrito lunch, snacks, drinks, nature walks, crafts, raffle prizes and guided canoe tours. The group saw egrets, herons, kingfishers, and turtles. The Lake Solano County Park is west of the town of Winters and provides important habitat for wildlife and recreational opportunities including camping, non-motorized boating, swimming, and picnicking.

This project meets Westside IRWM Goal 2. Improve education and awareness throughout the Region about water, watershed functions, and ecosystems and the need for sustainable resource management to protect community health and well-being, and Goal 6. Preserve and enhance water-related recreational opportunities.

Flowmeter Installation for Groundwater Conservation

In 2023-24, the Yolo County Flood Control and Water Conservation District was awarded $5,000 to provide flowmeter devices for groundwater wells on socially disadvantaged farms to allow growers to monitor water use and more effectively respond to irrigation issues and changes in groundwater conditions. Two flowmeter devices have been installed on Yolo County farms and the program seeks another willing participant. To learn more about the project, view this slide show.

This project meets Westside Sac IRWM Goal 8. Promote reasonable use of water and watershed resources, and Goal 10. Provide reliable water supplies of suitable quality for multiple beneficial uses.

50 Valley Oaks for Winters Putah Creek Nature Park

In 2023-24, the City of Winters was awarded $5,000 to plant 50 Valley Oaks and companion Santa Barbara sedges on the south side of the North Bank Trail at the Winters Putah Creek Nature Park. The planting was accomplished as an Eagle Scout project in mid-January, 2024. All 50 trees with a companion sedge were planted and mulched to conserve soil moisture. The sedges spread through rhizomes – underground stems – and will colonize the shade of the young oaks and suppress weeds. At maturity, the oaks will provide near total shade over this heavily used public trail.

This project meets Westside Sac IRWM Goal 9. Protect and enhance habitat and biological diversity of native and migratory species.

Clear Lake Integrated Science Symposium

In 2023-24, the Lake County Watershed Protection District was awarded $5,000 towards the cost of hosting a Clear Lake Integrated Science Symposium that builds on collaborative efforts between Tribes, State Water Board, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Lake County Water Resources Department, UC researchers, and others to address declining populations of the Clear Lake Hitch. The Symposium was held August 15 – 16, 2024, and also addressed Clear Lake water quality, aquatic ecosystems, and biodiversity.

This project supports Westside IRWM Goal 2. Improve education and awareness throughout the Region about water, watershed functions, and ecosystems and the need for sustainable resource management to protect community health and well being, Goal 3. Improve the collective understanding of watershed characteristics and functions within the Region as needed to respond effectively to evolving water resources management challenges and opportunities, Goal 8. Promote reasonable use of water and watershed resources, and Goal 13. Support sustainable economic activities consistent with local and state government planning efforts within the Region.

Quagga Mussel Prevention Boat Display

In 2015-16, the Lake County Watershed Protection District was awarded $24,500 to create an educational display boat. The District sent a decommissioned boat to be moored in Lake Mead to purposely become colonized by quagga mussels. The boat was then retrieved, flipped over onto a trailer jack, cleaned, dried, and sealed in layers of epoxy to preserve the encrustation of quagga mussels to serve as a visual aid to educate the public of the potential perils of invasive mussels. An enclosed trailer was purchased to transport and house the new ‘mussel boat’ along with a canopy and display materials. California currently has 33 infested water bodies and is among the top four states in the U.S for number of boat registrations. To date, this educational prop has caught the attention of thousands of people. The mussel boat is permitted by the California Department of Fish Wildlife for named Westside IRWM partners (Lake County and Solano County) to share and continue to showcase at various events such as County fairs, fishing tournaments, festivals, and sportsman shows.

This project supports Westside IRWM Goal 6. Preserve and enhance water-related recreational opportunities, Goal 9. Protect and enhance habitat and biological diversity of native and migratory species, and Goal 11. Reduce the risks of disruptive natural and human-caused disturbances affecting the Region’s water resources, including flooding, fire, and significant institutional interruptions that reduce resources management services.

Implementation of the Cache Creek Resources Management Plan

In 2015-16, the Cache Creek Conservancy (Conservancy) was awarded $9,500 to conduct a GPS field survey of the non-native invasive species growing along Cache Creek and habitat restoration opportunities that exist within the Cache Creek Resources Management Plan (CCRMP) boundary. A summary report was developed along with maps that display GPS data collected. The CCRMP area is approximately 14 miles long, extending from the west at Capay Dam to Huff’s Corner near I-5 to the east. This information supports the new management plan to target site-specific restoration activities and opportunities in the area. The new plan also helps to determine site-specific maintenance techniques to ensure the sustainability of any restoration work. The restoration aims to eliminate invasive plant species infestations, restore native plant communities, increase wildlife habitat, improve flood conveyance, increase groundwater recharge, and maintain the creek’s ability to offer recreational opportunities.

This project supports Westside Sac IRWM Plan Goal 2. Improve education and awareness throughout the Region about water, watershed functions, and ecosystems and the need for sustainable resource management to protect community health and well-being, Goal 3. Improve the collective understanding of watershed characteristics and functions within the Region as needed to respond effectively to evolving water resources management challenges and opportunities, and Goal 11. Reduce the risks of disruptive natural and human-caused disturbances affecting the Region’s water resources, including flooding, fire, and significant institutional interruptions that reduce resources management services.

Putah Creek Cleanup

In September 2016, the Putah Creek Council was awarded $2,500 to conduct a California Coast and Creek Cleanup Day event in Putah Creek. Thirty site captains assisted 138 community volunteers at cleanup sites in Winters and Davis to remove and properly dispose of 4,141 pounds of trash and recyclables.

This project supports Westside Sac IRWM Goal 9. Protect and enhance habitat and biological diversity of native and migratory species and Goal 11. Reduce the risks of disruptive natural and human-caused disturbances affecting the Region’s water resources, including flooding, fire, and significant institutional interruptions that reduce resources management services.

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