The El Capitan Watershed is at the headwaters of the San Diego River and serves as a major catchment for water used by communities in the San Diego Region. This Sterling Insighs Case Study highlights how diverse stakeholders (agencies, NGO's, tribal government and public) were able to collaborate toward improvement in watershed health.

1. i El Capitan Land & Watershed Projecti Progress Overview i June 2010 i
1
El Capitan Land & Watershed Project
Confluence in a Watershed!
Summary of 2010
Planning & Public
Engagement

2. i El Capitan Land & Watershed Projecti Progress Overview i June 2010 i
2
For the common good…
• Protect and improve habitat and water quality
• Increase commitment and participation
For the Back Country Land Trust
and the San Diego River Park Foundation…
• Identify key parcels for
protection, acquisition and restoration
• Develop and leverage expertise,
processes, and reputation
El Capitan Land & Watershed Project
Why did we do it?

3. i El Capitan Land & Watershed Projecti Progress Overview i June 2010 i
3
Results Already!
Short‐term wins…
• more outreach and community involvement
• more awareness among citizens and agencies
• more partnerships taking new action already
Momentum for longer‐term wins…
• new collaborations forming around vision
• enthusiasm in community for more
• re‐usable process tools to further progress
El Capitan Land & Watershed Project

4. i El Capitan Land & Watershed Projecti Progress Overview i June 2010 i
4
0.
Process
Design
&
Preparation
1.
Two Discovery
Events
What? Where?
WIFM?
Vision of
Health?
2.
Watershed
Tour
Get real.
Get dusty.
Get clear.
3.
Organizational
Event
Progress?
Possibilities?
Probabilities?
Priorities?
Next Steps?
4.
Action
Planning
What do we
do now? Who
does what?
4/1 5/3 and 5/15 5/22 5/24 5/29
El Capitan Land & Watershed Project
How? In just 60 days?

5. i El Capitan Land & Watershed Projecti Progress Overview i June 2010 i
5El Capitan Land & Watershed Project
Who participated?
+ residents of Alpine and Peutz Valley

6. i El Capitan Land & Watershed Projecti Progress Overview i June 2010 i
6
Back
Country
Land
Trust
SD Gas &
Electric
Watershed
concerns
re: SRPL
Alpine
Revitalization
& Local Groups
Vision &
Priorities
for Alpine
County
Of SD
Watershed
restoration
specifics
for Alpine
SDRPF
& others
Other
Authorities &
Experts
• Klein Edwards Professional Svcs.
• Sterling Insights
Watershed
expertise,
protection &
enforcement
Collaboration
and expertise
exchange
City
of SD
SD River &
El Capitan
watershed
authority
• Fed. EPA
• CalTrans
• Others
TSDF
Land & Watershed
Expertise & Funding
Other Funding
Sources
Results:
More…
Outreach
Awareness
Involvement
Strategies
Donations
El Capitan
Land &
Watershed
Project
El Capitan Land & Watershed Project Major Stakeholders

7. i El Capitan Land & Watershed Projecti Progress Overview i June 2010 i
7 El Capitan Land & Watershed Project Participants in Action!
A great start. Needs more promotion.

8. i El Capitan Land & Watershed Projecti Progress Overview i June 2010 i
8 El Capitan Land & Watershed Project
Experts helped us understand our watershed.

9. i El Capitan Land & Watershed Projecti Progress Overview i June 2010 i
9 El Capitan Land & Watershed Project
Their projects inspired and motivated us.

10. i El Capitan Land & Watershed Projecti Progress Overview i June 2010 i
10 El Capitan Land & Watershed Project Watershed Restoration: a Virtuous Cycle
The big picture is starting to come into focus.

11. i El Capitan Land & Watershed Projecti Progress Overview i June 2010 i
11 El Capitan Land & Watershed Project
Getting into the field makes it all real.

12. i El Capitan Land & Watershed Projecti Progress Overview i June 2010 i
12 El Capitan Land & Watershed Project
In the neighborhoods it gets very real.

13. i El Capitan Land & Watershed Projecti Progress Overview i June 2010 i
13 El Capitan Land & Watershed Project
Residents have vision… if you ask them.

14. i El Capitan Land & Watershed Projecti Progress Overview i June 2010 i
14 El Capitan Land & Watershed Project
El Capitan matters to residents. That’s good!

15. i El Capitan Land & Watershed Projecti Progress Overview i June 2010 i
15 El Capitan Land & Watershed Project Closing Comments – George Barnett
Six priority initiatives have emerged.
Partnership Initiative
• Expand list of partners
• Survey needs/wants of
potential partners
Craft a Vision
for collaboration to
share planning
budgets
Make a Decision:
do we go after 303D
federal funding?
Watershed Report Card
& Strategic Plan
• Conduct survey of
proven models
• Identify pollutants
Craft a Vision
for leveraging existing
access to El Capitan
Work out how
to win IRWM Grant
These accelerate or amplify all the others!

16. i El Capitan Land & Watershed Projecti Progress Overview i June 2010 i
16 El Capitan Land & Watershed Project Closing Comments – George Barnett
Onward!