Anderson Dam is located in Morgan Hill, CA in the Hamilton Range foothills. Anderson Reservoir, the largest reservoir in Santa Clara County, lies within two kilometers of the Calaveras Fault. Recent seismic stability studies determined that the dam is seismically unstable and a project to retrofit the dam is currently underway by the Santa Clara Valley Water District. Just north of Anderson Dam lies the well-known Coyote Ridge, a ridgeline of serpentine soils and associated rare and endangered plants. Anderson Dam bisects the largest population of the federally endangered Coyote ceanothus (Ceanothus ferrisiae), a serpentine endemic chaparral shrub known from only three populations. In order to mitigate for impacts to Coyote ceanothus from the dam retrofit, a new population must be created. A potential mitigation site has been selected, and a series of collaborative research studies on the genetics, soil relationships, and water availability needs of known populations of Coyote ceanothus are currently underway to determine methods to create a successful, functioning population.

Janell Hillman is a botanist at the Santa Clara Valley Water District, where she has worked for fifteen years. She graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a degree in Environmental Studies and pursued a master's degree in Biology at San Francisco State University. She is a past co-president of the Santa Cruz Chapter of California Native Plant S, and was on the state CNPS Executive Board for several years.

Keying session: 5-7PM Taking place before the General meeting at the UCSC Arboretum Horticulture Building. Our chapter is proud to announce a new keying session. Due to the popularity we will be having another keying club session; we will meet two hours before our general meeting and key native plants. Bring any unknown plants that have been bothering you or we will provide plants. Our focus for the first hour will be our local Ceanothus. Any other plants of interest are welcomed. This is a great way to learn the flora and an exciting opportunity to start learning the 2nd edition of The Jepson Manual.

From 7-7:30 will be an open for mystery plants to be brought in and identified to the best of our ability.

No experience is necessary. If you have a hand lens, microscope, Flora of the Santa Cruz Mountains, or a Jepson Manual, please bring them with you. Bring a friend too!

RSVP is not necessary but recommended for us to plan accordingly.
Contact: Deanna Giuliano or 831 335-4902.