UPCOMING PROJECT - JANUARY 9 - 11, 2026 RSVP AND SIGN UP NOW
SCBS Members and Volunteers,
It is construction season: SCBS Project SL82 on January 9-11, 2026
Jan 9-11, 2026
Upcoming Project Announcement – Sign up now
Please join us for the construction of our next Wildlife water development. It will be named “Flat Top” and funded by the California Chapter of Wild Sheep Foundation’s ‘Give a Lamb A Drink’ fundraising campaign. The location is on land that we have leased from the California State Lands Commission and will be our 5th such installation. This system will be larger than the typical design with 3 underground storage tanks of 2300 gallons each fed by a rubber like mat to collect rainfall. This mat will be approximately 50% larger than previous mats to accommodate the 3 tanks. The intention is to create a permanent water source for bighorn (and other wildlife) to augment the “Big Gees” water development that occasionally requires a water hauling effort, and to augment the natural water in Afton Canyon area that is impacted by recreational activities. There are bighorn already using this area and by making additional water available we hope to spread the bighorn over a greater area, provide redundant water in case of mechanical failure, and to increase their numbers.
We will need volunteers to help with the construction, primarily to prepare the ground for the rainmat by removing large rocks, run a berm around the perimeter with sandbags and native rock to contain the rainfall, lay the mat and weigh it down with rocks. The hole for the tanks will be dug with a tractor backhoe that SCBS will rent so we won’t have to do that task with hand tools. The tractor will be operated by SCBS volunteers. We decided to use a rental tractor with wheels since the trail is not estimated to be passable by a heavy trailer and the distance from pavement is too far to crawl an excavator in a reasonable amount of time. There will be additional hand work finishing the burial and laying the plumbing between the rainmat and the tanks.
For those of you that stuck it out at Project Hawkeye until Sunday night (or went home Monday morning) please be aware that we are sending in Big Red, a few volunteers, and the materials to camp on Thursday. The tractor is expected to be dropped off Friday morning so that the early birds can get started on the trail. It is approximately 12 miles from camp to the project site. We expect the early start on Friday to make enough progress so that we avoid running late Sunday evening.
Volunteers should bring gloves, lunch or snacks, hat, sunscreen, camping gear and firewood. Breakfast and dinner will be produced by Rodger Lopez and funded by either SCBS or CaWSF. SCBS will provide the tools and arrange for portable latrines at camp. The materials are already in the SCBS inventory and will be funded by CaWSF. Marty Ambrose and several others have already installed the tread ramps into the tanks and prepared the internal support columns.
The project and campsite will be near Baker, CA. The campsite will be accessible without 4x4 (hard graded dirt but accessible) but you will need 4x4 or a ride share to get to the project site, 12 miles mostly in a wide wash with some potentially sandy areas. The parking near the project site will accommodate everyone that wishes to drive from camp to the project. There is ample parking near the project site so hiking will be nearly zero, just in and around the other trucks. Please RSVP so that we can get a head count for the food and we will respond with detailed directions for camp.
We'll send you the coordinates of the camp site when you RSVP; we need to get a headcount for the food.
RSVP with your name and phone number to Debbie Miller Marschke at:
Those that RSVP will receive a subsequent email communication with the directions to the camp site.
I hope to see you there!
Steve Marschke
SCBS President