Generations of northern Californians have treasured the Eel River for its fish runs and its recreational opportunities. Waves of sediment following large floods have caused fish runs to decline over the last several decades, but there are signs that fall-run Chinook salmon may be making a comeback as some parts of the watershed recover. At the same time, water quality problems in other places have become so acute that toxic algae closes major tributaries of the river to any contact.
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Low flows and nutrient pollution in the Eel River cause harmful algae blooms that affect water quality in several ways. Algae that coats the river bed can cause stressful conditions for fish as photosynthesis drives alkalinity and ammonia up during the day and plant respiration at night causes depressed dissolved oxygen. Toxic algae species colonize shoreline areas in late summer and can be fatal to dogs, livestock and humans.
Community Education
Sharing information and helping the community become informed creates a basis for trust and the ability to coalesce a foundation for action. Trained facilitators will help community dialog that will be captured in notes and used to shape future actions.
The Eel River Recovery Project also intends to assist schools throughout the watershed by involving them in stream monitoring. Hands-on learning about the river is an excellent way to expose students to science and to foster stewardship in the next generation. As students collect and analyze data, they can actually provide pieces of the puzzle about the Eel River's health.
Citizens Taking Action to Stop Pollution
The toxic algae problems of the lower mainstem Eel, South Fork Eel, and Van Duzen rivers are new developments. They indicate that flows have dropped too low and nutrient pollution increases are causing the river to lose its ability to clean itself.
Community discussions at Eel River Recovery Project meetings will include how to conserve water and reduce impacts of rural living on the river and its tributaries. What we learn can be applied now and in the future. Grants will be sought for assistance for implementation, once the community has decided on a course of action.
Citizen-Monitoring
People living by the Eel River or one of its tributaries have witnessed changes over time but have no way of validating their observations about the declining health of the river or discerning what is causing problems.
No agency currently leads a watershed-wide data collection effort to gauge aquatic health and to inform citizens. The Eel River Recovery Project will try to supply this service. Citizen-based monitoring will help plug data gaps and supply information so people in the watershed can better understand the nature and origin of problems. Photo-points, automated temperature probes, volunteer assisted fish counts, and measuring insects or sediment in streams could all be carried out.
ERRP to Enable Residents to Monitor Water Quality & Fisheries, Collectively Participate in Ecological Restoration
There is a huge amount of community concern about the state of the Eel River and its declining health that could be translated into support for a citizen-based monitoring program and "bottom up" approach to participatory restoration. The Trees Foundation in Garberville has a long history of supporting grassroots organizing in the Eel River Basin and is trusted by the public. Therefore, it is logical choice to convene an effort to build the capacity of the community to take the pulse of the Eel River, to share information about the health of the watershed, and to formulate and implement a restoration strategy. While the Trees Foundation will serve as the non-profit fiscal sponsor, committed volunteers, including resource professionals, will manage the Eel River Recovery Project. After assessing community needs, the advisory committee will write grants or win contracts to acquire the resources to implement the project.
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The Eel River Watershed Then and Now: Watershed Processes and Ecology Function
April 17, 2012
Then
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Join Eel River Recovery Project May 6 for Water Day 2012
April 17, 2012
On Sunday, May 6, at the Mateel Community Center in Redway, the Eel River Recovery Project (ERRP) will be sponsoring a Water Day patterned after a similar event held in April 2009. Presentations will cover a wide range of topics including practical information on water conservation, how to reduce pollution to reverse the problem of toxic algae, and how we can improve watershed health to improve water storage.
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Are California's Salmon Facing Extinction?: Eel River Recovery Project
August 11, 2011
Generations of northern Californians have treasured the Eel River for its fish runs and its recreational opportunities. Waves of sediment following large floods have caused fish runs to decline over the last several decades, but there are signs that fall-run Chinook salmon may be making a comeback as some parts of the watershed recover. At the same time, water quality problems in other places have become so acute that toxic algae closes major tributaries of the river to any contact.
(read
more)
Contact Information
Email: eelrecovery@gmail.com
Phone: (707) 223-7200
