by Ray Lingle
November 20, 2002

As mid-October approaches, this is the dominant question being faced by Mattole residents, the Mattole Salmon Group (MSG), and, sadly, the coho salmon and steelhead in the upper Mattole. In the past three summers, the Mattole river flow has been reduced to intermittent pools in the upper 8 miles of river. This stretch of the river contains the rearing habitat most critical to the recovery of the threatened coho salmon. This year is the driest that local residents recall. Most of the tributaries south of Whitethorn are dry. Oversummering coho and steelhead are stranded in shrinking pools, at risk of predation and asphyxiation as we await rain and search for the causes and long-term solutions to this problem. Flows at the Petrolia gaging station are at all-time record lows.

In late September the water situation in the upper Mattole became critical. The intermittent pools were drying up, fish were dying, and local residents were running out of water. MSG and the Mattole Restoration Council (MRC) sounded an alarm. Local radio stations featured programs focusing on the crisis. MSG and MRC announced a guided tour of the dry river, to be held October 5. Twenty watershed residents came on the tour, viewing the unfolding tragedy, and brainstorming over how to deal with the situation. Initial plans included an urgent call to watershed residents to cut their water usage to a bare minimum until the rains arrive. Longer-term solutions were discussed, especially rain catchment ponds and tanks for use in August, September, and October (See “Ponds for water storage—a good idea?” By Jim Danish, page XXX, and “Watershed consciousness—healing the landscape with water” by Amanda Malachesky, page XXX). Further, with assistance from MSG, MRC, and Sanctuary Forest, residents are planning an outreach program that will include a search for funding to help residents upgrade their water systems in preparation for future dry summers. MSG is also considering plans to rescue stranded fish, and move them to safety.

Despite the above difficulties, a great deal of positive restoration work is being accomplished. Sediment reduction projects are being completed along Thompson Creek in the headwaters, and on Green Fir Road along the lower mainstem of the river. Our rearing facility at Solitude on upper South Fork Bear Creek holds nearly 5,000 chinook fry, which will be released when substantial rains arrive. In cooperation with MRC, the Mattole Salmon Group is preparing to monitor sediment that may be released from a major road-decommissioning project in the upper Mattole. We are also doing sediment monitoring in order to establish baseline data prior to future such projects.

In the second year of our “Rescue Rearing” pilot project, we have rescued 2,400 chinook smolts which otherwise would have faced death in the overheated lagoon at the closed river mouth. Low water supply in this extremely dry summer, and the vigilance necessary to maintain the health of these native fish present on-going challenges, as we develop methods that will allow us to make this project a more permanent part of our program. In mid-September, MSG marked the fish with coded wire tags. The hope is that recovery of these tags in future years will indicate how successful this project has been.

In a new proposal to the Calif. Dept. of Fish and Game (DFG), we are planning to tackle yet another challenge, the Mattole estuary, which we believe may be the most significant bottleneck for salmon in the Mattole system. If our proposal is accepted, it will initiate a pilot project to create large scour structures in the Mattole estuary. We hope that these boulder and rootwad structures will scour deep pools, creating complex habitat where none currently exists. If the pilot project is successful, it will be the first of many as we work to rehabilitate the estuary, and help it become the fertile fish-rearing habitat it once was.


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Table of Contents for Mattole Restoration Newsletter, Issue 19 - Winter/Spring 2002-03