May 10, 2001

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MRC will fix problems caused by abandoned roads this summer in the upper South Fork Bear Creek area to reduce sediment delivery to this important salmonid habitat. Bear Creek has some of the Mattole’s best salmon spawning and rearing habitat, and has long been a priority for the Council and the Mattole Salmon Group, a project partner. Decommissioning these roads will greatly reduce the risk that large amounts of sediment will be delivered into the creek. Randy Stemler will be coordinating this project for the Council. If you’re an area landowner, look for more information during the summer, or call us at the office. Thanks to the Bureau of Land Management for funding this project.
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”Salmon Culture,” a presentation of slides, audio cassette recordings and discussion is available to classes and independent study groups in Mattole schools. "Salmon Culture" presents the biology of salmon and their cultural significance to the people of the Mattole from natives to the present day. This 45-minute presentation is adaptable for all age groups. Teachers or parents interested in scheduling this presentation please call the MRC office at 629-3514 and leave a message for Drew.
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Residents of Mill Creek (southwest of Petrolia) will notice the Council doing some work on the Matthews Ranch Road as part of our Good Roads, Clear Creeks effort. We’ll be working to upgrade the road to prevent storm-related problems such as culvert blow-outs and other sources of erosion. This will help the many landowners who depend on this road for access and ensure that Mill Creek remains high-quality habitat for coho salmon. Fewer potential road failures will lessen the risk of damaging sediment entering the creek. As part of this project MRC will also treat abandoned roads. Funding is provided by the Department of Fish and Game SB271 Fund and the Regional Water Quality Control Board.
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On public land in the upper areas of the same Mill Creek watershed, we will decommission a road to prevent the same types of problems. The road we’ll be taking out doesn’t have any vehicular access at this point, and is a problem waiting to happen. Removal of roads can cause some ground disturbance and sediment production, but in the long-term, will ensure the health of Mill Creek and its salmon. MRC will be performing this work under our Cooperative Assistance Agreement with the BLM.
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Table of Contents for Mattole Restoration Newsletter, Issue 16 - Spring/Sumer 2001