Friends of Gualala River Protecting the Gualala River watershed and the species living within it

2/20/2006   Peter “The river mouth has formed a double sand spit, an atypical configuration — a small ‘counter-spit’, growing in the reverse (south) direction of the main spit’s growth, overlaps the ocean side of the spit, and deflects the shrunken mouth southward about a hundred feet. It partially chokes the mouth, so the lagoon stands above the low tide.” …

Friends of the Gualala River protects the Gualala River watershed in Northern California and the species living within it.

Sonoma County is considering the issue of converting forestland to vineyards and other uses as part of their update to the General Plan. The issue is seen as so urgent that the Supervisors intend to pass an ordinance regulating conversions before they consider the rest of the General Plan. The Planning Commission reviewed the proposed timberland conversion ordinance on January …

12/31/2005   Peter “Soon after noon, the northern 2/3 of the sand spit was almost completely eroded from the river side, leaving 4 evenly spaced mounds (beach cusps) with vertical scarps facing the river, and low washover troughs between them. The above-tide mounds were less than 5 m wide by 1:30, and it’s likely that most of it will be …

Friends of the Gualala River protects the Gualala River watershed in Northern California and the species living within it.

VIA FACSIMILE AND FIRST CLASS MAIL Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District 828 Seventh Street P.O. Box 95 Eureka, California 95502 Attention: Carol Rische, General Manager Re: Proposal to Export Mad River Water from Humboldt Bay via Bag-and-Tugboat Operation Dear Sirs and Mesdames: We represent a rapidly growing coalition of citizens’ groups that are vehemently opposed to the project proposed to …

Friends of the Gualala River protects the Gualala River watershed in Northern California and the species living within it.

Friends of the Gualala River protects the Gualala River watershed in Northern California and the species living within it.

Letter submitted to the New York Times in response to “Making Wine in a Hostile Climate on Sonoma’s Coast” written by Eric Asimov, and published by the Times on January 18, 2006 January 21, 2006 Eric Asimov’s “Making Wine in a Hostile Climate on Sonoma’s Coast” extolled the passion and swashbuckling spirit of those “not in their right mind” seeking …

1/28/2006   Chris “FoGR’s recent public presentation featuring the talented local photographer Jeanne Gadol drew a large turnout. The crowd was treated to a beautiful collection of photographs accompanied by a muscial score.The result of years of outdoor work in the Gualala watershed, the images were grouped by location, starting on the coast and working through the many ecological niches …

1/26/2006   Jeanne 1/26/06 Storm on Gualala Point Beach; photo credit, Jeanne Gadol“I was driving south from Gualala towards the bridge around noon on a very stormy January 26th when I noticed the waves flowing over the sandbar. I grabbed my camera and settled in along the bank just below the pullout south of the Breakers. There was a small …

Friends of the Gualala River protects the Gualala River watershed in Northern California and the species living within it.

1/21/2006   Chris “An Associated Press article, ‘Environmentalists Fight Vineyards’ Spread,’ published in the Washington Post, LA Times and dozens of other newspapers in January, 2006, focuses attention on the destruction of forestland to plant vineyards in the Gualala River watershed.”

As part of Friends of the Gualala River’s continuing community outreach efforts, several awards are given each year for student art projects.The most recent award was presented to the students of Point Arena High School for their exhibit at the High School Art show at the Gualala Arts Center in May 2006. FoGR steering committee member Donna Lane presented a …

Friends of the Gualala River protects the Gualala River watershed in Northern California and the species living within it.

FoGR BLoG Friends of the Gualala River’s web log of river sightings and commentary on the Gualala River watershed. FoGRBLoG is open to everyone in our community. Send your photos and observations to:blog@GualalaRiver.org. Please keep comments and photos focused on the Gualala River watershed and its natural environment . Click on the individual entries below Willows hold their ground 6/13/2006   …

“The South Fork of the Gualala River at the confluence with the Wheatfield Fork, at Valley Crossing, has changed configuration of its channel and bar.” June 2006 March 2006 “The lowered bar was “split” during winter and spring high flood flows, and now the main low-flow channel has stabilized in the middle of the broad gravel bar (above left). It …

“Leaving something behind is not a mitigation for environmental harm” PAUL V. CARROLL Attorney at Law 5 Manor Place Menlo Park, California 94025 telephone (650) 322-5652 telecopier (same) February 2, 2006 Sonoma County Board of Supervisors 575 Administration Drive, Room 100A Santa Rosa, CA 95403-2887 Re: General Plan and Zoning Code amendments regarding timberland conversions Dear Supervisors: I write on …

“Here also the entire riparian zone was submerged and part of the channel, with rapid currents among alders. The high water level (mud with ripples, debris lines) went up to the edge of the loggingroad parallel with the river on the N side….highest I’ve ever seen. A thick deposit of silt (over 20 cm deep) covered the extensive ground that …

 12/31/2005   Britt “In the hours after we received our second significant storm of the ’05/’06 winter, I made my way to the main stem of the Gualala River to photograph the full and flooding river in conjunction with the 6.9 foot high tide. I first attempted to reach the green bridge where the North Forks join the main stem. …