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Photo Tour

The Gualala River enters the Pacific Ocean approximately 110 miles north of San Francisco, marking the border of Sonoma and Mendocino counties. Just past the mouth of the river lies the town of Gualala, a three-hour drive from San Francisco over narrow, twisting roads and stunning ocean and mountain views. Tourism and logging are the primary local industries.

Ladies’ Day Steelhead – December, 1915

Ladies' Day Steelhead - December 1915; photo courtesy of Will Guyan

  This photo is typical of how it was, back in the day when fishermen could walk across the backs of steelhead and Salmon in the Gualala River. No one considered conservation, because there were so many fish. Unfortunately with habitat degradation and people all killing their limit, things have changed radically. Now that the regulations require catch and release, …

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Importance of the Gualala River Floodplain: Presentation by Dr. Peter Baye

Importance of the Gualala River Floodplain: Presentation by Dr. Peter Baye, March, 2019

Presented at Friends of Gualala River’s Public Forum on March 5, 2019.   Download: Download a pdf version (4 MB) of the presentation: Importance of the Gualala River Floodplain: Presentation by Dr. Peter Baye   Audio excerpts: 1. Peter Baye describes Gualala River floodplain: 2. Peter Baye describes the evolution of the floodplain: 3. Peter Baye explains which agencies are …

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Major Landslide on Wheatfield Fork, Gualala River, closes Stewarts Point-Skaggs Springs Road

Stewarts Point-Skaggs Springs Road, west of landslide near Soda Springs site (USGS map place-name). March 3, 2019.

  February 26-27, 2019, flood triggered a major landslide on the Wheatfield Fork, Gualala River, above and below Stewarts Point-Skaggs Springs Road. The large landslide occurred on steep north-facing slopes near the Soda Springs site (USGS map place-name), near the east end of Fuller Mountain, approximately 2.5 air miles east of the Annapolis Road bridge. The landslide extends from about …

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Steelhead spawning in Fuller Creek

  Fuller Creek, South Fork, is running almost clear on March 3, 2019, less than a week after the record-breaking 14” rainfall on February 26-27, 2019.   A large adult steelhead, about 18” long, was sighted at the west end of Buckeye Forest (formerly Preservation Ranch). It survived the intense floods that scoured the banks of the creek to levels …

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Gualala River in full flood: Wheatfield Fork

Feb 27, 2019: Wheatfield Fork Gualala River, Valley Crossing, Annapolis Road; view to west, north side. The floodplain riparian woodland here is deeply submerged, about 5 feet or more.

More river flood action photos. In this set: the Wheatfield Fork. Includes floodplain submergence (deeper than mid-February) at Twin Bridges, showing the Dogwood THP Haul Road covered in mud. Also shows Annapolis Road Bridge at Clark’s Crossing with log and wood debris on top, for the first time in decades!              

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Gualala River in full flood: South Fork & river mouth

Feb 27, 2019: South Fork Gualala River, Valley Crossing, Annapolis Road, view upstream. The large log and woody debris jam present in mid-February is blown out by the higher flood of Feb. 26-27.

  Below are a few photos that show some unusual flood features at the river mouth…. not just the spit erosion, but it’s transformation into a shallow submerged bar outlined by breakers oblique to the shoreline, extending offshore! This is temporary, forced by the river jet, against the shoreline configuration waves normally establish.    

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Gualala River estuary & bridge during heavy rain

Gualala River estuary during 'atmospheric river' (Feb. 26, 2019), photo by Jeanne Jackson

Here are some photos of the the Gualala River estuary & Highway 1 bridge during the heavy rains of the recent (Feb. 25-26, 2019) ‘atmospheric river’ event. The river is over its banks on both sides — the campgrounds on both sides of the river are flooded, as is Mill Bend and the Gualala Point Regional Park land across from …

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Gualala River floodplain in action

Wheatfield Fork bridge downstream, Feb 2019

February 14, 2019 After the heavy rains of the recent ‘atmospheric river’ event, the Gualala River floodplain (threatened by the Dogwood logging plan) is doing its job.       South Fork bridge (Twin Bridges, Annapolis Road):  Large log and debris jams on the upstream side, and downstream to the confluence with Wheatfield Fork. The willows on the opposite bank …

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River sightings

Deer reflected in the Gualala River - by Rick Denniston

Charles Ivor, President of Friends of Gualala River and a long-time observer of our river, entreats us to take time to visit, relish, and understand all the action taking place in the estuary of the Gualala River. As you drive into or through Gualala, check to see if the river mouth is open or closed, and take time on the …

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Gualala River in June – Photo Calendar

A Humpback Whale breaches, by Ron LeValley

← Previous: Gualala River in May Next: Gualala River in July (coming soon)→                         All photos used with permission. Our sincere thanks to all of the photographers for sharing their photos with us!

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Gualala River in May – Photo Calendar

Baby Blue Eyes, by Bonney Ely

← Previous: Gualala River in April Next: Gualala River in June →                         All photos used with permission. Our sincere thanks to all of the photographers for sharing their photos with us!

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Gualala River in April – Photo Calendar

An Osprey snags a fish, by John Batchelder

← Previous: Gualala River in Winter Next: Gualala River in May → Springtime brings new life in and around the Gualala River by Jeanne A. Jackson After the winter rains, the Gualala River usually is closed off from the Pacific Ocean by a big sandbar. When the river closes, the water backs up into the lagoon and upriver, bringing perfect …

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Gualala River in Winter – Photo Calendar

Deer reflected in the Gualala River - by Rick Denniston

← Previous: Gualala River in Fall (coming soon) Next: Gualala River in April → Winter rains fall on the vast watershed of the Gualala River. When the land can no longer absorb more water, the rain flows into the tributaries of the Gualala River. The river changes daily. Big storms brings churning waters down the river, racing to the ocean. …

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Gualala River Sightings

Jeanne Jackson / Mendonoma Sightings and Friends of the Gualala River present Gualala River Sightings March 7, 2013 Gualala Arts Center About 90 people attended the celebration of the Gualala River and its wildlife and watershed on March 7, 2013 at the Gualala Arts Center; the presentation was very warmly received. Many of the photographers were present to speak about …

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Gualala River Sightings

  Update: See the “Best of” photos: 2013 Gualala River Sightings Thursday, March 7 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Gualala Arts Center The full Gualala River, by Jeanne Jackson Mendonoma Sightings and Friends of the Gualala River will co-host Gualala River Sightings, a gathering of photographic “Mendonoma Sightings” along the Gualala River on Thursday, March 7th at 7:00 p.m. in the …

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