Sightings

Rainbow over the Town of Gualala, with the Gualala River estuary, after severe wind storm; February 7, 2024 Rainbow over the Town of Gualala after severe wind storm; February 7, 2024 Photos courtesy of Jeanne Jackson

Gualala River mouth after more heavy rain, February 3, 2024 Gualala River estuary and barrier beach, February 3, 2024 Photos courtesy of Jeanne Jackson

Taken on January 12, 2024 at the end of the king tide.Photo by Bonny Dunn, BonnyDunn.com reprinted with permission.

A beautiful photo of our favorite river, taken on the afternoon of January 3, 2024 by Chris Braley. Thanks to Chris Braley for this inspiring image.

After the storm on December 27, 2023, the Gualala River was running high and fast. The Pacific Ocean was roiled up with huge breakers and the river was full from the rains. Here’s a video of the action. See if you can spot the River Otter swimming in the raging river! Here’s what it looked like on Thursday morning, December …

Gualala River estuary, Dec. 20, 2023 Gualala River estuary – muddy water after ~6 inches of rain, Dec. 20, 2023 Gualala River breaches the barrier beach, Dec. 20, 2023 Gualala River flows to the sea, Dec. 20, 2023 Photos courtesy of Jeanne Jackson

Spring at the Gualala River lagoonPhoto by Craig Tooley, reprinted with permission.

March 8, 2023, before the atmospheric river: Mouth of the Gualala River on March 8, 2023, before the atmospheric river March 10, 2023, after the atmospheric river: Mouth of the Gualala River on March 10, 2023, after the atmospheric river Mouth of the Gualala River on March 10, 2023, after the atmospheric river

River mouth opened on Saturday, February 25, 2023. Photo by Rebecca Williams; reprinted with permission.

Gualala River mouth, with Bald Eagles on the right side. Jan. 30, 2023. Photo by Rick Denniston. Here’s a close-up of the mated pair of Bald Eagles on the sand spit > close-up of the mated pair of Bald Eagles on the sand spit

Photo of the mouth of the Gualala River on January 5, 2023. At that moment, the sand spit appeared to be the loser! Mouth of the Gualala River on January 5, 2023

The mouth of the Gualala River opened today, April 15, 2022, after several inches of rain. Note the bald eagle standing on the beach watching the river flow into the ocean, taking steelhead out to sea. Gualala River mouth opens, bald eagle stands watching; photo by Rozanne Rapozo Gualala River mouth opens, bald eagle stands watching; photo by Rozanne Rapozo

Adult Steelhead in the Gualala River lagoon, April, 2022. Photo by Rozanne Rapozo “There was a school of about 5-6 but my lens was too long to get them all in one photograph! No wind that day made for calm (and very clear) water.” – Rozanne Rapozo School of Steelhead in the Gualala River lagoon, April, 2022. Photo by Chris …

Floater freshwater mussel A live freshwater mussel was spotted in the Gualala River this month (March, 2022). Their shells have been seen in the river in some years, but only occasionally. This time a live one was found with its foot out, stranded in a pool off-channel. It’s a floater mussel, genus Anodonta. Species in flux right now – named …

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 …

  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 …

  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 …

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!              

  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.    

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 …