Sightings

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

  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 …