Friends of Gualala River Protecting the Gualala River watershed and the species living within it
Introduction to Friends of Gualala River’s Annual Newsletter 2024
Winter arrived November 20th with an atmospheric river that swept over the coast, bringing record rainfalls to the Mendonoma area. Overnight, the airborne river fell across our watershed, swelling the Gualala, sending huge logs hurtling down the chocolate-colored waters.
At the coast the mouth of the lagoon—closed since last June— burst open and the lagoon was transformed once again into the estuary, with its ebb and flow of salty tides. Somewhere beneath the river’s rush, young steelhead moved out into the ocean to begin the sea-going part of their life cycle. And maybe, just maybe, a few adult coho salmon entered the estuary in their quest to spawn in their natal stream.
While it’s impossible to ignore this late seasonal spectacle of water around us, Friends of Gualala River has had its eye on our river water all year long. We have engaged in a number of different programs to address water quality, water flows, and the fate of stormwater that flows into our estuary. And, we are enlisting the help of talented local volunteers and a paid staff person to accomplish our goals.
Read on to learn how FoGR continues its 30-year quest to protect the Gualala River and the natural resources of the entire watershed. But first a message from the President of our Board about our organization and the values we espouse.
