Clinging to the Oregon border, the pristine Smith River is the only major un-damned river in California. Fortunately, most of the watershed, home to coastal cutthroats, salmon and steelhead, is protected by the Smith River National Recreation Area - over 300,000 acres of diverse habitat that supports 300 species of wildlife and seven distinct plant communities. Head south and you'll find the Eel River -- once the largest producer of salmon in the state and the second largest producer of steelhead. In the early 1900's fishing was a multi-million dollar industry and canneries along the river harvested hundreds of thousands of fish annually. Unfortunately, agricultural diversions and silting from unsound logging practices have all but wiped out both species. In 2003, 329 Chinook and 101 steelhead were counted. Still futher south is the Trinity River, whose basin captures over one million acre-feet of water annually. Since being dammed in the early 60's, however, up to 90 percent of the river's flow has been diverted to farmers in the Westland's Water District and Central Valley. CalTrout has had a presence in the area since 1992 and, working with our conservation partners like the Smith River Alliance and Friends of the Trinity, we've achieved lasting victories. Recently, we helped secure a state Endangered Species listing for the Smith's coho salmon population. The listing will mean not only increased protection for coho but for the coastal cutthroats and steelhead that share the river. For more information see some of our ongoing projects below. North Coast Area Manager:
Special Projects: |
The northern third of the California coast is home to some of the most important watersheds in the state.