By Mariah Chastain:
Leo T. Cronin Fish Viewing Area
On November 15th, 2019 our class joined Sarah Phillips, Erik Young and Teddy Handford to visit restoration projects in Napa County. Lagunitas Creek Watershed is 103 square miles and is the largest Olema Creek tributary.
They gave us an overview of the Watershed and its importance. San Geronimo and Devil’s Gulch are the largest tributaries in Lagunitas Watershed that are undammed. Four species of salmon: Chinook (65), Pink (4), Chum (1), Coho (754) migrated last year up this stream. The Pink and Chum were very lost. Then there is Steelhead (Rainbow Trout) that do not always die after laying eggs, they do go to the ocean and will usually wait until much later (January) to come back. One local group, Central Coast Coho is listed under the Endangered Species act. This group is distinct because of genetics and has had separation form others that has adapted them to live here. Lagunitas supports about 20% of the Central California Coast wild Coho which is a large portion.
The four H’s: Harvest, Hatcheries, Hydro, Habitat are reasons in which the salmon are endangered. Logging, development and climate change affect this areas habitat for salmon. This area was logged heavily which increases sediments, turbidity, and water flow that negatively effect salmon habitat. Development increases runoff into stream and the leaks from septic systems. Climate change increases temperatures and changes historic range. Damns are a huge impact to this specific watershed because it has no fish passage and behind it lies 50% of the habitat. The lack of winter habitat is the number one limiting factor for Salmon in this watershed.
What can we do? We cannot remove the dams, so we need to focus on habitat improvements. We need to add large woody debris, potentially broaden the floodplain and improve riparian vegetation. It is important to work with the local community and private landowners to educate them about steps they can personally take to help the salmon.
© Mariah Chastain
First stop: The Salmon Protection and Watershed Network (SPAWN)
Preston Brown, the Director of Watershed Conservation, is part an organization called, Turtle Island Restoration network which is dedicated to protecting highly migratory endangered marine species. Turtle Island Restoration Network began in 1987, when a young biologist and wildlife activist Todd Steiner traveled to Nicaragua to learn more about a cutting-edge sea turtle conservation program that sought to engage local coastal communities in long-term preservation efforts to save sea turtles.
The local grassroots project he is in charge of is SPAWN which around 20 years old and is based specifically in this watershed. The work spans from small bank stabilization to larger scale floodplain restoration projects. This project was a second phase of a flood plain restoration project designed to address the limiting factor for Coho survival: winter habitat. This project also works with the National Park’s service (NPS) master plan. Location one was old vacation homes that NPS bought and allowed SPAWN to remove infrastructure and do restoration. They partnered with Handford ARC for the demolition and construction. The goal of the Lagunitas Creek Floodplain and Riparian Restoration Project is to re-create lost floodplains and native riparian forest for one of California’s most important populations of endangered coho salmon and threatened steelhead trout, as part of an effort to reverse the decline of the species statewide. These actions will improve habitat for adult and juvenile Coho salmon, steelhead trout, California freshwater shrimp, California red-legged frog, and a myriad of other wildlife species.
At this location, they dug down ten feet to create this side-channel. To pinball the water down the channel they used large wood structure at the mouth and other structures to slow the velocity of water and add micro-habitats. Two interesting fact is that all of the tress and debris are from the location and the use of biodegradable coconut mats for erosion with hydroseed to kick-start the plants. In addition, they did an experimental willow structures to help increase the freshwater shrimp. This project was finished 5 weeks ago.
© Mariah Chastain
Second stop: Spawn Headquarters/ Phase one
Down the road we went to the SPAWN headquarters and location of the first phase of restoration. This site, 1,200 foot stretch of creek, is larger and is 5 channel network that is seasonal. 10,000 yards of material was moved to sites in Sonoma and Petaluma. He showed us previous pictures of the site from last winter in February. This spring and summer the riparian vegetation grew significantly to what it was then. Last year, this flowed for 20 consecutive days which is remarkable in a coastal flash watershed. They are hoping to do some pit-tag array of Salmon in the future.
© Mariah Chastain
Lunch Break and Q&A
We did a Q&A at the lunch break with Eric, Erik, Sarah and Teddy. Here, we met Eric Ettlinger who is the aquatic ecologist for Marin Municipal Water District. He explained what the Water District does and reasons for their policy and dams.
Third stop: Devils Gulch
After lunch we walked down to the bridge to view an area where Erik and his organization did a habitat restoration project. They added significant woody debris to slow the velocity of water down and created areas for fish to hide from predators. This woody debris also helps increase aquatic invertebrates. Further down the path Eric showed us past ribbon “flags” that show where redds were seen in past years. Walking through this area aspen leaves fell and we found so many fungi.
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