The Eel River , California

AQUATIC RESOURCE SPECIALISTS

The Eel River , California

WATER FLOWS:

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LOW SUMMER FLOWS, SOUTH FORK EEL RIVER, AUGUST 2006.

CLICK HERE for Link to Eel River Realtime Water Flows Database for Gauge at SCOTIA

CLICK HERE for a Link to Database of Realtime Water Flows for the South Fork Eel River at MIRANDA

CLICK HERE for LINK to Realtime Water Flows Database for South Fork Eel River at LEGGETT

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TURBIDITY MONITORING STATIONs 4, 5 & 6, CONFUSION HILL PROJECT.

CLICK HERE for a Realtime Database of Eel River Water Flows at FERNBRIDGE, FERNDALE

Click HERE for US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER FLOW DATA FOR VARIOUS EEL RIVER GAUGES

South Fork Eel River Issues:

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Decreased Summer Flows

Increased Summer Temperatures & Erosion Points

Summer Fish Isolation & Stranding

Sedimentation Sources

Decrease in Riparian Native Cover Vegetation

Non-Native Fish Predators:

Moyle (2002) reports that the Sacramento pikeminnow was introduced to the Eel River Basin in the 1970's. Now it is a predator on young trout & salmon juveniles in the river system. Bullfrog has been verified in the S. Fork Eel in August 2006 by ARS Biologist Bradford Norman.

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SACRAMENTO PIKEMINNOW, INTRODUCED SALMONID PREDATOR, S. FK. EEL RIVER , 11 AUG. 2006.

EEL RIVER News & Issues :

Pollution Report: The Times-Standard of Eureka, CA reported, in its Wednesday, 7 June 2006 Issue (not AP), from Fortuna, that "Stuff in storm drain ends up polluting (Eel) River". (page B4 : Upper Left-Hand Corner page ).

Jessie Faulkner, employed by the Times-Standard, reports that:

1) Angie Wood is the City Compliance Coordinator for that area;

2) Wood wants to reduce litter input to the Eel River drainage system;

Review: An excellent review of the reasons sediment during a short-term project can negatively affect a construction project.

Fish Stranding. On June 7-8, 2006, ARS Fisheries Biologist Carl Page conducted a survey of the South Fork Eel River at the 2006 Confusion Hill Bridge Reconstruction Project Area and found on-going fish stranding with fish of various species being concentrated in isolated side channel pools and becoming vulnerable to increased rates of garter snake predation and competion with native sympatric foothills yellow-legged frog populations. Both Suckers and salmonids were among the fish. This process is of a seasonal nature there and not associated with or a result of any construction work. Construction work at the project site did not commence until mid-July 2006. Such stranding incidents are the result of decreased summer flows.

Habitat Degradation. On-going logging in the watershed has degraded habitat for salmonids in the Eel River Basin over historic times. Sediments from ill-maintained road systems throughout the basin are a major source of concern and habitat degradation. Low water flows compared with historical flows result in increased water temperatures which causes decreased Dissolved Oxygen levels and potential for the water to hold oxygen, which in turn stresses native salmonid fish and decreases summer survival rates for fish.

Recent Articles.

General:

Pollution:

Sedimentation:

Fisheries:

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TRESTLE WORK ON THE NORTH SIDE CONFUSION HILL PROJECT AREA.

Confusion Hill Project. July through October 2006. ARS Consulting, as sub-contractors to IBIS Environmental & URS, will be providing Biological Monitors to this CALTRANS Project for the Summer of 2006. Carl Page has been involved in the field monitoring there since late June. He has determined that the immediate construction area contains a variety of fish & vertebrate species during the summer. Bradford Norman began work there in mid-August. The Species List is now:

Table 1. Vertebrate Species observed during July -August biological monitoring at the Confusion Hill Project, 2006:

Sacrameno Pikeminnow;

California roach;

Steelhead trout, Oncorhyncus mykiss;

Threespine Stickleback;

Western Aquatic garter snake, Thamnophis atratus;

Sagebrush Lizard, Sceloporus graciosus;

Western fence lizard, Sceloporus occidentalis;

Gopher Snake, Pituophis catenifer;

Unidentified Alligator Lizard, Elgaria sp.;

Common garter snake (California red-sided), Thamnophis sirtalis infernalis;

Rubber boa, Charina bottae;

Western pond turtle, Actinemys marmorata;

Ringneck snake, Diadophis punctatus;

Western rattlesnake, Crotalus viridus;

Foothills yellow-legged frog, Rana boylii;

Pacific Coast newt , Taricha sp.

American Bullfrog, Rana catesbeiana;

Stellar's Jay;

Scrub Jay;

Common Raven;

Acorn Woodpecker;

Junco;

Western Gull;

American Dipper;

Turkey Vulture;

Swallows;

Common Merganser;

Killdeer;

Osprey;

California Quail;

Hummingbirds;

Mallard;

Great Egret;

Great Blue Heron;

Lesser (?) yellow-legs;

Pied-billed Grebe;

River Otter, (Sightings & Scat);

Woodrat, (Nest of sticks only);

White-tailed Deer, (Road kill, bones & tracks);

Human beings (working).

This list represents ARS Biologists' sightings only over the Summer 2006 Monitoring Period from July - October 2006 .

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SOUTH FORK EEL RIVER SUMMER TEMPERATURES.

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RED MOUNTAIN CREEK SUMMER TEMPERATURES.

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NORTH SIDE GRAVEL BAR WORK OCTOBER 2006.

UPSTREAM BLAST-MONITORING POOL, MAINSTEM SOUTH FORK EEL RIVER.

SOUTH SIDE PROJECT AREA; START OF TRESTLE WORK.

NORTH SIDE: TUNNEL BLAST AREA.

pH TESTS CONFUSION HILL PROJECT, NORTH SIDE

BUTTERFLY ON SEDIMENT CONTROL BAIL, NORTH SIDE.

SOUTH SIDE PROJECTAREA: WET CROSSING ZONE, FROM SLIDE

SOUTH SIDE CROSS ZONE - FIRST CROSS

TRESTLE STEEL BENT LIFT, NORTH SIDE.

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http://www.arsconsulting.org

Contact Us: arsconsulting@aol.com
Address: 12580 North Highway 101, Smith River, California 95567.
Phone: CARL PAGE:   Field Cell: (707) 328-2022.
            BRADFORD NORMAN: Office: (707) 465-0818;
               Field Cell: (707) 328-2785.