Gualala River Estuary Habitat Enhancement Planning Project

The goals of the Project are to 1) provide stakeholders an understanding of opportunities and approaches for improving habitat for salmonids in the Gualala River Estuary and 2) to ready an enhancement project for implementation. The objectives include preparing a Habitat Enhancement Plan for the entire estuary, performing assessments and analyses to inform site designs, preparing construction (100%) plans and specs for a phase 1 project, and determining an environmental permitting strategy with the pathways available.

The expected benefits of this planning Project, in the long-term, will be improved rearing habitat and migratory conditions in the Gualala River estuary for Northern California steelhead and Central California Coast coho. The Enhancement Plan and Designs will provide a roadmap to create more complex in-channel and off-channel conditions. Habitats will include engineered log jams to create deep pools, vegetated gravel bars, and complex shelter, as well as alcoves and wetlands.