What is SYRCL’s vision for the Lower Yuba River?

SYRCL envisions a Lower Yuba River with restored natural habitats, abundant salmon and wildlife populations, rich and celebrated human encounters, stable resource based economies, and collaborative management with broad involvement by stakeholders.

The Lower Yuba River is the mainstem of the Yuba River watershed and an important tributary of the Sacramento River (via the Feather River), but it is also much more. The Lower Yuba River contains tremendously valuable natural resources, presents unique opportunities for habitat restoration, and is home to residents and businesses.

SYRCL’s vision for the Lower Yuba River has been shaped by a decade of direct involvement in the local area and management issues, including through more than 40 stakeholder interviews conducted in 2007 by the Center for Collaborative Policy at CSUS and presented in the Lower Yuba Stakeholder Assessment Report. The full report is available at www.yubariver.org/content/watershed-assessment.

How does the Salmon Rehabilitation Program support your vision?

As documented in the report discussed above, the strength and resiliency of salmon and steelhead populations are a primary concern for most stakeholders of the Lower Yuba River. The Salmon Rehabilitation Program involves partnership with private and government entities to focus on specific actions to restore salmonid habitat impacted by human activities over the past 150 years. Enhancement of salmonid populations through direct rehabilitation has never been accomplished. The primary goal of the program is to initiate and succeed in salmon rehabilitation. Secondary goals include enhanced wildlife populations and stronger partnerships for locally driven approaches to natural resource management and sustainable economies.

What is the status of the salmonid populations on the Yuba River?

Spring-run Chinook and Steelhead Trout of the entire Central Valley are listed under the Endangered Species Act as “Threatened” with extinction. Fall-run Chinook salmon are a candidate species for listing, and a substantial reduction in abundance of these salmon in recent years has necessitated a complete “no-take” in-river fishery for salmon.

Among Central Valley Rivers, the Yuba is uniquely valuable for the persistence of all three runs without the direct support of a hatchery. Wild spawning salmon and steelhead in the Yuba River are protected in part by flow schedules currently prescribed by the Yuba Accord. The estimated spawning population of Fall-run Chinook salmon in the Yuba River averaged 15,000 over recent decades, but ranges from 2600 to 6000 over the last three years. The best estimates of “spring-run” Chinook salmon population size are total counts in the Daguerre Point Dam fish ladders in the March-June period. Those annual totals have been less than 300 in each of the last three years. No reliable estimates of population size exist for adult steelhead, but preliminary data from the fish ladders (steelhead are not so easily detected as salmon) and special angler surveys suggest that the number of truly anadromous adult steelhead in the Yuba River may not be more than a few hundred per year.

How will the Salmon Rehabilitation Program improve the status of salmonid populations in the Yuba River?

The rehabilitation program will restore some of the habitats which enable juvenile salmonids to extend their in-river rearing, and grow to greater size before migrating to the ocean. Larger and more diverse smolts (by timing and size) will result in higher raters of ocean survival and greater resiliency of the population to environmental change. Compared to fall-run salmon, spring-run salmon and steelhead juveniles are more dependent on extended in-river rearing. Some of the physical projects to result from the program, such as side-channels, will also provide additional spawning and holding habitat for adult salmonids.

The legacy of hydraulic and dredger mining is still evident on the Lower Yuba River where, for more than half of its length, dredger piles confine the river to an unnaturally narrow channel. The consequences of these unnatural conditions include reduced floodplain capacity, limited riparian habitat, and reduced amount of side-channel or off-channel rearing habitat. In addition, Englebright dam blocks the delivery of course sediment and large wood, two processes that create and maintain habitat complexity and diversity. While the habitat rehabilitation project can not “restore” the river of these impacts, it will rehabilitate sections of the river by working with current physical and biological processes to create and maintain more of the kind of habitat that is limiting salmon and steelhead populations

What is the current status of the Rehabilitation Program and projects (November 2009)?

Note about Program Vs Projects: Actual projects of physical rehabilitation will result from the first phase (assessments and planning) of this program. The word project is, however, used interchangeably with program when discussing funded plans or partnerships of agreement.

The Rehabilitation Program is currently focused on 3.5 miles of river from the Hwy 20 Parks Bar Bridge to Hammon Bar (Figure 1), and inclusive of a 180 acre proposed conservation easement (see next question). Initial phases of the program involve thorough assessment of conditions and processes in the river that may inform which types of rehabilitation projects and which specific locations are most likely to have beneficial and long-lasting results. Our work plan includes specific tasks within each of the following categories of assessment: geomorphic, hydrologic, hydraulic, riparian, and fish habitat use. These assessments are ongoing and will be summarized in a report for stakeholder review in early 2010. Based on stakeholder input, funding and permitting feasibility, SYRCL plans to move ahead with the permitting and preliminary implementation of a pilot project later in the year. Actual construction is not likely to occur before 2012.

Figure 1: Map of Lower Yuba Rehabilitation Program Study Reach with proposed conservation easement bordered in red/white dotted line, Western Aggregates land within yellow/black dashed line, and land managed by the Bureau of Land Management (including Hammon Bar) within blue/white line.

Who is funding this project?

The primary funder of the project is the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Anadromous Fish Restoration Program which has committed $165,000 to assessments and project design and permitting. This federal program is interested in providing more funding to support actual project implementation. Private matching funds have come from two sources: a $25,000 grant from the Bella Vista Foundation and $25,000 from Western Aggregates LLC (Western). Western has pledged an additional match amount for the later stages of project design, permitting and implementation. Over 60% of the current funding is being used to contract two firms with outstanding credentials in river restoration. Individuals with these firms have also provided substantial pro-bono services. The remainder of program funds support part of SYRCL’s role in technical assessments, outreach, reporting and project management.

Who owns the land in the project area?

The 180-acres of land will be dedicated to the conservation easement is entirely owned by Western Aggregates. This easement is on the south bank of the river from the Hwy 20 Parks Bar Bridge to a small parcel below Silica Bar 3 miles downstream (see Figure 1 above). For the purposes of developing rehabilitation project concepts, SYRCL is investigating conditions and opportunities over a 3.5 miles section of river from Parks Bar to the downstream end of a federal parcel at Hammon Bar. Potential projects in the conservation easement have the explicit support of Western. Potential projects involving the north bank or federal parcels on the downstream end of the south bank may not be feasible from the standpoint of land ownership.

Who else has is managing this project, and do they have other agendas?

SYRCL is the sole manager of the project funded by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as the overall program of Salmon Rehabilitation. The conservation easement is a critical part of the program and involves partnership with two other entities: Western Aggregates and Yuba Outdoor Adventures. SYRCL was invited to join this partnership as the leader of a program to develop and implement habitat rehabilitation projects. Western Aggregates is also interested in limiting the liability associated with activities of people who may access the river or trespass on their land with motorized vehicles. YOA is interested and qualified to construct fences and manage access.

How and when did the partnership between SYRCL, Western Aggregates and YOA begin?

In 2007 SYRCL learned that Western was contemplating the construction of a 3-mile long, wire mesh fence between Hammonton Rd. (a county road) and their property to prevent trespassing and promote riverfront protection. We attended a meeting with them and YOA (who Western was considering for building of a fence). Western brought to the table a plan to have SYRCL oversee habitat improvement in a potential conservation easement north of the proposed fence.

How will public access to the Lower Yuba be enhanced and/or impacted?

Legal public access to the Lower Yuba River is limited to public road easements and a few parcels of federal, state and/or county land. Some private land owners have been lenient about trespassing, and others have managed access through membership clubs. SYRCL is committed to maintaining public access to the river where legal and environmentally sustainable. While SYRCL can not prevent Western Aggregates or other private entities from legally restricting access, direct and early involvement in planning of new projects will help maximize public benefits by allowing public pedestrian access to the Yuba River that does not interfere with active restoration areas and potentially enhancing such access through well-designed parking, trails and signage. To date, SYRCL’s involvement has produced Western’s understanding that public pedestrian access to the Yuba River will be allowed.

What is SYRCL’s track record regarding public access on the Lower Yuba River?

Nearly 10 years ago, SYRCL supported the successful effort by the Yuba Goldfields Access Coalition to open Hammonton Rd. to the public. The road was opened in 2002.

• In 2006 SYRCL aggressively negotiated on behalf of anglers who felt their rights of public access were being denied by YOA.
• More recently, SYRCL discouraged a No Climb™ fence along a portion of Hammonton Rd. With Western’s assent; YOA now plans to construct a single cable and post vehicle barrier in its place.
• In 2008, SYRCL lobbied for unlimited public access to the river. In the process Western not only agreed to have public access managed, but also to place their property in a legally binding conservation easement that would allow the public to share their land through pedestrian access.

What is the purpose of fencing portions of the Conservation Easement project area?

The land to be included in conservation easement is private property owned by Western. There have been numerous incidents of vehicular trespassing, theft of private property and dumping of trash in this area, and the vehicular traffic has been detrimental to habitat for salmon and wildlife. Similar problems recently caused the BLM to close a portion of the federal land adjoining the conservation easement to public vehicular access. Fencing will be used, as necessary, to protect the conservation easement from destruction and theft of private property by motorized vehicles. Additional fencing may be constructed by Western as the prerogative of the land owner.

When will fencing be installed, and where will it be?

Current plans call for fencing to be constructed in late 2010 or early 2011. Stakeholder review of proposed rehabilitation projects with specific locations, rehabilitation techniques and objectives, and suggested protective measures is scheduled to occur in early 2010. We anticipate posting a separate report on the SYRCL website, subsequent to the rehabilitation concept report and prior to any fencing construction, that will provide the specific schedule and locations for fencing, along with rehabilitation activities. SYRCL will work diligently to meet this schedule and allow sufficient review. However, the conservation easement is on private land, and Western has the right to protect its property without delays or constraints associated with SYRCL’s contractual demands or collaborative processes. As noted earlier, Western plans to allow pedestrian access to the Yuba River through the conservation easement.

What is SYRCL’s position regarding angler use of the lower Yuba?

SYRCL recognizes that many anglers are outstanding stewards of fish and other river resources. Examples of this stewardship include exceptional service of anglers to the Great Yuba Cleanup and notifications to CalTip or the local warden as well as self-policing of poachers. While recognizing that excess take can be a detriment to sensitive fish species, SYRCL is not currently engaged in scientific processes concerning the appropriate level of fishing restrictions on the Yuba River. As stated above, SYRCL will not be part of any project that denies access to the river on public lands and public right of ways; conversely, SYRCL will not infringe upon private property rights.

I’m a boater who likes to put in my kayak or raft on the north bank of the Parks Bar Bridge. How will this project impact me?

There are no parcels on the north side of the Yuba River under consideration in this project. This popular and easy launch point for kayaks and rafts will not be affected by this project.

I like to park along Hammonton Road and walk along the gravel bars to my favorite fishing spots. Will this project restrict my access?

No. In fact this activity, which—depending on your specific location—is a likely trespass on private property today, would become an allowed activity under the terms of the conservation easement. Western and YOA also anticipate creating safer parking spaces on Western land in the shoulder off the road. While vehicle and off-road vehicle access to private lands and sensitive habitats will be curtailed, Western will permit public access to the Yuba River.

Your project sounds like it will secure public pedestrian access on the lower Yuba, while bringing significant investment into the recovery of fish and wildlife species on the Yuba. Why is my fishing club telling me this is a bad project for anglers?

That’s not for us to answer, but there may be two factors: First, this project consists of an unexpected partnership. SYRCL is working with groups that it has had disputes with in the past. Other individuals or groups with long histories in the Yuba Goldfields may also have or had differences with one or all three of the partners. Grudges can sometimes be long-held. Rather than clinging to past disagreements, all three parties to the project have found areas of common interest: manage vehicle impacts in riparian zones, expand public access for low-impact recreational opportunities on private lands, and rehabilitate highly altered gravel bars to support salmon and wildlife habitat along the Yuba River.

Second, SYRCL is a public-benefit organization. Similarly, many fishing clubs also provide a public benefit function. However, a small handful of people utilize the fishery of the lower Yuba for commercial gain. Their concern about a possible launch fee for their guide boats could be over-riding their concern for the fishery that sustains their business, as well as the ecology of river.

SYRCL staff have responded informally and in-person to several leaders of local and regional fishing clubs that have posed many of the questions herein. We’ve attempted to communicate the same responses that we’ve drafted here. We cannot explain why the responses in this Q&A may differ from those you’ve heard from bloggers and/or your colleagues in fishing clubs.