That’s a Wrap: SYRCL’s 2024 River Ambassadors

In collaboration with California State Parks, SYRCL’s River Ambassadors program was established to ensure the South Yuba River remains clean, vibrant, and safe for everyone. Now in its thirteenth season, the program continues to make a significant impact by being a front-line source for safety education and stewardship throughout the “river season”.

Stationed on weekends from 10:00 to 2:00, primarily at Bridgeport and Highway 49 Crossings, with the occasional foray to Purdon and Edwards, SYRCL’s River Captains, Russell Stabler, Dustin Dargus, Alana Lucia, and Niyana Ferntree, were joined by 23 volunteers from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Throughout the summer, this dedicated team promoted an ethic of responsible, non-polluting use of the river by speaking one-on-one with visitors at crossings, beaches, and on trails. Using a friendly, non-confrontational approach, River Ambassadors educated folks about the polluting impacts of trash and dog waste, the dangers of broken glass, and the catastrophic potential of wildfire.

River Ambassadors fielded many questions about local trails and where it would be safe to swim, indicating that the Stay Out, Stay Alive messaging was getting heard. 

The majority of first-time visitors reported that they heard about the Yuba River via social media, specifically TikTok and Instagram, or through word of mouth.

Illegal Parking continued to be an issue throughout the summer, including cars parked on tall dry grass which is a potential fire hazard. Law enforcement was out in force this summer, issuing tickets at all the crossings. 

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2024 River Ambassador At-a-Glance Final Statistics 

Total People Encountered: 34,980 

• Total Interactions: 6,597 

• Total Out-of-Town Visitors: 4,426 

• First Time Visitors: 882 

• Sacramento Area Visitors: 1,051 

• Bay Area Visitors: 2,284 

• Spanish Speaking Interactions: 610 

Trash Collected: 6,971 

• Cigarette Butts Removed: 1,009 

Dogs Encountered: 1,661 

• Piles of Dog Waste Removed: 431 

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From locals to out-of-town visitors, everyone has an impact on the river. Most who visit recreate with intention, valuing the fragility of the ecosystem, packing out what they have packed in, cleaning up after their dogs, and being fire safety conscious. Unfortunately, either through carelessness or ignorance, not everyone is so respectful.

By the end of “river season,” the Yuba needs a little help from the community that loves it.

On September 28, 2024, SYRCL staff and hundreds of volunteers participate in the Annual Yuba River Cleanup. Each September since 1997, as part of a larger cleanup effort called California Coastal Cleanup Day and now aligned with National Public Lands Day, SYRCL has organized an annual Yuba River Cleanup event uniting the community to remove the trash that sadly builds up throughout the Yuba River watershed each year.