Salt River Restoration Project Map
Salt River Ecosystem Restoration Project
In the late 1800’s the Salt River that winds through the Eel River basin near Ferndale was a functioning river and large enough to accommodate small ocean steamers. At Port Kenyon, the Salt was approximately 200 feet wide and 15 feet deep. Now you can almost jump over it.
Over time fine sediments have eroded from the surrounding Wildcat Hills into the tributaries and deposited in the Salt River channel. Vegetation has sprouted up in the channel; trapping more sediment, blocking fish passage and increasing flooding on the surrounding agricultural lands, roads, and residences.
The Salt River Ecosystem Restoration Project proposes an ecosystem-wide, watershed scale approach to address the range of complex land management and ecological issues that have led to reduced agricultural productivity and ecological decline. The project represents a large public-private partnership as most of the restoration activities will occur on privately owned and actively managed agricultural land. Multiple public and private agencies have committed substantial financial and professional support to achieve the vision of restoring hydrologic processes and functions to the Salt River watershed.
Read the Salt River Adaptive Management Plan here.
The project is comprised of four main components: 1) restoration of the Salt River channel and riparian floodplain, 2) tidal marsh restoration at Riverside Ranch, 3) sediment management in the channel and riparian floodplain, and 4) upslope sediment reduction actions.
View more details on the project map.
View the Project Timeline here.
For a more detailed explanation of Phase 2 of this project go to RCD Board Presentation Phase 2 90% Plans
salt river watershed 