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Goose Creek, Smith River National Recreation Area
Del Norte County, California
One of Western Rivers Conservancy's top priorities is the Smith River on California's north coast, which may be the finest river ecosystem in that state. California's only major undammed river, the Smith's clear, cold waters flow through redwood and Douglas fir forests, supporting the state's healthiest wild runs of chinook salmon, steelhead and coastal cutthroat trout.
Western Rivers Conservancy has launched an initiative to protect the Smith's largest tributary, Goose Creek, which supplies the Smith with cold, clean water even in times of drought. In WRC's largest project to date, we will purchase 9,500 acres from Green Diamond Resource Company (formerly Simpson), conserving 13 miles of river frontage and the vast majority of the Goose Creek Watershed.
Upon completion of the project, the land will be permanently preserved and managed as part of the Smith River National Recreation Area. The land acquisition is occurring over three years at a cost of $6 million. In November 2005, WRC purchased and conveyed 3,518 acres - over one-third of the project lands. In partnership with the Smith River Alliance and California Trout, WRC has secured $3.1 million in appropriations from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) for Goose Creek in FY05 and FY06. The Forest Service used the FY06 portion of this LWCF funding to purchase 1,582 acres of the phase two lands from WRC in February 2006. We continue to seek funding to complete the acquisition.
Goose Creek is a haven, not only for wild salmon and steelhead but also for native trout and endangered aquatic species. Protection of the Goose Creek watershed will secure the future of California's finest wild river ecosystem.
Our work on Goose Creek is funded by grants from the Compton Foundation, Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund, Heller Charitable and Educational Fund, Norcross Wildlife Foundation, Page Foundation, Resources Legacy Fund Foundation, Weeden Foundation and Wildlife Forever (MN).