Western Rivers Conservancy (WRC) is thrilled to announce that the Riverside Ranch property is being conveyed to the California Department of Fish and Game Wildlife Conservation Board for permanent stewardship.

The 440-acre property, which WRC purchased in 2007, is prized for its location on the Salt River, a critical piece of the Eel River delta. Land acquisition will enable restoration of habitat for 30 fish species that use the estuary as a feeding, spawning and nursery area.

Historically, the Eel River was amongst the region’s strongest fisheries, and the property has been identified as one of the most restorable tidal marshlands in California. The former dairy farm will have levees and tide gates removed, allowing the tidal marshland to once again take over. Regular tidal washings will help to restore normal hydrological conditions along two miles of the Salt River frontage, preventing over-sedimentation that smothers habitat. The project will provide rearing habitat for coho and Chinook salmon, cutthroat trout and the endangered tidewater goby. Additionally, shorebirds and migratory waterfowl will benefit from renewed nesting habitat.

We eagerly await the restoration efforts ahead, in partnership with the California Department of Fish and Game, Humboldt County Resource Conservation District, California Coastal Conservancy, Ducks Unlimited, Wildlands Conservancy, Natural Resources Conservation Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Above: The mouth of the Eel River. Courtesy of Friends of the Eel River