December 2nd is Giving Tuesday!
Giving Tuesday is a global generosity movement unleashing the power of radical generosity. Every year, Friends of the Eel River joins in this movement to encourage people like you to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.
Please consider giving by donating, volunteering, or sharing:
- Donate today or amplify your impact with a monthly donation.
- Sign up for our volunteer email list and get involved in our work!
- Share your love of the Eel River with friends and family by gifting salmon merchandise.
We are so grateful for the spectrum of support our community continues to heap onto this small but mighty organization. You all speak up at community forums and public meetings, get your feet wet counting fish and measuring river flows, alert us to problematic policy developments or opportunities for new partnerships, and of course give generous donations that allow us to focus on what is best for the Eel and its wild fish. In these concerning political times, your support also reminds us that we are not alone. Thank you.
This year there were several significant steps toward Eel River dam removal. PG&E released both draft and final versions of their License Surrender Application. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has just opened the comment period on this document. File comments by December 1st at 2pm PST using the instructions at this link: https://bit.ly/LSA-comment
Friends of the Eel River also added a new staff position this year! We welcomed Julie Weeder, former recovery coordinator with the National Marine Fisheries Service, onto our staff as a Program Manager. Julie is helping us with water quality and flow projects and developing a new restoration program.
Also this year we saw some big changes with the Great Redwood Trail project. This rail-to-trail/restoration project is our best chance to clean up the toxic pollution, dangerous debris, and other impacts left by a century of irresponsible railroad operations. However, we continue to have concerns about how this project will protect cultural resources throughout the Eel River Canyon. The CEQA exemption for the GRTA passed by the California Legislature over the summer has only amplified our concerns. We continue working with the Great Redwood Trail Agency and a variety of allies including Indigenous groups and Tribes.
Finally, we spent much of the spring preparing for our public trust groundwater case to go to trial in early August. Unfortunately, the judge has ruled against our claims that Humboldt County failed in its duty to consider the impacts of unregulated groundwater extraction on public trust values of surface flows and the salmon they support in the lower Eel River. Environmental claims often lose at lower courts in rural districts; we still believe in the validity of our claims and are considering our next steps.
Despite the difficulty of the court loss, coupled with the unrelenting barrage of federal attacks on bedrock environmental laws and the agencies whose research informs much of our work, we are excited about what is coming in 2026.
In 2026 we will launch the Eel River Native Plant Network! Our goal is to increase regional capacity to produce native plants serving restoration projects throughout the Eel watershed. This multi-benefit project will help grow Tribal capacity to lead restoration work in the Eel watershed, offer workforce development to rural underserved communities, and facilitate coordination among many stakeholders to share resources and collaborate on native plant projects. If you’re involved in restoration work, native plant nurseries, Tribal natural resource management, or are just a huge plant nerd, contact us to ensure you’re on our list of participants.
Also coming up next year is our opportunity to delve into greater detail on exactly how the Eel River dams will be removed, and how we will ensure that short-term impacts from this massive restoration project are mitigated. If you’re interested in learning more, be sure to sign up for our monthly newsletter so you can stay in the loop.
We’re also making plans for other new programs next year, including assessing pollution in coho-bearing streams and reducing sediment throughout the watershed. Our entire team is engaged preparing to expand the scope of the work we do to protect and recover the Eel River.
Did you know that your donations can serve particular projects? Most donations are considered unrestricted and allow us flexibility to use those funds where ever they are needed most. However, if you have a specific interest, you can request that your donation be used for a particular project like the Native Plant Network, Eel River Dam Removal, Water Quality Projects, or other specific programs.
Finally, we want to share the joy we’ve experienced connecting with our community this past year. Whether at festivals and community events, protests and public meetings, stewardship events, or presentations, we’re so grateful to be a part of a caring and connected community.
For the fish,
Alicia Hamann
Executive Director