The Eel River once flowed unobstructed from its headwaters in Mendocino County to the Pacific Ocean, supporting the third largest salmon and steelhead runs in California. Over a million fish historically spawned each year within the Eel River watershed (Source: Yoshiyama & Moyle, 2010). All that has changed over the past century, with the effects … Read more
Friends of the Eel River Notifies Humboldt County of Intent to Sue Conservation group demands Humboldt County protect fisheries and other public trust values in the lower Eel River Friends of the Eel River, a Eureka-based citizens’ group dedicated to protecting and restoring Eel River fisheries, has sent a formal letter to Humboldt County demanding … Read more
Letter to the Editor: The Ukiah Daily Journal April 2, 2022 To the Editor – The Eel River’s embattled salmon and steelhead may have no better enemy than Guinness McFadden. In his March 25 letter to the Ukiah Daily Journal, the Potter Valley wine grape grower kicks up a fuss about Representative Jared Huffman’s efforts … Read more
In this week’s edition of the EcoNews Report, Friends of the Eel River discuss developments in the thrilling drama of Eel River dam removal. It’s a story of injustice and opportunity— a 100-year-old water diversion that takes from one watershed to give to another, and the chance to correct the harms by returning salmon and … Read more
December 9, 2021 Re: Support for Cutting the Green Tape Grant Proposal To Whom It May Concern: Friends of the Eel River supports the Cutting the Green Tape grant proposal by California Trout, the University of California Berkeley, and the Wiyot Tribe to evaluate and test a fish weir in the South Fork Eel River. … Read more
December 8, 2021 Humboldt County Planning Department 3015 H Street Eureka, CA 95501 Submitted via email to planningclerk@co.humboldt.ca.us Re: Friends of the Eel River Support for Proposed Marshall Ranch Streamflow Enhancement Project Dear Planning Commissioners, Friends of the Eel River advocates for the protection and recovery of native fisheries in the Eel River watershed. Redwood … Read more
For immediate release Tuesday, August 17, 2021 For more information: Alicia Hamann, Executive Director, alicia(at)eelriver.org Grant Funds Now Available through Humboldt County Cannabis Mitigation Program Friends of the Eel River (FOER) are pleased the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors has approved the Cannabis Mitigation and Remediation Grant Program. This program to fund sediment reduction projects … Read more
On Feb 26, 2021 Friends of the Eel River filed documents with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) challenging a Commission order of Jan 28, 2021 for violations of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) at Cape Horn Dam, a component of PG&E’s Potter Valley Project. FERC’s order approved a Winter Operations Plan for a newly installed … Read more
By Scott Greacen, FOER Conservation Director Over the last few years, Friends of the Eel River has been calling particular attention to summer steelhead in the Eel River. These extraordinary fish certainly deserve the spotlight. What makes their fascinating story of summer steelhead urgent today is the peril they face. If current trends continue, these … Read more
Recent scientific discoveries have validated the ancient knowledge that summer-run steelhead and spring chinook salmon are truly distinct from their winter- and fall-run cousins. The Karuk Tribe has filed a petition to list Klamath spring chinook, while FOER has petitioned to list Northern California summer steelhead, as distinct under the federal Endangered Species Act. FOER … Read more