Smith River Fish Count, a project of the Smith River Alliance

06/21/2021

Devil’s Punchbowl trail cleared!

04/11/2019

More Fish habitat!

April 10, 2019
Harris, Feinstein Propose New Protections for Over One Million Acres of Land in California and the Siskiyou Wilderness additions are included!

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kamala D. Harris (D-CA) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) on Wednesday introduced a package of legislation to restore and expand protections for California’s public lands. Together, the legislation proposes new public lands protections for more than 1 million acres of public lands, including nearly 600,000 acres of new wilderness and over 100,000 acres of new national monument. This legislation comes as the current administration continues its years-long campaign to undermine environmental protections and roll back rules protecting clean air and clean water.

“Under this administration, California’s beautiful public lands and its outdoor economy are under direct threat, and we must stand up against this active effort to chip away at vital environmental protections,” said Harris. “Restoring and expanding protections for our public lands means protecting Americans’ right to clean air and clean water and providing everybody the opportunity to explore and enjoy the outdoors.”
“California’s natural beauty – from mountain forests to tranquil deserts to coastal watersheds – has few rivals in the world, and we understand the value in protecting those iconic landscapes,” said Feinstein. “Our public lands package will protect more than 1 million acres of our state’s open spaces, bolster the surrounding economies and ensure Californians can continue to access and enjoy their public lands.”
The legislation would expand protections for public lands in key regions of Northern, Central, and Southern California. California boasts a $92 billion outdoor economy—the largest in the United States—that supports nearly 700,000 jobs.
“In California’s second district, we live among some of the most majestic public lands in the world,” said Rep. Huffman. “My legislation takes key steps to preserve these lands and manage them to their full potential, ensure fire resilience, support healthy wildlife, and grow the rural economy. With this bill, we are also engaging in a larger conversation on making our forests healthier, while ensuring that both ecosystems and rural economies are resilient. I’m grateful for Senator Harris for her dedication to our public lands and for spearheading this effort in the Senate.”

09/15/2018

Send in your resume by September 19th to be considered!!

WE HAVE A JOB OPENING AT ROCK CREEK RANCH!
SRA owns Rock Creek Ranch, a 175 acre property located in a spectacular setting on the South Fork Smith River about 20 miles east of Crescent City.

The ranch serves as a meeting-retreat destination and environmental education facility for children, youth and adults. The organization hosts the Summer Adult Fish Count and other events throughout the year. The facility supports SRA program activities and is available to groups when not in use for program activities. In addition to the ranch house and campground, there is an orchard and organic garden.

The Caretaker at Rock Creek Ranch plays a key role in managing and maintaining the facility.

To learn more please read the full announcement at http://smithriveralliance.org.

Contact [email protected]/

02/25/2018

02/02/2018

Mark your calendar for the 2018 Fish Count!

12/31/2017

A Rare Sight Indeed!

Presumably, this rogue egg washed downstream while the salmon female completed her redd during higher flows seven days earlier. Surprisingly, this egg had not been found by the two American Dippers combing their territory along and in the stream.

The Smith River Alliance has surveyed the Smith watershed salmonids and their habitat for many years - collecting important information for the advancement and implementation of priority restoration projects.

This rare find was shared with us by Jolyon Walkley, Project Biologist and Crew Leader, and we are grateful for this special observation in Mill Creek and for his dedication to science and the creatures that make the Smith wild.

07/19/2017

The Official Announcement!

Oregon EQC protects the North Fork Smith River in Oregon

Portland, OR—The five-member panel of the Oregon Environmental Quality Commission voted unanimously Thursday to designate the North Fork Smith River in southern Oregon as the first Outstanding Resource Water in the State of Oregon. The designation stems from a citizen petition to the commission in 2016.

The North Fork Smith River begins in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness in southern Oregon and is a federally-designated Wild and Scenic River. It is a 28 mile tributary of the Smith River that flows south into California and the Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park on its way to the Pacific Ocean.

The decision adds protections under Oregon's water quality standards to ensure that there is no degradation of water quality in these waters. The policies would prohibit new permitted point source discharges to the waters and would prohibit other activities that could degrade the current high water quality, exceptional ecological characteristics and values of the waters.

This is Oregon's first designation of an Outstanding Resource Water, and the first in the Pacific Northwest. The waters of the North Fork Smith River offer exceptional clarity and a vibrant blue color. The pristine conditions are valuable habitat for endangered populations of Coho salmon, several rare plant species and other fish and wildlife, making this designation an unparalleled opportunity for protection.

04/06/2017

SAVE THE DATE!!! The 2017 Annual Fish Count will be July 14 -16. For more information go to http://smithriveralliance.org/2014-fish-count/

02/17/2017

Take Action! Spread the Word!

The Oregon DEQ is proposing to designate the Oregon portion of the North Fork Smith River and its tributaries as Outstanding Resource Waters under the Clean Water Act and they want to hear from you!

01/13/2017

DeFazio, Huffman, Wyden, Merkley Secure Critical 20 Year Mining Ban in Southwestern Oregon, Smith River Watershed

WASHINGTON—Reps. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Jared Huffman (D-CA) and Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) today secured a twenty-year ban on new mining projects in an ecologically and economically critical region in Southwest Oregon.

The areas protected include the watershed of the National Wild and Scenic North Fork Smith River in Oregon, the watershed of Rough and Ready Creek (an eligible Wild and Scenic River and tributary to the National Wild and Scenic Illinois and Rogue rivers), as well as 17 miles of the National Wild and Scenic Chetco River.

These rivers are known for their wild salmon and steelhead populations, and provide vital economic, recreational and natural resources to the area.

Also protected from mining would be the headwaters of Hunter Creek and the Pistol River—two prized native salmon and steelhead rivers that flow directly into the Pacific Ocean along the spectacular Wild Rivers Coast of Southern Oregon and Northern California.

“This is an incredible victory for Southwest Oregon,” said Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-OR. “This mining ban will support the area’s recreation economy, safeguard safe drinking water sources for thousands of families in the area, and stop the threats of foreign-owned nickel mining companies who want to strip-mine this beautiful area. I’m proud to have helped to protect this unique land, and I thank my colleagues for their help in accomplishing this important goal.”

"The people of Del Norte County, the Elk Valley and Tolowa Dee-ni' tribes, and thousands of other Californians and Oregonians who cherish the Smith River have united in working to secure two decades of protection for this spectacular landscape and its wildlife for future generations,” said Rep. Jared Huffman, D-CA. “I applaud the Obama Administration for taking this action today and thank my colleagues for their hard work and support."

"I'm very pleased this unique landscape will be safeguarded for 20 years from future mining operations, protecting clean water, diverse ecosystems and recreation opportunities for Oregonians,” Senator Ron Wyden said. “With Oregonians’ overwhelming support for this action, I have been a long-time strong advocate for this approach because it provides Congress time to pass a bill that will permanently protect this special place."

"The pristine waters of these Southwest Oregon rivers are a public treasure that we owe it to future generations to preserve,” said Senator Jeff Merkley. “Mining would have posed an unacceptable threat to the region's clean water and to the fishing and recreation economy that many rely on. These lands and waters belong to all of us, and today's news is a huge victory in the fight to ensure that our beloved citizen-owned resources are passed down to future generations in the same condition we received them."