Sierra Streams Institute

08/31/2026

This unique course is only offered once per year and dives deep into stream ecology. Our CalNat Instructor Sol, has intimate knowledge of our watersheds and brings his expertise to this in depth course.

Registration is now open for our Fall Stream Ecology Advanced Training and spaces are limited. Find our registration link in our bio or here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfgo8ahH-g_T6844LxQbMmidt7STaRaK7o1kUBJShWV9XnnTw/viewform?usp=header

08/26/2026

Learn to identify benthic macroinvertebrates (BMI) in the bug lab, perform chemistry tests in the chemistry lab, and help out on water quality monitoring and creek surveys. There is also the option to conduct a research project relating to one or both fields using SSI’s data. .

Must complete at least 60 hours of combined lab and research time, or 8 weeks minimum, for this internship. We accept up to 2 interns per semester.

For Fall internships, email Mali Valerio at [email protected] with a personal statement detailing your background in ecology, biology, or a related field, as well as which internship you’re interested in and why. College students must also send a resume. Application deadline is Monday, August 31, 2026!

Learn more about the internships using the link in our bio, or here:
https://sierrastreamsinstitute.org/internships/

08/24/2026

Here's a review from last year's our California Naturalist Stream Ecology Advanced Training. We are excited to host this training for the second year in a row. This is a great opportunity to learn about watershed science and understand what it takes to monitor our rivers.

Click the registration link in our bio, or below, to register:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfgo8ahH-g_T6844LxQbMmidt7STaRaK7o1kUBJShWV9XnnTw/viewform?usp=header

08/21/2026

We recently found elevated levels of E. coli at Pioneer Park in Little Deer Creek. With the help of we are continuing to monitor the situation. Please be advised that recreating or swimming in creeks with elevated bacterial levels can increase your risk of illness, especially in the young and elderly. To reduce your chance of illness: avoid ingesting creek water and wash hands thoroughly before eating or drinking after recreating in the creek.

For more information, click the "Pioneer Park Status" link in our bio, or here:
https://sierrastreamsinstitute.org/pioneer-park-monitoring-status/

08/19/2026

The Nevada County Office of Emergency Services (OES) is hosting a Town Hall meeting to discuss practices used by local organizations, including SSI, to complete wildfire hazard reduction projects across Nevada County. This Town Hall meeting will be moderated by the City of Nevada City and includes a panel discussion on common vegetation management practices such as prescribed fire, forest thinning, commercial logging, herbicide use, and defensible space.

Date: Thursday, August 27th.
Time: 5:30 – 7:00 pm
Location: Miner’s Foundry Cultural Center, Nevada City. 325 Spring St, Nevada City, CA 95959

For more information, go to: readynevadacounty.org/escape

08/17/2026

You might be wondering, what the heck is a bioblitz? A bioblitz is a biological survey of all living organisms in a designated area. One of the benefits of a bioblitz, over a traditional scientific field study, is the opportunity for the public to contribute to scientific data collection. Scientists (and the public) are able to access this data using iNaturalist for their research. This is especially important for tracking species over time where scientists can see what species are present during different seasons of the year.

Sierra Streams Institute’s self guided bioblitz will be held on Deer Creek Tribute Trail and its surrounding trails on September 7, 2026 at the time of your choosing. This will create a great base for understanding the species present during late summer/early fall around Deer Creek.

Click the link in our bio to join the iNaturalist Project, or here:
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/ca-biodiversity-day-2026

08/14/2026

This is what folks are saying about our California Naturalist Stream Ecology Advanced Training.

If you have been thinking about registering, now is the time. Space is limited and filling up fast.

Click the registration link in our bio, or below, to register:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfgo8ahH-g_T6844LxQbMmidt7STaRaK7o1kUBJShWV9XnnTw/viewform?usp=header

08/12/2026

Yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis) is one of the most widespread invasive plants in California, estimated to cover nearly 15% of the state. Standing anywhere from an inch or two off the ground to heights of 4 feet, topped with long, sharp spines, and a shock of yellow flowers, stands of this plant’s blue-green stems can cover acres at a time and are near ubiquitous through the Sierra Nevada foothills.

Learn more about about this resilient plant and best practices for its removal using the blog link in our bio, or here:
https://sierrastreamsinstitute.org/into-the-weeds-yellow-starthistle/

08/10/2026

Registration open!

NEVADA CITY, Calif. — Sierra Streams Institute (SSI), in partnership with the California Naturalist program, is now accepting registrations for its Advanced Ecology Training course this fall, a hands-on introduction to the science of streams designed for community members, students, and anyone cur...

08/10/2026

Sierra Streams Institute is hosting a self guided bioblitz to celebrate the natural world we live in, and the watersheds that make Nevada City so unique by making observations using iNaturalist. A bioblitz is a gathering of people working together to find, identify and document as many different species as possible which is easy to do on your own using the iNaturalist application.

Click the project link in our bio, or here:
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/ca-biodiversity-day-2026

You can also go to our website for more information about the Bioblitz:
https://sierrastreamsinstitute.org/ca-biodiversity-day/