Smith River Alliance Inc

Programs: Salmonid restoration program: smith river alliance (sra) performs surveys to assess and monitor salmon populations on the smith river. Data on the distribution and abundance of smith river coho salmon will help fisheries biologists better understand factors limiting the successful spawning, rearing and survival of this species. Coho salmon are listed as endangered through the california endangered species act and threatened through the federal endangered species act. And by better understanding the limiting factors for coho salmon survival, fisheries scientists gain critically important insights about limiting factors for the spawning, rearing, and survival of all salmon species in the smith river. In 2017, sra completed the final phase of the hamilton creek fish passage project by gifting the temporary bridge to ca department of parks and recreation.

rock creek ranch: located on a sweeping bend of the south fork of the smith river, this is a place where the seasons are felt and ample facilities are available to support sra programs and visitors. During the rainy season, when the river is high, it moves with a booming and boisterous energy. You can actually hear and feel the boulders moving in the riverbed. In summer, the river is an elegant emerald ribbon that gathers and slows to create two swimming holes, both jewels in the crown that is rock creek ranch. Sra hosts visitors/guests year-round from humboldt state u. And other educational institutions to youth and family camps. Since 2000 sra has hosted annual data collection projects such as the annual adult fish count. 2017 was an important year for significant property improvements, too.

smith estuary: sra has started a new program focused on smith estuary restoration. Sra works with the resource conservation district and willing landowners to identify and advance restoration opportunities to improve ecosystem function and habitat important for the survival and viability of the smith river salmonid populations. Like most of the estuaries in the pacific northwest, the smith river estuary has undergone extensive historic conversion into productive agricultural areas. This conversion resulted in loss of riparian vegetation, diking and draining of emergent wetlands through trenching, fill, levees, tidegates, and rip-rap. These conversions have impaired ecosystem functions and caused a large reduction in the available suitable salmonid habitat in the estuary.