For nearly 40 years SYRCL has led the way in connecting the Yuba River watershed and its communities. Highly regarded by state, federal and regional partners, SYRCL has talented staff, sound fiscal management, and committed members. It's meadow and river corridor restoration projects are providing water supply and habitat resilience to an important Sierra river system.
I grew up in the Yuba Goldfields. A couple years ago, my then 78-year-old mother and I joined one of SYRCL’s salmon expeditions. We had so much fun! It was so great to see my childhood home and playground from the river. We also learned about the unique aspects of the Yuba River ecosystem and how SYRCL is working to educate local youth about this amazing watershed. Thank you SYRCL for all of your education efforts but most of all for your relentless commitment to protecting the Yuba!
The South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL – pronounced circle) was founded in 1983 by grassroots activists determined to protect the South Yuba River from dams. Ultimately, SYRCL won permanent protections for 39 miles of the South Yuba River under California’s Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.
Today, SYRCL is the central hub of community activism to protect, restore, and celebrate the Yuba River watershed.
The Wild and Scenic Film Festival helps raise much needed funds to help SYRCL with its works to protect the Yuba Watershed. I have been working with the staff and volunteers producing the W&SFF for many years. Due to the issues our world is facing, the W&SFF will be different this year. Traditionally the 5-day flagship festival is held annually in Nevada City and Grass Valley, California. Featuring 100+ films, workshops, visiting filmmaker and activist talks, family-friendly programs, art exhibitions, parties, and more–you won’t want to miss this festival! In 2021 we will make that easier to do by bringing the festival to a 100% virtual platform presented over the course of 11 days from January 14-24, 2021.
Please, mark your calendars and virtually attend this great festival!
The work of South Yuba River Citizens League is at the heart of our small foothills community. Whether its helping cleanup the river of trash, to educating the public about salmon, to monitoring water quality and the annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival, SYRCL work improves the quality of life for our community.
SYRCL is an unusual, small-town, grass-roots environmental advocacy organization. It has been working to protect the rivers and streams and meadows in our huge Yuba River Watershed since 1983, when it formed to stop a dam on the South Yuba River. SYRCL's efforts have expanded to include the entire Watershed, a large area stretching down from Donner Summit and the headwaters, all the way to the Upper Central Valley where the main stem of the Yuba flows into rivers that feed the SF Bay Delta. I fish throughout this region and encounter SYRCL's restoration, protection, and forest health efforts on most of my back country excursions. One of my chief delights is the restoration work being done on the Lower Yuba River, home to a threatened Chinook Salmon and Steelhead run. SYRCL is collaborating with construction companies and adjoining county governments to bring back salmon spawning habitat and "un-channel" the Lower Yuba, which has seen gold mining and gravel extraction since the mid-19th Century. SYRCL's successes in attracting grants and partnerships make it an unusually influential guardian of and advocate for a free-flowing, ecologically healthy Watershed.
The South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL) has demonstrated long term commitment to promoting community understanding and appreciation of the South Yuba River Watershed. Through fun fundraising parties, to serious scientific investigations and long term monitoring of environmental conditions in the watershed, SYRCL has led the way in igniting community activism and enthusiasm for deep connections to our region's iconic river and watershed. The organization deftly uses community volunteers, collaborates with agency technical staff, and partners with aligned organizations to promote and sustain a healthy Yuba River. I have been a member of the organization since the early '80's, when fighting a small hydro project on the river (in a STATE PARK!) motivated local citizens to band together to sue the project proponent, and save the river. Like most environmental issues, the "saving" is never finished. But SYRCL has expanded in scope and capabilities, and I am proud to serve the organization and help to continue the good work of this vibrant environmental organization.
SYRCL protects the Yuba River and I am forever grateful for their tireless work and dedication. Without SYRCL, our beloved Yuba River would not be healthy and would succumb to the litter and disregard for the land that some river goers seem to unfortunately have. SYRCL's annual clean up of the river is something that is essential to keeping the Yuba in great condition for all to enjoy. The Wild & Scenic Film Festival that SYRCL puts on every January is a community event that brings world class films and documentaries to NorCal. SYRCL makes Nevada County a beautiful, unique and wonderful place to call home. Abundant gratitude to SYRCL!
SYRCL continually steps up to advocate for and protect the Yuba River. It's restoring vital fish habitat and getting people involved as volunteers. It's also working with multiple partners to get things done regionally and state-wide. I know my membership dollars are being used to their fullest when I donate to SYRCL.
I love the Wild & Scenic Film Festival that SYRCL puts on each January. The films are stellar and I always leave feeling so inspired! I also inevitably end up learning a lot about all the amazing work that SYRCL does in the watershed, like meadow restoration, river monitoring, and advocacy. They get a lot of great work done!
SYRCL is doing some amazing restoration work on the Lower Yuba River that will have everlasting impacts on the flora and fauna and community within the region. I'm proud of the work SYRCL commits to!
SYRCL is an amazing organization--its work with water quality monitoring, rejuvenating wetlands, community outreach, and collaboration with other local and national non-profits only scratch the surface of what they do. With a small staff, they do much more than other larger groups. The staff is smart, dedicated, friendly, and fun to work with. I have been a volunteer at the main office (pre-Covid) and have attended many of their local events. In addition, their annual Wild and Scenic Film Festival is inspiring and fun and sobering and then inspiring again, as the films cover so much territory, physical as well as emotional. SYRCL not only cares for the watershed, it cares for its community members and is a very important part of life in the area and beyond.
My favorite event that SYRCL puts on is the annual Yuba River Cleanup. Last year, SYRCL volunteers removed over 30,000 pounds of trash from the watershed!
For years I've been doing river clean-up projects and charitable hikes. I wrote the book on "Swimming Holes of CA" (literally). I've been doing clean-ups with this group at the South Yuba for a few years now. They always do a great job and really help to keep the swimming holes and surrounding areas clean of trash and other debris. I'm always impressed by the local volunteers and their willingness to step-up to cover where the state and forest service can't due to budget cuts.