Friends of Gualala River

The Gualala River Stream Team will be heading out into the Gualala River Estuary to monitor water quality and you can join us!

When: Saturday Sept. 19th, 9AM
Where: Meet at the Kayak Launch (below Highway1)
What To Bring: Bring personal items for a 2 hour outing (water, snack, sunscreen, hat, water shoes, etc).

Training will be provided.

The data collected provides baseline information for tracking changes in water quality associated with ongoing resource management efforts including the Caltrans Gualala Streetscape Enhancement Project (Gualala Streetscape Enhancement Project-Caltrans), the Gualala River Estuary Enhancement Project (GR Estuary Enhancement Project), and the ongoing work by The Stream Team (Gualala River Stream Team).

Email: info@thestreamteam.org
Phone: 530 342-6620

Standing Up for the Gualala River

Friends of Gualala River (FoGR) is working hard to protect our watershed from a new round of logging proposals and complex regulatory shifts. From challenging timber harvest plans (THPs) in court to tracking regional water quality rules, our small team is bringing every tool to the table to defend our local ecosystem.

In this issue, we’re sharing critical campaign updates, launching an easy new tool for submitting public comments, and asking for your help to keep this momentum going. Thank you for standing with us to keep our river cold, clean, and protected!

Dogwood West: The Fight Returns to the Floodplain

A decade after the fight for the South Fork Gualala’s east bank, Gualala Redwood Timber is back—this time targeting the west bank floodplain forest. THP 1-26-00021-SON (the Card THP) proposes logging ~169 acres of crucial habitat for endangered coho salmon and threatened steelhead. It currently sits on CAL FIRE’s desk awaiting a Director’s Decision, expected any day.

An AI Reads What Everyone Else Skimmed: FoGR deployed CalTrees Shepherd—a Claude-based THP analysis tool developed by our partners at Friends of the South Fork Gualala (FoSFG). On July 6, we filed a 36-page public comment pointing out that Card completely failed to analyze cumulative impacts from 750 additional acres of planned logging in the same watersheds where the THP proposes to log in. Nine days later, CAL FIRE ordered the Forester to disclose these plans, forcing a 30-day recirculation. Our follow-up AI analysis revealed the disclosures were still insufficient: actual cumulative disturbance sits at 34.8% in Big Pepperwood Creek and 46–47% at the Mouth of the Gualala River—far past regulatory warning thresholds.

Legal Counsel Joins the Fight: On August 21, attorney Jason Holder of Holder Law Group filed an 89-page legal letter on our behalf, followed by formal letters requesting non-concurrence from all lead state review agencies.

The River Remembers Dogwood: Our 6-year court battle over the original Dogwood THP forced two complete rewrites of a bad plan before an appellate court ultimately allowed logging to proceed. Today, with over 1,700 additional acres logged in these drainages since Dogwood, we are using every legal and technical tool to make sure Card’s flawed cumulative impacts analysis does not stand.

Little Pepperwood THP: Next in Line

(Public Comment Deadline: September 8)

Disclosed during the Card review, Little Pepperwood (THP 1-26-00076-SON) proposes harvesting 271 acres across Big Pepperwood Creek, Lower Rockpile Creek, and Red Rock watersheds. On August 27, CAL FIRE recommended it for approval.

• Severe Water Temperatures: The plan’s own data records mainstem temperatures at 71–75°F—just below lethal limits for salmonids—yet proposes removing conifer canopy along the water.

• Habitat Impact: Removes 106 acres of nesting and roosting habitat across four Northern Spotted Owl activity centers.

• Flawed Accounting: Ignores unrecovered watershed disturbance by relying on an arbitrary 10-year lookback window—a shortcut CAL FIRE has used in at least 17 recent THPs statewide.

Action Alert: Introducing caltrees.org!

Our partners at FoSFG launched caltrees.org, a free tool that makes writing informed public comments simple—no legal background needed!

Take Action Now: The Little Pepperwood comment period closes September 8 at 5pm. Visit caltrees.org/1-26-00076-SON to send a pre-loaded, custom public comment directly to CAL FIRE in under two minutes! Alternatively, email comments to: SantaRosaPublicComment@fire.ca.gov.

Navigating the Battle Over Watershed Roads (TMDL Update)

Nearly 30 years after the Gualala River was declared environmentally impaired, state regulators and local landowners remain locked in a major debate over how to fix our watershed’s broken roads. Unmaintained, unpaved roads remain the single largest source of sediment washing into the river and choking our cold-water habitats.

To tackle this problem, the Regional Water Quality Control Board adopted the Gualala River Sediment TMDL Action Plan in February 2026 (currently awaiting final state approval). To launch the plan locally, regulators drafted a proposed order (under Water Code Section 13267) that would require large landowners—those owning over 1,000 acres—to inspect, map, and prioritize fixes for dangerous sediment sites along their road networks.

Landowner Pushback vs. The Facts: During recent public workshops, large landholders and timber managers pushed back hard. They argued that the order relies on outdated data, creates unnecessary costs, and imposes strict deadlines. But our legal team stepped in to set the record straight:

• Free Support Available: Claims about unfair financial burdens ignore the fact that the Regional Board secured $5 million in state funds so landowners can get these road assessments done by qualified experts at zero cost to them.

• Plentiful Time: Claims that landowners only have 30 days to hire experts are flat-out false; the draft order gives landowners a generous three-year window (until April 2030) to complete their plans.

• Data Is Still Urgent: While landowners claim 2001 baseline data is outdated, current watershed studies show that nearly 1,500 miles of local roads still lack proof of proper storm-proofing.

FoGR Takes Action—Bringing Legal Counsel to the Table: To ensure this regulatory battle actually results in cleaner water, FoGR retained environmental attorney Mike Lozeau, who submitted a formal legal comment letter to the Regional Board on August 14.

Mike pointed out a critical flaw in the draft order: as written, it only requires landowners to make a plan, but doesn’t require them to report on whether they actually finish the repairs. Under a prior legal settlement between FoGR and the Board, regulators are required to track actual post-treatment results on the ground. Mike urged the Board to keep annual reporting active until planned road fixes are fully completed—giving landowners an incentive to finish the work and ensuring our river sees real, lasting recovery.

Field & Science Update: Weather Station Online

The Gualala Point weather news is a popular item on FoGR’s website, but it has been out of commission for some time. After good service for five years, the Davis weather station needed a new battery. Chad Watts from PG&E volunteered his time again to take it down. After inspection, we sent the moss and lichen studded unit to Davis for cleaning and maintenance. It’s back from Davis now and we will have it broadcasting again soon.We will notify you as soon as the station is up and running.

We Need Volunteer Support!

FoGR’s workload has never been heavier—and our all-volunteer board is stretched thin. While we hope to one day afford an Executive Director, our immediate goal is finding dedicated community members to join our team:

• Social Media & Outreach Coordinator: Have a few hours a month to spare? Help us post campaign updates, photos, and calls to action across our social channels to keep our 800+ supporters informed.

• Project & Administrative Lead: Help us manage project calendars, assist with campaign budgets, and coordinate contractors to free up our board for strategic planning.

• Agency Engagement Lead: Help facilitate Zoom panel discussions and establish constructive dialogue with representatives from Fish & Wildlife, Water Board, and CAL FIRE regarding THP non-concurrences.

Ready to help out? Email us at info@gualalariver.org.

Honoring 24 Years of Digital Dedication

Since launching gualalariver.org in May 2002, Dave Jordan has been the steward of our online presence. This past May, we celebrated Dave’s 24 years of service at a community gathering at the Shindig Social Club. We are thrilled to announce that Dave has recently completed a comprehensive “under-the-hood” modernization of the website. While the beautiful “magazine-style” appearance remains, the site now runs on a refreshed, high-performance platform to better serve our watershed and its supporters for years to come. Thank you, Dave, for your talent, devotion, and love of this place.

A Message From Our Secretary/Treasurer

The Gualala River and its watershed need steadfast advocates. Your donation helps us continue the work of protecting this extraordinary river, its wildlife, and the communities that depend on it.

Every contribution supports the legal efforts essential to defending the river and enables us to retain knowledgeable scientific and technical experts. Their expertise helps us evaluate threats, strengthen our advocacy, and make the strongest possible case for lasting protection.

All members of the Friends of Gualala River Board of Directors are volunteers, contributing their time, passion, and expertise at no charge.

Please donate today. Gifts of every size give us the resources to stand up for the Gualala River and safeguard it for generations to come.

Jeanne A. Jackson, Secretary/Treasurer, FoGR

To donate online::

Donate by credit card

– OR –

Donate in honor or memory of someone using credit card

If you prefer to write a check, please send it to:
Friends of Gualala River, PO Box 1543, Gualala, CA 95445