Mattole River
Encyclopedia
The Mattole River is a river
on the north coast of California
, that flows northerly, then westerly into the Pacific Ocean
. A short section of the river flows through upper Mendocino County
, but the vast majority of its 62-mile (100 km) run is through southern Humboldt County
. Communities, from north to south, closely associated with the Mattole River include: Petrolia
, Honeydew
, Ettersburg
, Thorn Junction
, and Whitethorn
. The river enters the ocean at the Mattole Estuary about 4 miles west-southwest of Petrolia and 10 miles south of Cape Mendocino
.
, and flows through Mattole Valley before emptying into the Pacific Ocean
. Although the Mattole River's source is at ~1,780 feet of elevation, its tributaries originate as high as 4,000 feet above sea level. The North Fork of the Mattole River enters the river mainstem about 0.5 miles up from Petrolia. For most of its length, the river is only a few miles (~6–7 km) east of the King Range National Conservation Area. About halfway to the ocean, near Honeydew, California
, the river passes by Humboldt Redwoods State Park
. The two largest tributaries are Honeydew Creek and Bear Creek.
The Mattole River is home to three salmonid species: Chinook salmon
(Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), Coho salmon
Oncorhynchus kisutch), and Steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). All three are listed as threatened under the Federal Endangered Species Act
. Coho salmon are additionally listed as threatened under the California State Endangered Species Act. The Mattole Salmon Group counted just three adult Coho salmon in the river this past 2009-2010 winter (and only one redd) which is the lowest number of coho counted since the group began surveys in 2004, and far below the historical estimates of thousands of 17,000-20,000 adults, or even 1950s and 1960s estimates of 8,000 and 5,000, respectively. Mattole Salmon Group Executive Director Keytra Meyer explained that even though the recent salmon surveys don't span the entire watershed, it is unlikely that the teams missed even 50 adult fish. Efforts to locate juvenile coho found them only in Thompson and Ancestor creeks, among the uppermost tributaries to the Mattole. In 2010-2011 ten coho were counted and five redds, but these numbers are still 95% lower than 2006-2007. Each salmon run is on a three year cycle.
The Mattole Restoration Council, the Mattole Salmon Group, Sanctuary Forest, the Mill Creek Watershed Conservancy, the Upper Mattole River and Forest Cooperative and the Mattole River and Range Partnership fosters the Mattole River habitat restoration work and serves as a model for other communitees who wish to work cooperatively to repair anadromous salmonid habitat. Recently the group is planning a pilot project to decrease winter runoff and increase summer flows using a beaver dam
model. Ecosystem analyst Michael Pollock, from the Northwest Fisheries Science Center of NOAA
Fisheries, is assisting with the project. His research has shown that salmon smolt production per beaver dam ranges from 527 to 1,174 fish, whereas production in a pool formed by large woody debris is only 6 to 15 fish. This suggests that re-establishment of beaver populations would be 80 times more effective in salmonid recovery efforts than large woody debris placement alone.
The common plant associations within the Mattole include the following: (1) Coast redwood forest (Sequoia sempervirens) (in the southern headwaters), (2) mixed Coast Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii) and hardwood (primarily Tanoak (Lithocarpus densiflorus) and Pacific madrone (Arbutus menziesii) forest, (3) mixed chaparral (primarily manzanita Arctostaphylos spp., mountain whitethorn Ceanothus cordu-latus, scrub oak Quercus berberidifolia, and Coyote brush
(Baccharis pilularis)), and (4) grasslands. Riparian zones of the Mattole, in addition to the above, also contain Bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum), Red alder (Alnus rubra), cottonwood (Populus fremontii), Oregon ash (Fraxinus latifolia), and Willow
(Salix spp).
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
on the north coast of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, that flows northerly, then westerly into the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. A short section of the river flows through upper Mendocino County
Mendocino County, California
Mendocino County is a county located on the north coast of the U.S. state of California, north of the greater San Francisco Bay Area and west of the Central Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 87,841, up from 86,265 at the 2000 census...
, but the vast majority of its 62-mile (100 km) run is through southern Humboldt County
Humboldt County, California
Humboldt County is a county in the U.S. state of California, located on the far North Coast 200 miles north of San Francisco. According to 2010 Census Data, the county’s population was 134,623...
. Communities, from north to south, closely associated with the Mattole River include: Petrolia
Petrolia, California
Petrolia is an unincorporated community in Humboldt County, California. It is located southeast of Cape Mendocino, at an elevation of 121 feet . The ZIP Code is 95558....
, Honeydew
Honeydew, California
Honeydew is an unincorporated community in Humboldt County, California. It is located south of Scotia, at an elevation of 322 feet ....
, Ettersburg
Ettersburg, California
Ettersburg is an locality in Humboldt County, California. It is located west-northwest of Phillipsville, at an elevation of ....
, Thorn Junction
Thorn Junction, California
Thorn Junction is a locality in Humboldt County, California. It is located west-southwest of Garberville, at an elevation of ....
, and Whitethorn
Whitethorn, California
Whitethorn is an unincorporated community in Humboldt County, California. It is located southwest of Garberville, at an elevation of 1024 feet . Whitethorn shares a zip code with Shelter Cove, California. It is located along California's Lost Coast...
. The river enters the ocean at the Mattole Estuary about 4 miles west-southwest of Petrolia and 10 miles south of Cape Mendocino
Cape Mendocino
Cape Mendocino located on the Lost Coast entirely within Humboldt County, California, USA, is the westernmost point on the coast of California. It has been a landmark since the 16th century when the Manila Galleons would reach the coast here following the prevailing westerlies all the way across...
.
History
"Mattole" refers to an Athabaskan Indian people, the Mattole. They historically called themselves Mattóal or bedool, but were called by neighboring Wyott Indians Medol or me'tuul. The Mattole lived principally on the Mattole and Bear rivers. This war-like tribe was practically exterminated because of its resistance to white settlers. The local tradition is that Mattole means "clear water".Watershed
The river and its 74 tributaries drain about 304 square miles (787 square km), including the eastern side of the King RangeKing Range, California
The King Range is a mountain range located on the California North Coast entirely within Humboldt County. Part of the Northern Coast Ranges, the King Range runs parallel to the coast, and its western slopes fall steeply to the Pacific Ocean...
, and flows through Mattole Valley before emptying into the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. Although the Mattole River's source is at ~1,780 feet of elevation, its tributaries originate as high as 4,000 feet above sea level. The North Fork of the Mattole River enters the river mainstem about 0.5 miles up from Petrolia. For most of its length, the river is only a few miles (~6–7 km) east of the King Range National Conservation Area. About halfway to the ocean, near Honeydew, California
Honeydew, California
Honeydew is an unincorporated community in Humboldt County, California. It is located south of Scotia, at an elevation of 322 feet ....
, the river passes by Humboldt Redwoods State Park
Humboldt Redwoods State Park
Humboldt Redwoods State Park is located south of Eureka, California in southern Humboldt County, within northern California. Established by the Save-the-Redwoods League in 1921 with the dedication of the Raynal Bolling Memorial Grove, it has grown to become the third largest park in the California...
. The two largest tributaries are Honeydew Creek and Bear Creek.
Ecology and Conservation
The Mattole River has been declared a 303(d) impaired waterbody that flows into a Marine Protected Area (Punta Gorda State Marine Reserve). Areas in the Mattole River watershed are undergoing restoration to restore habitat that was degraded by a combination of early industrial-style timber harvest techniques and associated road construction, naturally erosive geology, and two 100-year floods which occurred in 1955 and 1964. The Mattole River and Range Partnership, consisting of the Mattole Restoration Council, Mattole Salmon Group, and Sanctuary Forest, undertakes this work with the collaboration of watershed landowners and multiple private and agency funders.The Mattole River is home to three salmonid species: Chinook salmon
Chinook salmon
The Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, is the largest species in the pacific salmon family. Other commonly used names for the species include King salmon, Quinnat salmon, Spring salmon and Tyee salmon...
(Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), Coho salmon
Coho salmon
The Coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch, is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. Coho salmon are also known as silver salmon or "silvers". It is the state animal of Chiba, Japan.-Description:...
Oncorhynchus kisutch), and Steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). All three are listed as threatened under the Federal Endangered Species Act
Endangered Species Act
The Endangered Species Act of 1973 is one of the dozens of United States environmental laws passed in the 1970s. Signed into law by President Richard Nixon on December 28, 1973, it was designed to protect critically imperiled species from extinction as a "consequence of economic growth and...
. Coho salmon are additionally listed as threatened under the California State Endangered Species Act. The Mattole Salmon Group counted just three adult Coho salmon in the river this past 2009-2010 winter (and only one redd) which is the lowest number of coho counted since the group began surveys in 2004, and far below the historical estimates of thousands of 17,000-20,000 adults, or even 1950s and 1960s estimates of 8,000 and 5,000, respectively. Mattole Salmon Group Executive Director Keytra Meyer explained that even though the recent salmon surveys don't span the entire watershed, it is unlikely that the teams missed even 50 adult fish. Efforts to locate juvenile coho found them only in Thompson and Ancestor creeks, among the uppermost tributaries to the Mattole. In 2010-2011 ten coho were counted and five redds, but these numbers are still 95% lower than 2006-2007. Each salmon run is on a three year cycle.
The Mattole Restoration Council, the Mattole Salmon Group, Sanctuary Forest, the Mill Creek Watershed Conservancy, the Upper Mattole River and Forest Cooperative and the Mattole River and Range Partnership fosters the Mattole River habitat restoration work and serves as a model for other communitees who wish to work cooperatively to repair anadromous salmonid habitat. Recently the group is planning a pilot project to decrease winter runoff and increase summer flows using a beaver dam
Beaver dam
Beaver dams are dams built by beavers as protection against predators such as coyotes, wolves, and bears, and to provide easy access to food during winter. Beavers work at night and are prolific builders, carrying mud and stones with their fore-paws and timber between their teeth...
model. Ecosystem analyst Michael Pollock, from the Northwest Fisheries Science Center of NOAA
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , pronounced , like "noah", is a scientific agency within the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere...
Fisheries, is assisting with the project. His research has shown that salmon smolt production per beaver dam ranges from 527 to 1,174 fish, whereas production in a pool formed by large woody debris is only 6 to 15 fish. This suggests that re-establishment of beaver populations would be 80 times more effective in salmonid recovery efforts than large woody debris placement alone.
The common plant associations within the Mattole include the following: (1) Coast redwood forest (Sequoia sempervirens) (in the southern headwaters), (2) mixed Coast Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii) and hardwood (primarily Tanoak (Lithocarpus densiflorus) and Pacific madrone (Arbutus menziesii) forest, (3) mixed chaparral (primarily manzanita Arctostaphylos spp., mountain whitethorn Ceanothus cordu-latus, scrub oak Quercus berberidifolia, and Coyote brush
Baccharis pilularis
Baccharis pilularis, called Coyote Brush , Chaparral Broom, and Bush Baccharis, is a shrub in the Asteraceae that grows in California, Oregon, and Baja California.-Description:...
(Baccharis pilularis)), and (4) grasslands. Riparian zones of the Mattole, in addition to the above, also contain Bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum), Red alder (Alnus rubra), cottonwood (Populus fremontii), Oregon ash (Fraxinus latifolia), and Willow
Willow
Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...
(Salix spp).