Estuary Conditions

The Gualala River has been listed as “impaired” under the Clean Water Act, due to the high water temperatures and increased sediment in the river. Large gravel bars dominate both the upper and lower estuary zones and the estuary is more shallow, as a result of sediment which continues to build in the estuary. Cobble can also be found in the estuary, which is less common, and indicates the volume of sediment that is moving down the river. Fine sediment adversely affects salmon and steelhead habitat by filling in pools and spawning gravels, which can smother eggs laid in stream gravels and reduce the quality of aquatic invertebrates available as fish food. In the water’s flow, it can also affect the gills and respiratory health of fish and impact aquatic invertebrates.

Emergent wetlands, which are shallow habitats where tall, non-woody plants grow above the surface, that provide shelter and breeding grounds for birds, amphibians, and insects, have decreased throughout the estuary. The 6-acre emergent wetland below Mill Bend is gone. The wetland at the mouth of China Gulch has been altered and is smaller

Very few coho salmon have been observed in the watershed in recent decades, although a remnant population continues to persist in the North Fork Gualala River. Recovery of the coho population to sustainable numbers is a long-term goal for State and Federal agencies, as well as many in the local community. Steelhead continue to persist in the watershed, but the population is well below historic levels, and may still be declining.