In a move to support salmon and steelhead populations, Golden State Salmon Association joined CalWild and more than 9 other organizations urging the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board to designate Cedar Creek and Elder Creek in the South Fork Eel River basin as Outstanding National Resource Waters (Outstanding Waters).
Outstanding Waters are rivers, streams, wetlands, and lakes that have been designated for heightened protection under the Clean Water Act because they support exceptional values that rely on water quality. The designation is distinct from other resource protections in that it is specifically focused on water quality. No permanent degradation of the quality of Outstanding Waters is allowed, although some temporary degradation may be permitted for short-term activities such as emergency measures and habitat restoration. An Outstanding Water designation does not affect existing activities such as farming, ranching, fishing, or boating.
California’s salmon rivers have experienced reduced flows and elevated water temperatures due to increased water diversions, which makes strengthening protections for salmon supporting rivers and tributaries critically important.
According to CalWild:
Elder Creek – The creek supports at-risk salmon and steelhead and flows through the one of the largest continuous tracts of undeveloped coastal conifer forest remaining in California. Elder Creek was designated a National Natural Landmark by the National Park Service in 1964 and the U.S. Geological Survey included the watershed in its nationwide network of Hydrological Benchmarks. The creek flows from its sources on Cahto Peak in the South Fork Eel Wilderness through federal public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and state lands managed by University of California, Berkeley for scientific research for scientific research in the Angelo Coast Range Reserve. The BLM identified Elder Creek as eligible and suitable for National Wild and Scenic River protection due to its outstanding scenery, ecology, and scientific research values. The proposed Outstanding Waters protection applies to Elder Creek and its tributaries and wetlands on public lands.
Cedar Creek – Cedar Creek supports at-risk populations of salmon and steelhead. Old growth forests provide habitat for the threatened northern spotted owl and the area’s unique serpentine soils support numerous rare plants. The geology of this area naturally stores water and provides critical cold-water recharge into the South Fork Eel Wild & Scenic River. Cedar Creek and its tributaries flow from federal public lands managed by the BLM as part of the South Fork Eel Wilderness and from state lands in the Little Red Mountain Ecological Reserve managed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). Cedar Creek and its tributaries on federal lands were determined eligible and suitable for National Wild & Scenic River protection by the BLM for its outstanding scenery, fish, geology, and ecology values. The proposed Outstanding Waters designation applies to Cedar Creek, North Fork Cedar Creek, Little Cedar Creek, and other tributaries and wetlands on public lands.
Photo: Creative Commons Akos Kokai