North Coast Rivers Watershed Management Area
Hydrologic Units: Mendocino Coast, Smith River, Trinidad, Cape Mendocino
Description: The North Coast River WMA includes all North Coast rivers not included in other WMAs. The major watersheds south of the Oregon border include the Smith, Bear, Mattole, Ten Mile, Noyo, Big, Albion, Navarro, Garcia, and Gualala Rivers and Greenwood, Elk, and Alder Creeks. There are twelve Critical Coast Areas in this WMA: Mattole River, King Range National Conservation Area, Pudding Creek, Noyo River, the Pygmy Forest Ecological Staircase, Big River, Albion River, Navarro River, Garcia River, the Kelpbeds at Saunders Reef, Del Mar Landing Ecological Reserve, and Gerstle Cove.
The Mattole River watershed comprises approximately 304 square milles. Primary land uses are silviculture and ranching. The Ten Mile River watershed covers approximately 120 square miles. The watershed is entirely privately owned and has a long history of timber harvest. The Noyo River watershed encompasses about 113 square miles. Silviculture is the primary land use within the watershed. The Big River watershed drains approximately 181 square miles. Predominant land uses are silviculture and ranching. The Albion watershed comprises about 43 square miles and the predominant historic and current land use is timber harvest with some agricultural and recreational uses. The Navarro River watershed encompasses about 315 square miles. Land uses in the watershed include silviculture, ranching, and agriculture. The Greenwood Creek watershed is relatively small, about 25 square miles. Land use in the watershed is primarily timber production, viticulture, fruit orchards, and residential with some ranching. The Garcia River watershed covers about 114 square miles and the major land uses include silviculture, dairy ranching, and gravel mining. The Gualala River watershed encompasses about 300 square miles. Primary land uses are silviculture, orchards, viticulture, and ranching.
Watershed Plans can be easily accessed on the right side of this page and in the linked library folder (Library > Watershed Management Plans > North Coast Rivers Watershed Management Area).
Watershed Groups: Please follow these instructions to publish your group information
- Albion River Watershed Protection Association
- Big River Watershed Council
- Friends of the Gualala River
- Garcia River Watershed Advisory Group
- Gualala River Watershed Council
- Mattole Salmon Group
- Mattole Restoration Council
- Middle Mattole Conservancy (hosted by Sanctuary Forest)
- Mill Creek Watershed Conservancy (hosted by Sanctuary Forest)
- Navarro Watershed Working Group
- Sanctuary Forest
- Save-the-Redwoods League
- Smith River Alliance
- Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods
Salmonids: Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
