Wednesday November 2, 2022
Redheaded Blackbelt —
The Eel River Recovery Project (ERRP) has monitored water temperature throughout the Eel River watershed, checked flow conditions and also documented fish life since 2012. The group’s temperature monitoring program is driven by volunteer interest and energy, and streams surveyed include the South Fork Eel River and selected tributaries in southern Humboldt and northern Mendocino County.
In southern Humboldt, we have partnered with retired California Department of Fish and Game warden Larry Bruckenstein to monitor lower Sproul Creek where he and his wife Darcy reside, and the South Fork Eel downstream of Sproul Creek. Bob and Barbara Froelich own land in Little Sproul Creek just upstream and are also ERRP monitoring partners. In 2021, Sproul Creek lost surface flow in extensive reaches, and remained dry above the convergence with Little Sproul Creek as late as October 20, when water temperature gauges were retrieved.