Well, our intrepid environmental scientists, Paul Blank and Martin Perales, had a couple of exciting days this winter!

They embarked on a four-day kayaking expedition down the Napa River mainstem in search of spawning salmon. All in all, they paddled over 19 miles, roughly from Calistoga to Yountville, and spotted a total of 13 live Chinook salmon and 30 carcasses. They also noted the location of 68 redds or salmon nests, which is the most our team has surveyed in many years! 

“The conditions were ideal for conducting spawner surveys this year. The flows were high enough for fish to migrate but not so high as to make it too dangerous for us to paddle. We saw many carcasses relative to other years because we got out before all the critters were able to get them. It was a fun few days!” said Martin.

Sounds like fun, yes? Sort of! Kayaking down the Napa River is less of a paddle and more of a battle through trees, shrubs, and other riparian plants and obstacles. As a reward for their hard work, our team encountered 2 beavers and a coyote!

One thing that's important to note is that the results of the spawner surveys are highly variable each year, and don't necessarily give an idea of how many fish there are. What is found by the team is more related to how high flows are and when the team can get out on the river.

January Rainfall Summary

January brought eight storms and 14 days of measurable rainfall to the Napa Valley. Rain totals at the County ALERT monitoring stations (napa.onerain.com) were above average for the month, ranging between 6.6 inches in the City of Napa and 11.8 inches at the peak of Mt. Veeder. These totals represent approximately 24% of mean annual precipitation. On average, we get 19% during the month of January.

A wet January wasn’t quite enough to cover the seasonal deficit, although we now stand close to average for the year. Seasonal totals (beginning October 1) range between 14.0 and 25.4 inches, representing about 50% of mean annual rainfall. The long-term average for this time of year is 56%.

Greetings from the Garden Tour Planning Group!

Napa RCD is working with our friends and partners at City of Napa Water Division and UCCE Master Gardeners to plan the 2024 Climate-Friendly Garden Tour in Napa Valley. This year's Garden Tour will take place on Saturday, May 18, from 10am-3pm

We are looking for front yards and/or back yards, apartment or other rental gardens, side yards, turf strips (also called a curb strip, etc), food gardens, corporate landscaping, and other climate-friendly gardens you may have on your property.

Yes, we all love a gorgeous, well-manicured and water-wise yard that looks perfect. And we do want that! But we're also looking for REAL gardens that are sometimes messy, have works in progress, and have plans for the future.

Think your garden fits the bill? Let us know by filling out this brief questionnaire!

Welcome to the Napa Field Office, Noelle!

Noelle joined the Natural Resources Conservation Service Napa field office as a Natural Resource Specialist at the start of January, and brings a wealth of knowledge to the team.

Noelle Takamori is from Honolulu, Hawaii and San Diego, CA. She earned her Bachelor’s in Biology from Norwich University in Vermont. Noelle previously worked for the Forest Service on the Eldorado National Forest where she surveyed for Spotted Owls. Some of her other experience includes working as a Forestry Technician on Travis Air Force Base and working as a Fisheries Technician collecting the snouts of adult chinook salmon in San Francisco and tagging juvenile chinook at 4 different hatcheries in Northern California. Her hobbies include learning to garden and listening to podcasts.

Welcome to the team, Noelle!

North Coast Soil Hub Winter Newsletter

The North Coast Soil Hub Winter Newsletter has some great articles, including the launch of a new series!

The Carbon Farming Implementation Stories follow North Coast farmers and ranchers and their personal experiences with carbon farming on their properties. Don't miss out!

Wildlife Conservation Commission Seeks Youth Representative

The Wildlife Conservation Commission (WCC) is an eight-member commission that advises the Napa County Board of Supervisors on funding proposals that preserve and enhance Napa County wildlife and their habitats, pursuant to California Fish and Game Code §13103.

The Commission is comprised of four members representing the Public at Large, one Sportsperson/Angler, one Wildlife/Conservation representative, one youth representative between the age of 15 and 25, and one Planning Commission representative.

The WCC is seeking a Youth Representative to join the Commission for a two-year term effective this spring 2024. Please see the Media Release for information on how to apply.

GSA Releases Map of Napa Valley Groundwater Monitoring Network

The Napa County Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) has published a new interactive web map containing data collected from key monitoring sites across the Napa Valley Subbasin. The Napa County Groundwater Web Map displays and disseminates data to the public on current groundwater conditions across the Subbasin and County.

Burn Workshop with Napa Green, March 19

See and learn the technique for a conservation/low-smoke burn. The Clean Burn Company and Napachar will run their BurnBoss air curtain burner and flame-capped kiln/ring-of-fire system for processing spent vines, fire fuel thinning, and other wood waste. See the Napa Green website for more info.

Wonder at Wildlife- Wildlife Rescue Open House, March 3

Napa Wildlife Rescue will be open to the public on Sunday, March 3 from 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. They will also be celebrating the 10th Birthday of Maddie, their education ambassador red-tailed hawk! They will be giving tours of the wildlife rehabilitation facility and the ongoing native plant restoration of their property.

Wildlife patients will not be available for viewing, but the education birds will be. All ages are welcome, please dress for the weather. The main clinic building is ADA accessible. Please call 707-685-5411 if you have any questions. Hope to see you there!

UCCE Forest Stewardship Workshop

Join this workshop to better understand and protect your forests by developing a Forest Management Plan. Topics include:

• Forest management objectives and planning
• Forest health
• Forest and fire ecology, wildlife, watersheds
• Fuels reduction, targeted grazing, and forest resource marketing
• Mapping, inventory and silviculture
• Project development & permitting
• Getting professional help and cost-share opportunities

Zoom meetings with all participants and presenters will take place once a week. The in-person field day will be in Fresno. All forest landowners across California are welcome to join.

Regenerative Winegrowing Immersion

Regenerative winegrowing is a dynamic approach that at its core is about profitably farming in alliance with the ecosystem. Holistic management is a framework that guides short and long-term decisions to ensure healthy profits, communities, and land. 

Hosted by the Paicines Ranch Learning Center and facilitated by Kelly Mulville and Rob Rutherford, this two-day immersion will lead participants to a deeper understanding of the practical and economic benefits of partnering with nature using consistently sound decisions.

This workshop will be held March 28-29.

Volunteer - Napa River Restoration Day

February 17 | 9-12pm

Learn- 3rd Saturday Hike at Bothe-Napa Valley State Park

February 17 | 9am-12pm

Learn & Gather- Streams Update at the Napa County Library

March 11 | 6:30pm

Volunteer - Napa River Restoration Day

March 16 | 9am-12pm

Volunteer - Earth Day Napa Community Cleanup

April 20 | 9-11:30am