15.1 Description of Area 15.1.1 The Land The Northern California Coast-Southern Fours Area is composed of Mendocino, Sonoma, and Marin counties, excluding watersheds that drain into San Francisco Bay (Figure 14). This region of the northern California coast contains three areas with substantial wetland habitats: the coastal wetlands, the interior valleys of the Eel River system, and the interior valleys of the Russian River system. Securement and enhancement of these wetlands will provide nesting, staging, and winter habitat for a variety of waterfowl and many wetland-dependent species. Threatened and endangered species are also present in each of the 15.0 three areas. Limited state and federal protection exists in the form of managed wildlife areas, pants, national seashores or refuges. Wetland enhancement and, in some cases, restoration activities implemented after acquisition will improve NORTHERN and. expand existing wetland habitats. The northern part of the focus area is bounded on the CALIFORNIA east approximately by the dividing ridge between the Eel River and the Sacramento River watersheds. Further south it follows the divide between the water COAST─ sheds of the Russian and Sacramento rivers. Two almost parallel ranges of the Coast Mountain Ranges extend through most of this focus area. The range on SOUTHERN the east is a continuation of the Mayacamas Mountains. In this range, near Potter Valley, rise the two largest rivers of this area: the Eel and Russian rivers. The Eel River flows northward and enters the Pacific Ocean FOCUS AREA just south of Humboldt Bay. The Russian River flows south and then west to empty into the ocean north of Bodega Head. 15-1 A number of streams, some of them of consider- In the southern interior of the focus area, the able volume, rise in the western mountain range mountains and hills are covered with Madrona, and flow westerly into the Pacific. None of these oaks, pines, spruce, and various other species of steams are navigable, but many form estuaries conifers. California nutmeg is found in the area where they flow into the ocean. Many other around the Geysers and across into northern Napa streams rise in the slopes east and west of the and Lake counties. The hills south of the mouth of chain of valleys between the main ranges and the Russian River, except a small belt of heavily flow into either the Eel River or the Russian River. timbered country, are fertile lands primarily in dairy farms. The country lying between the Along much of the western slope of the Coast foothills west of Santa Rosa Valley and the city of Mountains and extending inland from 15 to 50 Santa Rosa supports oak; the soil in many parts is kilometres (10 to 30 miles), lies the redwood gravelly, but in others rich and fertile. The forest area which is timbered with redwood and Laguna de Santa Rosa extends along the western fir, interspersed with pine, laurel, Madrona, and side of the Santa Rosa Plains and empties into the live oak. Along the coastline is a strip of open Russian River via Mark West Creek. During grassland from 2 to 5 kilometres (1 to 3 miles) severe winters, surface water spreads out and wide. The coastline is generally a bluff-rock 15 overflows a large portion of the Laguna. metres (50 feet) high, with relatively few beach areas. In the south, Sonoma and Petaluma creeks flow in a southeasterly direction and empty into San North of Cloverdale the mountains are very high Pablo Bay. These watersheds are not being and precipitous. The Russian River courses a considered by the Pacific Coast Joint Venture. great distance from Ukiah Valley to the valley 15.1.2 The People around Cloverdale, through a deep gorge in the hills. Between the Russian River and the Pacific Mendocino, Sonoma, and Marin counties have a coast is a series of bold, rocky mountains and total land area of approximately 1,452,000 deep gorges. Along the coast, north of the mouth hectares (3,587,840 acres), and supported a 1990 of the Russian River, the country is much broken; population of just under 700,000 people. Most of in some places the mountains project into the the population resides in the southern parts of ocean, in others, coves are formed South of the Sonoma and Marin counties. In 1990, Santa Rosa mouth of the Russian River, the coast is compos- was the only city with a population over 50,000. ed mostly of a series of rolling hills with small intervening valleys. In the south, many estuaries In the north, the economy is heavily timber push far inland. These estuaries provide habitats dependent. In the south, vineyards and dairy farms for great numbers of fish, waterfowl, and other are major land uses. Nearer the coast, grazing of wildlife. sheep, beef cattle, and dairy herds are important activities. In all of these areas, tourism-based industries are expanding. 15-2 Figure 14. Northern California Coast-Southern Focus Area 15-3 The commercial fishing industry is focused at (53,000 acres) are managed by the California Bodega Bay and Fort Bragg but is important to Department of Forestry and Fire Protection; the entire coast of this focus area. 1,708 hectares (4,220 acres) are administered by the California Department of Fish and Game, and 15.1.3 Wetland Habitats the University of California conducts research on 2,096 hectares (5,178 acres) at Hopland. Approxi- The wetlands of Mendocino, Sonoma, and Marin mately 2,111 hectares (5,216 acres) are admin- counties are important wetland habitats along the istered by state and local governments for Pacific Flyway. In addition to their value to resource protection in Sonoma County; and in waterfowl, shorebirds, and other wildlife, coastal excess of 42,536 hectares (105,105 acres) are wetlands are important nursery areas for many under federal, state, local, or private conservation fish and invertebrates. organization management in Marin County. Major wetlands include Tomales Bay, Bodega Additional information on protected habitats can Bay, Garcia River, Big River, Ten Mile River, be found in the following sources: Laguna de Santa Rosa, and Little Lake Valley. These wetlands represent salt marsh; brackish Dixon, Carolyn. 1990. An Inventory of marsh; freshwater marsh; seasonal wetlands; and Protected Resource Lands in Sonoma riverine, mudflat, eelgrass, and open water County; habitats. The major threat to the continued existence of coastal wetlands is from summer Greenbelt Alliance. 1988. The Greenbelt's recreational use and associated developments Public Lands, Public Lands Database for adjacent to wetlands, which use scarce water sup- the San Francisco Bay Area. plies. 15.15 Threats to Wetland Habitats 15.1.4 Existing Habitat Protection According to the Association of Bay Area Some of the focus area's natural resources are Governments (ABAG), the population of Sonoma included within federal, state, or locally admin- County tripled between 1950 and 1980, with half istered lands, which offer varying degrees of of the growth occurring during the 1970s. The protection. In Mendocino County, the U.S. population of Sonoma County in 1970 was Forest Service manages 69,231 hectares (171,000 204,885 and reached 388,222 in 1990. An increase acres) and the Bureau of Land Management in population of 10.9% was noted between 1980 administers 656 hectares (1,620 acres); 1,317 and 1985, with an increase of 46% expected hectares (3,253 acres) are managed by the U.S. between 1985 and 2005. Army Corps of Engineers; 12,105 hectares (29,900 acres) are managed by the California Department Sonoma County is presently the sixteenth most of Parks and Recreation; 21,458 hectares populous county in the state, with ABAG predict- 15-4 ing that it will be second in growth rate during • Securement. Permanently secure, the next fifteen years. Between 1990 and 2005, through fee title acquisition, easements, according to ABAG, the county will need at least or other measures, an additional 8,100 49,000 new dwelling units. hectares (20,000 acres) of coastal and interior wetlands and riparian habitats According to Greenbelt Alliance, Sonoma County with associated uplands which are impor- has the least amount of protected open space (6% tant to maintaining their integrity and of total) of the nine Bay Area counties. There are quality. 25,500 hectares (63,00 acres) presently under some forth of protection out of a total of approxi- • Restoration. Restore 1,420 hectares mately 409,000 hectares (1,010,000 acres) of land. (3,500 acres) of reclaimed coastal and interior wetlands on both private and Protective zoning and other regulations offer im- public lands. portant protection for wetlands, but are not always sufficient to resist the pressures for devel- • Enhancement. Enhance 2,230 hectares opment. Many of the wetlands are small and, thus, (5,500 acres) of coastal and interior more vulnerable. wetlands and riparian habitats on public and private lands. Especially in the southern part of the focus area, agricultural operations, with their related draining, 15.3 Population Objectives point source and non-point source pollution, removal of native vegetation, increased water and There are no well-defined population goals for pesticide use, continue to threaten wetland habitats. most wildlife species. The needs are best address- ed in terms of habitat goal. The overall waterfowl Timber and mining operations continue to objective is to maintain populations equal to the represent threats to some wetlands through greatest population since 1970. erosion and siltation. Water quality may also be threatened by failing septic systems and the • Maintain habitat capable of supporting a introduction of inadequately treated wastewater. peak winter population of 3,000 Brant.