Ross Taylor and Associates

11/28/2023

SERCAL is a great organization, all about ecological restoration in California, plus they have a great program for mentoring the next generation of restorationists! https://www.instagram.com/p/C0KckE3SvuT/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

07/20/2023

07/20/2023

Juvenile lamprey (called ammocoetes) were extremely abundant in lower Prairie Creek, both brook lamprey and Pacific lamprey were caught and relocated prior to channel dewatering and reconstruction.

07/20/2023

RTA just completed an 8-day fish relocation for a channel rehabilitation project on lower Prairie Creek, tributary to Redwood Creek in Humboldt County, CA. The relocation encompassed approximately 1,200 feet of channel, and the methods to capture fish and amphibians included seine netting and electrofishing. We caught and relocated 974 salmonids, which included all four anadromous species present in northern CA - coho salmon (age-0 and age-1 fish), Chinook salmon (age-0 fish), three age classes of juvenile steelhead, and multiple age classes of coastal cutthroat trout. The most abundant species relocated were juvenile lampreys (both brook and Pacific) - a whopping total of 4,606! Also present were two species of sculpin (>2,000 caught and moved), three-spine stickleback, red-legged frog, yellow-legged frog, tailed frog tadpoles, Pacific giant salamander, and 1,450 pearl shell mussels. This effort was successful because of assistance from numerous project partners, including California Trout, the Yurok Tribal Construction Corporation, Redwood National Park, State Parks' Redwood Rising program, CDFW, and NOAA Fisheries. Photos by RTA employee LT Vernallis.

05/08/2022

Similar to a golfer's bag of clubs, we hit the links at Martin Slough with a selecton of seine nets while conducting the biological monitoring. A variety of net lengths and mesh sizes is key to our sampling success!

03/23/2022

RTA continues winter/spring, monthly biological monitoring of the Martin Slough enhancement project. The lack of consistent rains in January and February led to relatively high salinities in several of the off-channel ponds on the Eureka Muni Golf Course. Instead of supporting over-wintering juvenile coho salmon, these ponds were dominated by brackish and marine species. Most of our coho catch has been in Martin Slough's main channel, upstream of the brackish water intrusion. However, this past week, the combination of some rain and the commencement of juvenile coho starting to smolt-up, some coho were caught in two of the off-channel ponds. One memorable seine net set in "Pond G" yielded six coho salmon, nine tidewater goby and a western pond turtle! Recaptures of previously PIT-tagged coho salmon continue to document excellent growth rates of over-wintering salmonids in Martin Slough. Photos taken by Ishan Steelhead.

12/30/2021

Another fine example of "build it and they shall come". Gulch C is a tributary to the upper Noyo River in Mendocino County that had two crossings that were migration barriers to coho salmon and steelhead. The lowermost crossing was a severely perched culvert under the Skunk Train RR tracks (see photo), with a second perched culvert on a timber company road located just upstream. In 2020, both culverts were replaced - an embedded culvert under the RR tracks (see photo) and a bridge on the road. In June of 2021, RTA confirmed that several age classes of juvenile steelhead had moved into Gulch C above the project area. On December 29, 2021, CDFW confirmed adult coho salmon spawning in Gulch C upstream of the project area. Post-project monitoring is key in determining project sucess and evaluating the biological response of the target species.

06/17/2021

RTA collaborated with Humboldt Baykeeper on a study of the methylmercury content in commonly caught and consumed fish from the nearshore ocean waters of northern California.

03/05/2021

This past week RTA participated in a fish passage assessment survey of a diversion structure on a Trinity River tributary. Close to three miles of upstream spawning and rearing habitat is partially blocked by this concrete sill. Recent surveys using eDNA technology have detected coho salmon right up to the pool below this drop and none upstream of this drop. We will evaluate passage with the FishXing hydraulic modeling software and then make recommendations to restore unimpeded passage for both adult and juvenile salmon and steelhead, as well as other native fish such as Pacific lamprey.

02/25/2021

2021 marks the 25th year that RTA has been involved with the Mono Basin Restoration Program. Ross Taylor has served as the State Water Board-appointed fisheries scientist since 2009 and was a co-author of the 2010 Synthesis Report. This report provided the watershed and fisheries science to recommend streamflow changes needed to accelerate and maintain the restoration of Rush and Lee Vining Creeks.

Yesterday, Wednesday, February 10, the California State Water Resources Control Board publicly noticed the much-anticipated revision and update to the Los

12/23/2020

The little bit of rain in the past week was enough to raise the water level in local creeks and rivers, and stimulate the movement of juvenile coho salmon into over-wintering habitats, such as these off-channel ponds. On November 24th we caught 16 coho, on December 22nd we caught 52 coho and one juvenile steelhead.

12/10/2020

Food insecurity is a big issue in Humboldt County, especially with the pandemic and the holidays. At Ross Taylor and Associates we're happy to contribute to Food for People, one of our local food banks.

This holiday season the need for food assistance is greater than ever. Food for People is so thankful for our sponsors who have generously stepped up to support our work to end hunger.

Thank you!
Pierson Building Center
American AgCredit
Recology
North Coast Co-op
CDH Painting, Inc.
Green Diamond Resource Company
Tri Counties Bank
Ross Taylor and Associates
Valley Pacific Petroleum Services
Colburn Electric
NYLEX.net Inc.
The Janssen Law Firm
Ring's Pharmacy
Anderson, Lucas, Somerville & Borges, LLP
Redwood Capital Bank
Philippe Lapotre Architect

Every act of generosity counts. Learn more about our Holiday Food & Fund Drive and how you can support.
https://foodforpeople.org/