Category Archives: Events

Bike Trail, Boating, Events, History, Rafting, safety, Water, Wildlife

California’s outdoor writers flock to Auburn, Placer County

They came. They saw. They were conquered – by Placer County’s outdoor attractions.

That was the consensus of local tourism industry spokespeople after 58 writers and photographers with the Outdoor Writers Association of California were treated to a variety of opportunities to explore and learn about Placer County’s outdoor amenities as part of the group’s conference Sunday and Monday in Auburn.

Bob Semerau, association president emeritus, had praise Tuesday for organizers and Auburn attractions.

“Experiencing the broad spectrum of outdoor adventure opportunities to be found in Placer County has given the membership a real appreciation for this lovely part of California,” Semerau said. “Fly fishing the middle fork of the American River with Grady Garlough of Rise Up River Trips highlighted the pristine and wild natural beauty to be found throughout the region. And the fishing was awesome.”

Mora Rowe, Placer County Visitors Bureau executive director, said Tuesday that many facets of the county’s outdoor tourism-based industry were presented to the organization in tours and recreational opportunities.

They included bass fishing on Folsom Lake, a tour of ancient geology and watersheds in the Foresthill area and target practice at the Auburn Trap Shooting Club. At the Auburn Quarry near Cool, experienced rock climbers were offered the opportunity to climb a cliff.

More at AuburnJournal.com >>>

Boating, Events, Fish, History, Rafting, safety, Salmon, Water, Wildlife

Folsom Lake level reaches important milestone

Sunday Jan. 31 will be remembered as the day Folsom Lake recovered.

In less than two months, Folsom Lake has gone from the lowest level in its 60-year history to above average for this time of year.

According to preliminary data from the California Department of Water Resources, Folsom Lake rose from below average to above average sometime between 4 and 5 a.m. Sunday.

As of 5 a.m., Folsom Lake held 507,193 acre feet (AF) of water. The average for Jan. 31 is 506,849 AF.

An acre foot of water will supply the average household for a year.

On Sunday morning, the lake level stood at 418 feet above sea level, roughly 70 feet higher than when it bottomed out on Dec. 4 with just 135,561 AF.

Like it or not, Folsom Lake will likely soon shift roles from water storage to flood control.

More at News10.net >>>

Events, Fish, Salmon, Water, Wildlife

Salmon Move Into Nimbus Hatchery

Nimbus Fish Hatchery workers have counted a total of 2,765 fall-run Chinook salmon, including 789 jacks and jills (two-year-old fish), at the facility since the salmon ladder opened Monday, Nov. 2

Considering the low flows of 500 cfs, this return is surprisingly good. Last year at this time the hatchery staff had counted approximately 2950 salmon, including 350 adults.

The other good news is that the water temperature on the river has cooled down 5 to 7 degrees over one week.

“The water temperature has gone down to 55 to 57 degrees, depending on which gauge you go by,” said Gary Novak, hatchery manager. “That’s phenomenal; last year the water temperature didn’t cool down to this temperature until the middle of November.”

The hatchery has spawned salmon three times to date. Novak noted that many of the fish at the facility are still “green,” not ready for spawning yet.

The 300,000 juvenile steelhead that will be released into the river system next February have also returned to the hatchery, after spending the summer at the Feather River Fish Hatchery in Oroville, due to high water temperatures at Nimbus.

A record low number of Central Valley steelhead, listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act, returned to the American River in January, February and March of 2015 and December of 2014. Only 143 adult steelhead returned to Nimbus Fish Hatchery during this time. In good years, the hatchery has trapped between 2000 and 4000 adult steelhead.

More at IndyBay.org >>>

Bike Trail, Events, Fish, safety, Water, Wildlife

American River Parkway Cleanup Saturday In Sacramento

A clean-up is planned Saturday along a stretch of the American River Parkway in Sacramento.

The goal is to reduce potential pollution in the region’s two major rivers.

The American River Parkway Foundation is coordinating the clean-up of trash and other debris near the Northgate Blvd. area.

The foundation says some of the material is left by visitors and illegal campers. There’s also a bridge over the river nearby that gets a lot of foot traffic.

From food wrappers and cigarette butts, to large pieces of plywood and discarded barbecues, the trash can end up in the American River, and eventually downstream in the Sacramento River when river levels rise.

More at CapRadio.org >>>

Events, Fish, Salmon, Water, Wildlife

Fish Ladder Opens On American River

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is releasing water from the bottom of Folsom Lake in an effort to get the river temperature below 60 degrees.

Laura Drath with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife says that’s the temperature needed for fall-run chinook to spawn.

“We have water running down the ladder from the hatchery to the river,” she says. “And when the salmon feel that current their instinct is to swim up river. So, they’ll jump up the steps of the ladder, make their way up the ladder from the river to the hatchery where we can  take bring them inside and start spawning them and collecting those eggs.”

The Nimbus Hatchery on the American River will open its fish ladder Monday morning for spawning salmon.

Drath says it’s too early to say how many salmon will return to spawn.

More at CapRadio.org >>>

Events, Wildlife

Migration takes turkey vulture flocks through Auburn area

With wingspans of six feet prominent in the clear early fall sky, turkey vultures are paying their annual migratory visit to Auburn.

On their way from areas in an around Washington State to final wintering destinations as far south as Brazil and Argentina, the majestic birds typically hunker down in the evenings in the American River Canyon and then take off in a swirl of feathers and flight to soar farther southward.

This year, the birds have flocked to Auburn in the hundreds, according to counts taken over the past week, mostly from a lookout knoll at Overlook Park in Auburn.

Deren Ross, an  Auburn birdwatcher, has been one of the group of spotters scanning the skies above Auburn from the Pacific Avenue park perch in late morning to count the vultures.

The count was up to 950 winged visitors by Tuesday, with 500 migrant turkey vultures spotted on Monday and  400 on Sunday. That was up from 40 on Saturday and another down day on Tuesday with no “kettles” of birds circling skyward and then taking off to the south.

Watchers spotted several vultures on Tuesday morning’s vigil but no confirmed migrants. Ross said that the skyway takes vultures through the Sacramento Valley and then left at the Sutter Buttes to move through Auburn for the turn south into the Sierra and toward Central America.

More at AuburnJournal.com >>>

Bike Trail, Boating, Events, Fish, History, Rafting, safety, Salmon, Water, Wildlife

PRESERVE THE PARKWAY

Saturday, September 19, is the date for the annual “Great American River Clean Up.”  During the hours of 9 a.m. to noon, please consider donating some time to help clean the American River Parkway.

The American River Parkway Foundation sponsors the annual event as one way to maintain the natural habitat that comprises this 23 mile stretch along the American River.

Volunteers can register online and many students use the event as a way to earn community service credits for school.  Staging sites where you can check-in include Alumni Grove at CSUS, Ancil Hoffman Park, and William Pond Park.   More information can be obtained online at the American River Parkway Foundation website. 

Bike Trail, Events, History

Johnny Cash Trail Art Experience Master Plan Approved

The Folsom City Council unanimously approved a master plan for the Johnny Cash Trail Art Experience, featuring public art that honors one of the world’s most famous country musicians and his influence on the City of Folsom.

The three-acre Johnny Cash Legacy Park will be located at the corner of East Natoma Street and Folsom Lake Crossing.  The park will incorporate interpretive and educational elements about Johnny Cash, his band the Tennessee Three, and the “At Folsom Prison” album.  It will also include a small amphitheater, educational spaces, traditional park amenities, and connection to the Johnny Cash Trail and Bike/Pedestrian Overcrossing.

More at RocklinToday.com >>>

Bike Trail, Events, Rafting, safety

Parkway Closed for Eppie’s Great Race July 18

Eppie’s Great Race is scheduled for Saturday, July 18, 2015 along the American River Parkway.

The annual event starts at the William B. Pond Recreation Area with runners racing downstream (West) to the Guy West Bridge.

At Guy West Bridge, runners will transition to bikes and head upstream (East) to the Sunrise Avenue footbridge where they will switch to water crafts and paddle downstream (West) to River Bend Park.

The American River Parkway Multi-Use Trail will be closed from Guy West Bridge upstream to Sunrise Avenue footbridge from 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

There will be aid stations set up at approximately every 1 mile to provide support to the runners, cyclists and paddlers with food, fluids, and if needed, medical attention.

Bike Trail, Boating, Events, Rafting, safety

American River Parkway Alcohol Restriction July 11

​For safety, the Regional Parks Director has issued an alcohol restriction on the American River from Hazel to Watt Avenues in preparation for a non-permitted event – Rafting Gone Wild – July 11, 2015.

In 2012, the Rafting Gone Wild event resulted in multiple arrests, destruction of public and private property, and presented a significant threat to the safety of the public and our community. Based on information obtained from multiple sources, the Department of Regional Parks anticipates similar unsafe circumstances during this year’s event.

As a result of the potential risks to the community including park visitors, rescue personnel and law enforcement, the Director of Regional Parks has issued an alcohol restriction for July 11, 2015.

County Park Rangers, Rancho Cordova Police Department and the Sacramento County Sheriff Department will be stationed at all park locations along the American River Parkway to enforce the alcohol restriction.  Violations of the alcohol restriction will be strictly enforced.