Sometimes I Feel so Small
This past Saturday, I paddled with members of the Tuolumne River Trust on their final leg of the "Paddle to the Sea" event, to raise awareness of the fragility of the river. The Tuolumne river starts out high in the Sierras, then passes through Don Pedro reservoir, then into the Sacramento River delta ecosystem, then on to San Pablo and San Francisco bay. Ultimately ending in the Pacific Ocean.
Snowmelt from Mount Lyell forms the headwaters of the Tuolumne.
The headwaters of the Tuolumne River begin at 13,000 feet in Yosemite National Park in the Sierra Nevada mountains. As the river gathers strength, it carves out canyons that provide 27 miles of world-class whitewater for rafters and kayakers.
150 miles downstream at the river's mouth, thousands of Chinook salmon return each fall to spawn on the lower river. The Tuolumne watershed supports many species of wildlife, including bald eagles, spotted owls, prairie falcons, and a healthy wild trout fishery enjoyed by anglers.
In addition to providing excellent wildlife habitat and recreational facilities, the Tuolumne River has been extensively developed to deliver water and electricity to San Francisco and other Bay Area cities. The river also provides water for farmers in the Central Valley.
Unfortunately, this development has caused a precipitous fall in the number of returning salmon: from over 804,000 returning salmon 8 years ago, to just 1,100 last year.
This event was the final leg of the "Paddle to the Sea" event. I was proud to help ensure that guest paddlers were safe on the waterfront; some had journeyed the entire length of the river to it's end, here in San Francisco.
What a day on the bay!
for more photos, go here: paddler.smugmug.com/gallery/8496851_uarbj
Sometimes I Feel so Small
This past Saturday, I paddled with members of the Tuolumne River Trust on their final leg of the "Paddle to the Sea" event, to raise awareness of the fragility of the river. The Tuolumne river starts out high in the Sierras, then passes through Don Pedro reservoir, then into the Sacramento River delta ecosystem, then on to San Pablo and San Francisco bay. Ultimately ending in the Pacific Ocean.
Snowmelt from Mount Lyell forms the headwaters of the Tuolumne.
The headwaters of the Tuolumne River begin at 13,000 feet in Yosemite National Park in the Sierra Nevada mountains. As the river gathers strength, it carves out canyons that provide 27 miles of world-class whitewater for rafters and kayakers.
150 miles downstream at the river's mouth, thousands of Chinook salmon return each fall to spawn on the lower river. The Tuolumne watershed supports many species of wildlife, including bald eagles, spotted owls, prairie falcons, and a healthy wild trout fishery enjoyed by anglers.
In addition to providing excellent wildlife habitat and recreational facilities, the Tuolumne River has been extensively developed to deliver water and electricity to San Francisco and other Bay Area cities. The river also provides water for farmers in the Central Valley.
Unfortunately, this development has caused a precipitous fall in the number of returning salmon: from over 804,000 returning salmon 8 years ago, to just 1,100 last year.
This event was the final leg of the "Paddle to the Sea" event. I was proud to help ensure that guest paddlers were safe on the waterfront; some had journeyed the entire length of the river to it's end, here in San Francisco.
What a day on the bay!
for more photos, go here: paddler.smugmug.com/gallery/8496851_uarbj