South Fork River Project

Above Photo: South Fork of the Humboldt River.

About this Project

This South Fork River Stabilization and Meadow Rehabilitation project directly addressed water quality parameters in three miles of the South Fork of the Humboldt River and the South Fork Reservoir. The goal of the project was to improve water quality entering and leaving the reservoir, which eventually enters the Humboldt River, which is listed as Impaired under CWA Section 303(d). To improve water quality, 319(h) grant funded project elements focused on the following goals:

• Control of noxious and invasive weeds which had invaded abandoned irrigated hay meadows at the time of state purchase of the land in 1987.
• Reseed the meadows with native and introduced grasses, in order to control erosion occurring on denuded lands.
• Utilizing tree and shrub plantings, stabilize eroding stream banks along the South Fork of the Humboldt River, where it meanders for 3 miles through the meadows.
• Augment beaver dams along the river by caching aspen branches that the beavers could use for dam construction.
• Monitor, manage, and maintain the treatment areas for goal attainment and maintenance needs.

For more information contact Coralee Ditman at cditman@forestry.nv.gov.