SYRCL Plans Two Fall Salmon Rafting Expeditions

YUBA RIVER — The South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL) will lead public rafting trips on the lower Yuba River on Sunday, October 25, and Saturday, November 7, giving participants a chance to look for spawning Chinook salmon and explore the river’s restoration sites.

The outings are open to ages 4 and older and begin at 9 AM at Sycamore Ranch, 5390 Highway 20 in Browns Valley. SYRCL’s education staff will lead the trips with rafting guides from H2O Adventures.

Tickets cost $100 for adults and $75 for children ages 4 through 12. Adult SYRCL members can buy a $90 ticket. Registration is required, and space is limited.

The trips follow the model of SYRCL’s school field expeditions, with stops and lessons about salmon life cycles, river ecology, and the effects of gold mining on the watershed.

The route includes Lower Long Bar, where SYRCL says its restoration project removed mining gravel to lower the floodplain closer to the water, created channels, and planted vegetation. The work was designed to give young salmon places to feed and shelter from strong currents.

“Our goal is to help people of all ages see themselves as part of the watershed ecosystem,” Monique Streit, SYRCL’s education director, said in the September 28 press release. “When folks come together, observe salmon, and see restoration in action, that connection deepens.”

The school program faced a funding interruption this year after the February 13 rupture of the large pipe supplying New Colgate Powerhouse. Yuba Water Agency paused community grants to concentrate resources on repairs and recovery. In a June bulletin, the agency said it could not fund this year’s salmon trips for Yuba County students.

SYRCL said in its September 28 release that it and the Yuba County Educational Foundation had raised $150,000 to keep the school expeditions operating this fall. The public outings are part of the organization’s broader salmon education program.

Participants should bring water, lunch, sun protection, and clothing suitable for river conditions. Professional rafting teams provide safety instruction, life jackets, and paddles.

Separate registration pages are available for October 25 and November 7. For trip information, contact Streit at monique@yubariver.org or (530) 265-5961, extension 218.