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Brian Hines, a Creekkeeper Volunteer & TU State Officer, checks maps at an illegally dug channel in Alexander Valley.

River Patrol

All too often we find homeowners building elaborate docks with no permits such as this person above. This dock was being prepared as a ramp for a hydro-foil race boat and allowed sediment, concrete, roadbase and other pollutants into the river.

Related: Report a polluter to Riverkeeper.

Maintaining an on-the-water presence is at the core of all Waterkeeper programs. All the work we do is grounded is the everyday reality we see on the Russian River. Every year we spend hundreds of hours on the river from the upper reaches in the Ukiah Valley all the way to the mouth at Jenner. The River Patrol is used for identifying problems impacting the river, documenting regulatory compliance and researching watershed dynamics. The information we gather often directs our activities and encompasses water quality, riparian vegetation, bank stability, terrestrial and aquatic wildlife communities, land use and human interaction with the river. We are often the first to spot problems and trends on the river and sometimes bring the regulators and elected officials on the river to see problems first hand and work on solutions. We spend more time on the river than some agencies charged with protecting the river so our impact on problems is significant.

Our tools of the trade are fairly simple. It starts with a working knowledge of watershed systems, biology, water quality, resource protection laws and regulations and how to document problems and who to report them to. Our main patrol craft is a canoe although we sometimes use a kayak, aluminum skiff or inflatable zodiac with our modern low emission Honda outboard. Inside our boats our tools include a notebook, cell phone, binoculars, camera and video recorder, GPS device, electronic water meter and water sampling equipment.

Enforcement Projects 2005

Vino Farms Rip-Rap Project

Succeeded in stopping the original project design after Sonoma County Supervisors approved project. Vino Farms consultants redesigned project and PWA reviewed and approved as superior to original design……Dec 13 BOS hearing to approve redesigned project.

Russian River Patrol

Documented 23 legal violations and reported them to appropriate agencies, working with PRMD on riparian protection issues discovered on patrol.