Mouth of the Mattole River, California
| The estuary and the Mattole River outlet to the Pacific Ocean are visible in this panorama, which opens up toward the north.
This ocean outlet can close off when Mattole river flows decrease in the summer. When this happens the salmon must survive in the estuary until sufficient rain overflows the estuary banks and creates another outlet to the ocean. Historically, juvenile salmon and steelhead often survived lengthy periods in the lagoon. But in recent years, the young fish died. Cover and shade in the estuary had decreased, so had overall depth; the result was a wide, exposed, and shallow lagoon where water temperatures quickly escalated during summer months. The task of the Mattole Restoration Council and their partners was to understand how changes in health of the entire watershed affected water temperature and therefore, salmon survival in the estuary. The immediate problem was at the estuary, but the cause lay upstream in poorly-constructed roads, clear cuts and cattle grazing in riparian areas. |
To the south of the estuary the King Range National Conservation Area offers recreation along the "Lost Coast" trail and in trails in the mountain range. The extremely steep and rocky terrain of the King Range forced construction of coastal State Highway 1 some 30 miles inland. This barrier to roads has created what is known as California's "Lost Coast" and a heaven for recreationists seeking a primitive setting. Coastal hiking, camping, bird watching, fishing, and kite flying are popular activities. The Lost Coast Trail is one of the most attractive features of the King Range National Conservation Area. The Lost Coast Train covers 24 miles of primitive beaches and coastline. Birds, marine mammals, the Punta Gorda Lighthouse, and relict shipwrecks are attractions along the trail. This is a chance to see California coastline without the roads, houses, and resorts; perhaps the only remaining opportunity to experience what northwestern California used to be like. You won't be disappointed. |
Viewing Instructions
| After the movie downloads, you simply click the mouse down on the picture (starting in the center works best) or use the arrow keys to scroll around. | You can use the "control" and "shift" keys to zoom in and out on the panorama. Set your monitor to view "Thousands of Colors", if possible. |
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