Gualala River Watershed
Preservation Ranch is located within the 300 square mile Gualala River watershed, in the south-westerly portion of Mendocino and the northwesterly part of Sonoma County, California:
- The terrain is mountainous and rugged, with the river and numerous tributaries flowing in gorge-like valleys with narrow bottom lands.
- The watershed includes 75 miles of salmon and 178 miles of steelhead habitat.
- The Gualala River is included on the Clean Water Act 303(d) list for impairments associated with excessive sediment and high temperatures resulting from past land use.
- Climate near the coast is generally mild throughout the year. Rainfall averages 38 inches at the coast and up to 70 inches per year inland.
- One of the groups gathering data for science-based decision making on the Gualala River watershed is the Gualala River Watershed Council.
