As all readers will surely be aware, California has been experiencing increasing fire severity and frequency in recent years. In 2020, 4 million acres were burned, and in 2021, the Dixie and Caldor fires were the first fires in CA history to hop the crest of the Sierra Nevada. So, […]
Read More >Water Quality Monitoring
This winter has certainly been one for the memory books, but what about the record books? With all of the rain we’ve received over the last few weeks, multiple questions have been coming up. Just how big is this storm compared to prior wet years? Is this a “drought buster”? What […]
Read More >This summer, Sierra Streams Institute board member Dave Herbst worked with SSI staff, volunteers and recent graduates from UC Santa Cruz to pilot a project characterizing aquatic invertebrate biodiversity of streams throughout the Sierra Nevada, including the Yuba River. This work builds on our long-term citizen monitoring program, our partnership […]
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Summer sampling by the numbers: Summer Water Quality Summary: Between June and August, we collected water quality data from 12 sites in the Deer Creek watershed and 10 sites in the Bear River watershed. Learn more about our water quality parameters below! Oxygen is necessary for all forms of life. […]
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The signs are related to bacteria levels. Every summer in the creeks, as the temperature increases and water flow decreases, we see an increase in bacteria at many of our monitoring sites. Some amount of bacteria is always present in creek water, but less water in the creek concentrates any […]
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Over the last twenty years, Sierra Streams Institute’s water quality monitoring program has used citizen science to assess the health of the Deer Creek Watershed and engage community members in their local ecosystems. Historically, dedicated volunteers conducted monthly monitoring along eighteen sites spread strategically throughout the watershed. Volunteers measure pH, […]
Read More >When: January 8, from 10AM- 12PM, rain delay date January 9 Where: Pioneer Park Picnic Area (See map below) Questions or for more information contact Emma Walker, River Scientist, emma@sierrastreamsinstitute.org We are looking for more volunteer monitors specifically for the Bear River. Learn more about our Bear River Monitoring Here. […]
Read More >Background and History: The Bear River, flowing from its headwaters to the confluence with the Feather River, spans 73 miles. Its waters are heavily managed through dams and diversions. Though it is one of the more degraded watersheds in the area, the Bear River is one of the least monitored. […]
Read More >As we reach the first anniversary of the Jones Fire, there is a lot to reflect on both the landscape and organization. Much like a forest is renewed by low severity while simultaneously being forever changed by high severity fire, by losing our office to the blaze, we were given […]
Read More >Our heart goes out to all in our community who were affected by the River Fire. This fast-moving fire took the community by surprise, and we are grateful to all the firefighters and community members who helped defend our communities. Unfortunately, there was still an immense loss. We want to […]
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In the spring, Lang and Indra Waters can be found crawling around creeks looking for Sierra Newts during their mating season. This father-son duo has made a family tradition of exploring their surroundings, learning about all of the woodland critters around them. On hiking and camping trips, Lang’s father infected […]
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Samantha Vigil is always on the go! She loves to try new things and is always looking for activities to try. This is certainly clear when you look at her accomplishments. As she pursues her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies at Sacramento State, she works as a scientific aid for the […]
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