Mendocino County CA Forsythe Creek Redwood Valley
FORSYTHE CREEK
MENDOCINO COUNTY, REDWOOD VALLEY, CALIFORNIA
A segment of Forsythe Creek flows South under the Uva Drive Bridge in Redwood Valley and then continues South, paralleling U.S. HWY 101, until it flows under the U.S. HWY 101 Bridge. The area between these two points has had many natural changes since 1941, as the seasons changed each year. And then man came and began to tinker with the creek, reducing the flows as grapes were introduced in the area and water began to be siphoned off through pumping and well drilling near the banks of Forsythe Creek.
The well drilling and pumping, most illegal, had a tremendous impact on the water rights of downstream users and eventually dried up the creek during the summer months with the exception of a few water holes left even during the driest years.
Landowners tried to change the direction of the creek by building various constructions in the creekbed which caused downstream property losses and increased erosion of banks. California State and local agencies, coupled with ever-changing landowners, tried many methods in this area to protect their land from erosion causing downstream problems with their endeavors over the years.
Always the work along the banks and in the creek was surveyed and conducted in the summer and early fall months when the creek looked small and was mostly dry. The so-called "experts", acting "God-Like" in their work never considered what the dry Forsythe Creek looked like in the winter when at a high level or in a flood stage during the yearly rainy seasons.
Thus, their endeavors to protect stream-banks and other areas always failed in one way or another making erosion worse both upstream and downstream of their projects. The ADC has endeavored to show, through the many photographs in this section, what this small area of Forsythe Creek looks like when in flood stage and also to show some of the work projects when the creek was dry and the failure of the majority of these projects to stop erosion.
We hope that these photographs will provide an example of what not to do when working in a dry creek without understanding the yearly flows and flood stages of Forsythe Creek.
It is also alleged that illegal pumping, fishing, and other activities are occuring in this area. When illegal pumping is coupled with illegal disturbances of the floodplain areas and creek banks (without obtaining a permit), it is alleged that this increases erosion and disturbs the aquatic life in Forsythe Creek.
The photographs below of Forsythe Creek do not show the creek at full flood stage. In previous years, at times, the creek has been much higher during flood periods and covered more land area.
California Fish & Wildlife Information
474UA 5 2016 California Fish & Wildlife Website January 27, 2016 https___www.wildlife.ca.pdf
California Fish & Wildlife Information on Lake & Streambed Alterations - Permits Required
California North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board
474UC 5 2016 California EPA Website January 27, 2016 http___www.calepa.ca.pdf
Forsythe Creek in Flood Stage - Photographs Taken December 21, 2015 - Bluff Area
Forsythe Creek - Photographs - December 21, 2015 - Flood Stage - The Bluff Area
474UD 6 2015 Redwood Valley CA Forsythe Creek December 21, 2015 D Northeast View from The Bluff.pdf
Forsythe Creek Western View Photographs - December 21, 2015 Flood Stage - Showing Burn Pile
Forsythe Creek Photographs - Flood Stage - December 21, 2015
Forsythe Creek Photographs - Flood Stage - December 21, 2015 - Bank Erosion
Forsythe Creek Photographs - Flood Stage - December 21, 2015 Various Views of Creek During a Flood Period.
Forsythe Creek - Photographs Taken During Flood Stage - December 21, 2015 - Burn Pile & Denuded Bank
Forsythe Creek - Photographs Taken During Flood Stage - December 21, 2015
Forsythe Creek - Photographs Taken During Flood Stage - December 21, 2015
Forsythe Creek - Photographs Taken During Flood Stage - December 21, 2015 - Uva Drive Bridge & Forsythe Creek
Forsythe Creek - Photographs Taken During Flood Stage - December 21, 2015 - Just South of U.S. HWY 101 & Forsythe Creek
Forsythe Creek - Photographs Taken During Flood Stage - December 21, 2015 - Just South of U.S. HWY 101
Forsythe Creek - Photographs Taken During Construction in Creek - October 11, 2009 - Near The Bluff
(Forsythe Creek Area is West Northwest of U.S. HWY 101.)
474UF 12 2009 Redwood Valley Forsythe Creek Bed North View October 11, 2009 1.pdf
474UF 12 2009 Redwood Valley Forsythe Creek East Southeast View from Creekbed October 11, 2009 4.pdf
474UF 12 2009 Redwood Valley Forsythe Creek South View of Bank South of Well October 11, 2009 22.pdf
474UF 12 2009 Redwood Valley Forsythe Creek Southern View Looking Toward Well October 11, 2009 2.pdf
474UF 12 2009 Redwood Valley Forsythe Creek West Northwest View from South October 11, 2009 25.pdf
Forsythe Creek - Photographs - Area North of The Bluff - October 17, 2015
Mendocino County Rain News - December 2015
Forsythe Creek Area - Miscellaneous Photographs - December 21, 2015
474UY 6 2015 Redwood Valley CA Forsythe Creek December 21, 2015 Z Photo From East Bank of Creek.pdf
AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS OF FORSYTHE CREEK IN REDWOOD VALLEY, CA
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
1252 Airport Park Blvd., Suite B1, Ukiah, CA 95482
(707) 468-9223 Extension 115