Wolverton Gulch
Watershed Overview : Wolverton Gulch is a tributary to Barber Creek located in Hydesville, California and draining into the Van Duzen River at Starvation Flats. It is located 40degrees 32’18” North latitude and 124 degrees 06’39” West latitude with approximately 3.7 miles of blue line stream. Elevations in Wolverton Creek range from 40 feet at the mouth to 1000 feet in the headwaters. The watershed is primarily in private ownership with some PALCO holdings in the upper reaches.
Landowner : Claude and Berta Young moved to their property in 1995. Conservation and watershed protection have been a concern to the Youngs. They and other community members were influential in defining Wolverton Creek as a Class 1 stream during a proposed timber harvest plan in the upper reaches.
Over the past decade, the Youngs established a relationship with the Hydesville School District. Working with Mr.Jim Rizza, science teacher, students in grades 7/8 participated in stream restoration, planting to improve the riparian zone, and the removal of invasive species. For the past three years, through the Gifted and Talented Science in the Schools project and a mini-grant from the Clean Water Institute, the Youngs worked with Sal Steinberg, and the Humboldt State University graduate student, Nick Simpson, to conduct macroinvertebrate and water quality studies. For a report for the Clean Water Institute, go to http://fovd.org/htm/Wolverton/wolverton_creek_report.htm.
In 2006, the Youngs became a part of the Water Quality Control grant conducting more intensive water quality monitoring. Jim Rizza, now retired, continued his association with the Youngs by taking water samples and monitoring turbidity. Karen Bromley, Humboldt State University graduate students conducted ph, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and conductivity in Wolverton Gulch.
Claude
Young giving a tour of his property
to Director Paul Trichillo,Marge
Lasky, and Ed Brenneman.
Students from Hydesville Elementary School studying
Macroinvertebrates in Wolverton Gulch.
For more pictures showing students in Wolverton Creek go to http://fovd.org/htm/educational_projects.htm.
Director Paul Trichilo and Karen Bromley, HSU graduate students studying flow on Wolverton Gulch
A Stream Inventory Report was conducted by the California Dept of Fish and Game in 1997 through the Salmon and Steelhead Restoration and Enhancement Program of the North Coast Basin Planning Project. This is presently available in hard copy through California Dept.of Fish and Game in Fortuna.
Restoration work by Eel River Watershed Improvement Group was conducted in 1999 to encourage fish passage. A project was conducted by Northwest Resource in 2001 to restore summer stream flows and salmonid habitat, and prevent excessive sedimentation on 1780 feet of Wolverton Creek and 300 feet of Barber Creek by placement of stock water, exclusion and control fencing. For more information about the restoration projects go to the California Watershed Portal. http://cwp.resources.ca.gov/browser/search.epl?nrpi=1&hrname=&huname=&keyword=&idnum=01111.210002&haname=
Wolverton Gulch is currently involved in the Coastal Watersheds Project conducted by the California Dept.of Fish and Game. For more information on this project, contact Steve Cannata at 725-1015 or go to the web site www.coastalwatersheds.ca.gov/ and click on the Van Duzen.
The Wolverton Creek station has been a major site for our turbidity and suspended sediment investigation into the Van Duzen River Basin. During HY07, of all the tributaries, Wolverton Gulch registered the highest average turbidity levels and the highest single reading 2352NTU’s of any of the streams. For more statistical information, please note the graphs from the 2007 Hydrologic Year and the Monitoring Report for 2007, which can be viewed on our website, www.fovd.org.