Lower Green Valley Creek Off-Channel Habitat Enhancement Project

In summer 2025 the Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District constructed the Lower Green Valley Creek Off-Channel Habitat Enhancement Project on the Iron Horse Vineyards property. The project contributes to coho salmon and steelhead trout recovery in the Russian River watershed by creating and connecting off-channel habitat along Green Valley Creek to provide a refuge from high flows and serve as winter foraging habitat for juvenile fish.

The photo below on the left shows conditions on the lower floodplain prior to construction (June 2025) and the photo below on the right shows conditions from the same location with the newly created lower floodplain outlet with fish utilization monitoring equipment in place following construction (March 2026).

Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District built this project in collaboration with Iron Horse Vineyards and local, state, federal, and tribal governments, with funding from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife Fisheries Restoration Grant Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Restoration Center, and Iron Horse Vineyards.

To learn more about the project:

-Sign up for the Gold Ridge RCD email newsletter

-Contact John Green at the Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District: 707-823-5244, Ext 10 or john AT goldridgercd.org

-Visit the project’s entry in the RCD Project Tracker, a database that lists conservation and restoration projects by RCDs in Sonoma County and across California

-Visit Iron Horse Vineyards and read their updates on the project

-Review the project design plans