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PREVIOUSLY

• It Is Done: The Indianola Underpass (Now the Brad Mettam Memorial Interchange) Opened Today
• Big Safety Corridor Changes Imminent

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Facebook post from Caltrans District 1:

(EUREKA-ARCATA) EXPECT 101 CORRIDOR CHANGES SOON: Crews are almost finished constructing the Eureka-Arcata U.S. 101 Corridor Improvement Project, and we’re set to begin closing four median crossings during night work starting Sunday, July 19.

The median crossings at Bayside Cutoff, Bracut, the old mill and Mid-City Motors will be removed to help reduce collisions and improve safety. This won’t close Bayside Cutoff or the other connecting roads, but vehicles will no longer be able to cross 101 at those locations, which have long collision histories well above the state average.

These changes have been publicly planned for more than two decades. Median closures were identified in project planning documents beginning in 2001, followed by public open houses in 2001 and 2003, environmental review and public comment periods, newspaper notices, a public hearing in 2007 and another open house in 2008. Public input helped shape features, including the Indianola Undercrossing and northbound half signal at Jacobs Ave./Airport Road, and Caltrans has also coordinated with local emergency responders regarding changes to access.

As work continues, travelers should expect single-lane closures in both directions. Please watch for updated signs and consider adapting nighttime commutes.

Electrical work is also wrapping up on the new Jacobs Ave./Airport Road half signal. Once operational, the signal will stop northbound U.S. 101 traffic to facilitate several movements, including southbound left turns, southbound-to-northbound U-turns and access from Jacobs Ave./Airport Road to the southbound U.S. 101 auxiliary lane. Activation is currently expected in early August.
Signage updates are also planned in anticipation of this completed project.

Please slow down, stay alert and give crews room to work as we move closer to completing these long-planned safety improvements.

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Private detention centers, onshore facilities that support offshore drilling and deep sea mining, and data centers could soon be barred in Humboldt County. The Board of Supervisors kickstarted an effort to prohibit these controversial establishments during a meeting Tuesday.

The move follows an upswell of public concern in recent months. In separate votes, the board directed county staff to start the process of drafting policy to prohibit these uses. All are proposed for now as permanent bans, except data centers, which would be limited by a year-long moratorium as their regulation is studied by county staffers.

Humboldt County has no pending applications for any projects in these categories. But planning staff said they’d heard a lot of concern from the public.

This included a line of public commenters who largely spoke in support of the move during the meeting.

“We want to keep these things out of here. The thing is, they don’t suit us. They don’t suit our place,” said Diana Preston, a Eureka resident.

The board considered placing moratoriums on these facilities while staff worked on drafting the policy. But planning staff said it would be more efficient to get straight to prohibition.

The specific policies will come back to the board at a future meeting, with Tuesday’s motions being a first step in the process.

Detention centers

Despite all proposals moving forward yesterday, the discussion wasn’t without some tension.

After a question from First District Supervisor Rex Bohn, Planning and Building Director John Ford emphasized the impetus for the proposal had come from planning staff, and no supervisor requested these items.

Ford said the department was seeking direction from the board before researching into the legality and practicality of any or all of the prohibitions, following a wave of public comments.

The staff report pointed out that the proposed Amazon facility in McKinleyville had been met with suspicion by members of the public worried the warehouse could turn into a data center or detention center.

While the federal government has spent a combined $1.074 billion on warehouses to be used to detain immigrants nationwide, according to reporting from the Associated Press, ICE has retreated from this plan in recent months. Plus, the proposed Amazon facility in McKinleyville is planned for a zoning district that doesn’t allow detention facilities, staff noted. Supervisor Bohn added that Humboldt County doesn’t seem to be much of an priority for ICE so far.

Bushnell grilled Ford on why the department had brought forward the data/detention center ban at all. Later, she argued current county processes already provide an opportunity for input and denials, like through public meetings and appeals of projects.

She asked what the action would do to the Amazon project in process.

“Nothing,” said Ford.

“Then why would we do this?” she asked.

“The concern is that a facility like that would be turned into something else,” he said. 

“I Googled that to see if that has happened. And it hasn’t,” she said, asking if so, why would they consider this.

“I think the reason — staff’s rationale for bringing this forward — is because that’s very much in the minds of the public,” Ford said, adding it would be helpful for planning staff to avoid arguing about whether or not the facility could possibly be turned into a detention center.

Third District Supervisor Mike Wilson interjected, disagreeing that concerns were unfounded. “There is a concern that any warehouse facility, including a new warehouse facility, could be converted to either a data center or a detention facility.” He pointed to a nationwide expansion in data centers and the federal government amassing warehouses.

“Can I finish?” said Bushnell.

“I am supportive of things not being turned into detention centers, but I think through this staff report, you’ve already largely said that it’s prohibited out there already,” she said to Ford.

She asked why county staff hadn’t fully researched the legality of barring detention centers operated by the federal government, and again asked why the county would make the move.

“I’m asking you if you want to regulate them or not,” said Ford, in response.

Fifth District Supervisor Steve Madrone followed the exchange by thanking the planning department for bringing the topics up, and spoke in support of all prohibitions.

The ban on private detention facilities was otherwise fairly uncontroversial, with the Board voting unanimously in support of drafting a policy to do so. County facilities would be explicitly excluded.

Offshore oil and deep sea mining support facilities

The only split vote among the proposals was a ban on offshore oil and deep sea mining support facilities.

This comes as the Trump administration takes steps to open offshore drilling in California, possibly including the North Coast — and after the board passed a resolution opposing offshore oil and gas drilling in October 2025. 

Municipalities across California have passed similar resolutions opposing offshore drilling. State lawmakers are pursing legislation attempting to stymie federal efforts.

The county can’t do much about federal waters, but one proposed change may prevent development of onshore support facilities in Humboldt County.

During the discussion, planning staff noted that Humboldt County voters already were in majority support of something like this decades ago.

Voters passed a measure in 1988 that would require any proposed onshore support facility for offshore oil drilling to come to a vote of the people. This was never put into county code. One possible explanation was that the measure was contradictory to the Coastal Act at the time, something that’s no longer the case following a 2023 law.

“I can’t imagine that the vote that was taken in 1988 has decreased in any way shape or form, in terms of support for a prohibition on this land use,” said Wilson.

Bushnell, who later abstained from the vote, cited concern the prohibition could affect other industries that share infrastructure with offshore wind, like Humboldt Bay’s proposed heavy lift marine terminal.

“We’re going to say no blanketly, not knowing really what the consequences are for other development,” she said.

“My concern is that we are again talking ourselves out of economic viabilities within Humboldt County, because we tend to say no more than we say yes. I’m not specifically talking about these five items, but in general, and it concerns me,” she said.

Bohn cited similar concerns about limiting businesses, and said he was voting against it because he felt like more went into the effort to ban the facilities than what was brought forward publicly during the meeting.

Data centers

The supervisors also unanimously directed staff to draft a moratorium on data centers, choosing to avoid a wider ban after noting the existing data center in Arcata. Public commenters cited the environmental impact, including high volume water and power use, of data centers. The one-year moratorium would be coupled with investigation into the subject matter.

Board approves boost to housing density 

Earlier in the meeting, the board agreed in a 3-2 vote to adopt zoning changes that would allow for multi-unit housing in some areas currently planned for single-family homes.

The changes would allow small-scale multi-family housing in “Housing Opportunity Zones,” (HOZ), a designation located in parts of Redway, Garberville, Miranda, Weott, Scotia, McKinleyville and communities on the outskirts of Eureka. 

These areas can now easily host buildings with more units than a single-family home. This includes duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes and apartments with five dwelling units, interspersed within areas with single-family homes.

Planning staff pointed out this was a common development pattern before the 1950s in places like Eureka.

Planning department staff described the changes. | Screenshot

The changes would increase density to 25 dwelling units per acre in residential areas within the HOZ, which are largely considered infill areas in towns. Apartments with six or more units would need a special permit. The change would also mean an increase in ground coverage up to 45%.

The proposal was met with a split vote, with Bushnell and Bohn dissenting. This followed Bushnell probing how neighbors who moved in with an expectation of privacy could appeal the construction of larger buildings.

The ordinance has some caveats for nearby residents in mind, such as a provision to prevent a direct window view into a neighboring unit, or buildings not exceeding heights over 15 feet taller than a neighboring residence if they’re within 20 feet of a single-family home.

The change was drafted with interest and support from the California Department of Housing & Community Development (HCD), the agency responsible for taking statewide housing policy to planning rules of cities and counties.

The ordinance aims to allow for higher-density housing, to address workforce housing needs and the county’s more general shortage of housing. The Humboldt County Planning Commission previously passed these changes with a 5-0 vote.

Bohn largely spoke about parking requirements. 

“The parking issue needs to be addressed,” he said, pointing to trouble parking in downtown Eureka.

The proposed code would require one parking space per unit for buildings with four or more units. These could be reduced if it’s within a half-mile of an active bus stop. The developer may choose to build more parking than required.

Other supervisors spoke in support of the change. Wilson said revenues of municipalities tasked with maintaining public infrastructure have been capped, thanks to zoning rules that prioritized single-family homes.

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In other housing news, the supervisors agreed to move forward a zoning change on the south side of Eureka’s Ridgewood neighborhood’s Eggert Road. Green Diamond asked to rezone 100 acres, 60 of which would be switched to single-family residential for possible development. Wilson was the sole no vote, citing sprawl into forest and lack of facilities.

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About a hundred civic-minded residents spent Tuesday evening crouched over a gigantic map of Eureka spread across the floor of the Wharfinger Building’s main room, marking potential sites for the 1,740 new homes the city must plan for as part of its upcoming Housing Element update.

Every eight years, the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) calculates how many new local jurisdictions must plan for to accommodate population growth and meet housing needs across all income levels. The HCD looks at the current number of dwelling units in cities and counties and compares it to population estimates and various other factors to determine the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) for the next eight-year period.

Humboldt County’s total RHNA is 5,962 for the upcoming cycle. Following a series of meetings to determine how many dwellings each of the county’s seven cities must plan for between 2027 and 2035, the Humboldt County Association of Governments (HCAOG) presented Eureka with the ambitious goal of 1,740 new units — almost double the target set in the current planning cycle.

It’s important to note that the RHNA doesn’t require cities and counties to build all these units; they just need to plan for them.

“The city and the county, we’re not in the business of building housing, though we do build some,” Cristin Kenyon, the city’s development services director, told the Outpost at last night’s workshop. “We’re really looking at how [the city] can accommodate new housing. You know, are we zoned for more housing? Do we have sites with realistic and demonstrated potential for redevelopment? If we don’t, what city actions can we take to make it more likely that it’s going to happen?”

Planning for 1,740 new units in a largely built-out city is no small feat. That’s why community input is critical.

“What we hear tonight will affect what city policies, programs and actions go into [the Housing Element], and then we’ll be implementing those for the next nine years,” Kenyon continued. “If you think about some of the biggest and most controversial planning efforts that have happened in recent years — building on city-owned parking lots, the Arcata Gateway Area Plan, the McKinleyville Town Center plan — all of those came out of Housing Element policies and actions from the current cycle. So now is the time … to get involved and give us input!”

Kelsey Fletterick, a senior planner for the city, underscored the importance of creativity.

“Looking at our landscape, where do we put these houses?” she asked. “Because we’re so built out, we don’t have a lot of room for the typical single-family house anymore, so we need to get creative. What about townhouses? What about multiplexes? And where can it go?”

Using small stickers (orange for renters and yellow for homeowners), workshop attendees marked dozens of potential locations for new housing units on the sprawling map, most of which were clustered in big, undeveloped or underutilized areas of the city. Several people marked the Balloon Track, the old rail yard between Broadway and Waterfront Drive, as a potential site. Others were more strategic, seeking out lesser-known parts of the city where a small apartment complex or an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) would fit.

About a dozen stickers were placed around the Bayshore Mall, which was subject to a foreclosure auction on the steps of the Humboldt County Courthouse earlier this year, but there weren’t any bidders. The debt-laden mall is still open, but that hasn’t stopped locals and Cal Poly Humboldt students from dreaming up new uses for the property.

Reached for comment this morning, Kenyon said she also noticed the number of stickers on the Bayshore Mall. “[T]hat definitely seems to be on the community’s collective vision board, although redevelopment there would ultimately depend on a willing developer acquiring that site (and being able to demonstrate safety from coastal hazards through the coastal development permit process).”

Several other people thought the vacant storefronts at the Eureka Mall, located just up the hill, would be a good spot.

There were also a few stickers placed on a mostly vacant property overlooking Highway 101, where an affordable housing project is already planned. “Sunset Heights” will host 88 affordable housing units across four buildings, along with two indoor community centers. The project is being overseen by the Rural Communities Housing Development Corporation.

Everyone I chatted with while walking around the room agreed that the city needs more housing options, ideally around high-traffic areas like Old Town and Henderson Center. 

A woman named Roxanne told me she’d like to see the city adopt a “European approach” to housing, with businesses and other commercial uses on the street level and apartments on the floors above. She said she’s seen Eureka “bloom” in recent years, and wants to see that trend continue, especially in Old Town. However, she worried that the lack of parking could present a problem for residents and tourists alike.

During the mapping exercise, Kenyon noticed how difficult it was for attendees to identify undeveloped areas in the city that aren’t already slated for development or constrained by flood hazards or other environmental factors.

“I was hoping that someone from the public knew of some great piece of flat, undeveloped property with a willing property owner that I didn’t know about, but unfortunately, it’s as tough as I thought,” she wrote via email this morning. “That naturally led many people to focus on vacant buildings, underutilized commercial properties, and large parking lots as potential opportunities for housing.”

“There are very drastically different public opinions about parking,” she added. “Some attendees saw large parking lots as obvious redevelopment opportunities, while others felt we have a serious parking problem.”

City staff set up several other stations around the room to learn more about local housing priorities. One station had big sheets of paper for attendees to list their hopes and concerns about affordable housing, ADUs, neighborhood livability, homelessness and local economic development.

There was also a little station set up for kids to draw their own neighborhood.

“Kids have the best ideas for housing,” Fletterick said. “It’s interesting when you get them out of the idea that a house is just a single-family house, they’re like, ‘I actually want to live in a live-work’ or ‘I like commercial mixed-use buildings’ and you see this shift into what creative housing development can look like.”

Last night’s workshop was the first of many community conversations about the Housing Element update. All of the input gathered during these meetings will be incorporated into the draft Housing Element that will be presented to the Eureka City Council in the coming months.

Want to share your thoughts? Fill out the city’s survey here.

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Betty Chinn, Eureka’s tireless humanitarian and homeless services provider, recently returned home from a trip to Vatican City, where she’d been personally invited to attend Mass and meet with Pope Leo XIV. 

She’s still not over it. 

“Sometimes I can’t even breathe I’m just so emotional,” she told the Outpost this morning. 

Leo, a Chicago native, is actually the third pope Chinn has met. She met Pope Benedict in Rome and Pope Francis in Washington, D.C., she said. But until this most recent visit she’d never gotten a picture — “because I felt what’s in your heart is more important to me,” she explained. 

But this time, the Pope’s people provided her with a photo, and she’s grateful for it. 

“It was an absolutely amazing moment,” she said.

When the emailed invitation arrived, Chinn suspected it was a prank. When she figured out that it was genuine, she reached out to her bishop in Santa Rosa to see if he had arranged it. He said he had nothing to do with it. Eventually, she spoke with someone from the Vatican.

“When I finally talked with this lady, she said, ‘We really feel it’s time for you to come, meet the Pope,’” Chinn said.

Coincidentally, Chinn was in Rome when the emailed invitation arrived. She was on a pilgrimage with fellow members of her church. However, Pope Leo was in Africa at the time, and the suggested date for their meeting was still a couple of weeks off.

“They asked if I could stay until the 29th and I said, ‘No, my grandnephew is getting married,’” Chinn recalled. But her son volunteered to take her back to Italy for the visit.

Once there, they attended Mass with more than 10,000 others at St. Peter’s Basilica, but they had a position of privilege in the second row.

“They read the Mass in 12 different languages,” Chinn said. “They even read it in Chinese. That got in my heart,” she added, her voice trembling. “I hadn’t heard my language in so long.”

Chinn, who was born to wealthy, Christian parents in China’s Guangdong province, wound up homeless as a child after her family was labeled as dissidents in Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution. After seeing her elder brother and sister-in-law executed by gunfire, Chinn and three siblings fled on foot to Hong Kong. At age 14, she immigrated to the United States. 

She said she thought about family members still in China during this visit with the Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church.

“When he wanted to meet and talk to me, I thanked him for [speaking] the truth,” she said. “I pray for all the people and especially the needy. I pray for my country; I pray for everybody who suffers; I pray for my community. He smiled at me after I kissed the ring.”

The smile came from his eyes more than his mouth, she said.

She’d grown emotional at the memory, but then her voice perked up.

“How come the men of Chicago have been so good to me? First Obama and then the Pope!” (The former president awarded Chinn the Presidential Citizens Medal in 2010.)

She said Pope Leo exchanged words with her and her son, and when she thinks back on how close she got to sit and the moment of grasping his hand, she feels incredulous.

“How could I get in that area? How could I get a chance to kiss him?” she wondered. “When he looked at me, his eyes smiled. I’m from Eureka, California! Small town!”

Looking back on her life and the 45 years of work she’s done to help the homeless, Chinn said she feels reaffirmed in her faith.

“I really believe God has guided me in the work I’ve done,” she said. “[I’m] a lady with no education. God is there guiding me. He [chose] me and provides what I need, and then he sends the people to surround me.”

She doesn’t even take personal credit for her own indefatigable efforts on behalf of people who find themselves unhoused, as she once was.

“I don’t get sick; I don’t sleep,” she said, perhaps exaggerating just a tiny bit. “I really feel it’s a gift. I never feel old.”

And this trip to meet Pope Leo has only reinvigorated her.

“I cannot settle down,” Chinn said, her voice starting to shake again. “I get so hyper and so emotional. Every time I look at that picture, I cry for my life. I’m so grateful to this country, so grateful for the freedom.”

PREVIOUSLY

• (PHOTOS) McKinleyville Amazon Warehouse Meeting Draws Huge, Furious Crowd
• Amazon Confirms Plans for a Distribution Warehouse in McKinleyville

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Dozens of Humboldters attended a virtual meeting held last night to share their concerns about the environmental impact of the proposed McKinleyville Amazon distribution center.

John Ford and Steve Lazar of the county’s Planning and Building Department hosted the meeting, they said, mostly for the public’s benefit, to give people a chance to bring up what they thought needed to be kept in mind while the county began the environmental review process. They emphasized that it wasn’t a hearing and that commenters needed to keep their statements focused on the project’s potential environmental impacts.

It was entirely on Zoom, and speakers were limited to three minutes apiece. It wasn’t a necessary step in the environmental review process, they said. “We felt it was right, given the level of public interest in the project, to hold this meeting,” Lazar said, to “give people an opportunity to present their comments and concerns…We’re only collecting input on the environmental impact report itself, and what it should cover. It’s not a discussion about whether this is a good or a bad project.”

Screenshot from meeting.

Lazar emphasized that although a little bit of the project site lies within the Coastal Zone, it’s far from pristine. The land has had roads constructed on it and infrastructure for utilities added, and some of it has been levelled.

The speakers, roughly one dozen out of the almost 50 people who joined the meeting, raised a wide variety of possible issues. Many, especially the ones who said they lived near the site, were focused on noise levels, which are already high because of the nearby airport.

If built, the facility would run almost 24/7, though from 9:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. the activity levels will be lower. Nearby resident Jeff Dunk said it could be a “major issue” for him and his neighbors and urged the county to investigate. Another nearby McKinleyville resident said she was worried about how increased noise levels would affect the wildlife population. 

Other speakers said they were concerned about air quality, which could be negatively impacted by the large number of delivery vans and trucks traveling to and fro the facility. Others wanted the county to research the facility’s potential for light pollution, or how much traffic will increase. 

Overall, the county representatives said they appreciated the thoughtful input. 

If you have worries about the project’s environmental impact, there’s still time to tell the county about them, Ford and Lazar said. The county is still accepting written comments until July 29. (Mail them to 3015 H St., Eureka, CA 95501, or email them to slazar@co.humboldt.ca.us.) After the draft environmental impact report is published near the end of September, the public will have 45 days to comment, and there will be a public hearing held after the final document is completed. 

Press release from the Meredith Matthews campaign:

ARCATA, Calif. — Former Arcata Mayor and current City Councilmember Meredith Matthews announced today that she is seeking reelection to the Arcata City Council, pledging to continue her work expanding housing opportunities, supporting local businesses, investing in infrastructure, practicing responsible fiscal stewardship, and protecting the unique character that makes Arcata one of California’s most vibrant communities. 

“Serving the people of Arcata has been one of the greatest honors of my life,” Matthews said. “Over the past five years, we’ve faced significant challenges together, but we’ve also made meaningful progress. I’m running for reelection because I believe our best work is still ahead of us, and I want to continue building an Arcata that is vibrant, resilient, and welcoming for generations to come.” 

Since joining the City Council in 2021, Matthews has built a reputation as a collaborative leader who brings people together to solve problems. She has championed housing, transportation improvements, infrastructure investments, environmental stewardship, and responsible financial management while working to strengthen Arcata’s local economy. 

“I said it four years ago, and I still believe it today: Meredith has ‘an Arcata heart and an Arcata mind,’” said Humboldt County Third District Supervisor Mike Wilson. “She works hard, shows up, and genuinely cares about this community. I appreciate how she rolls up her sleeves to get things done—from creating more housing and improving transportation to making Arcata an even more vibrant place to live. We’re lucky to have Meredith serving Arcata, and I’m proud to support her reelection to the Arcata City Council.” 

Beyond her work on the City Council, Matthews has represented Arcata throughout the region, believing that many of the community’s biggest opportunities are best addressed through collaboration. She currently serves as Vice Chair of the Redwood Region Economic Development Commission and as a Board Member of Access Humboldt. She previously chaired the Humboldt Waste Management Authority Board and served on the League of California Cities Housing, Economic Development and Community Development Legislative Policy Committee, helping shape statewide conversations on housing and economic development. Locally, she chaired Arcata’s Economic Development Committee for three years, strengthening partnerships between the City and the local business community. 

Professionally, Matthews has dedicated her career to strengthening Humboldt County’s economy. As former Executive Director of the Arcata Chamber of Commerce and now Executive Director of the Humboldt Lodging Alliance, she has worked to support local businesses, promote tourism, and build a stronger regional economy. 

“Meredith’s commitment to supporting the economic vitality of our community is demonstrated not just through her words, but through her actions,” said Natalie Walston, owner of Bell & Hook and Plaza in Arcata. “Throughout each role, she has consistently worked to strengthen our local economy while preserving the unique character that makes Arcata such a special place to live and do business.

Meredith understands that a thriving community and a thriving business environment go hand in hand. I’m proud to support her reelection because she’s exactly the kind of thoughtful, hardworking leader our community needs at the table.” 

Matthews said her approach to public service has remained consistent throughout her time in office. 

“My approach has always been simple,” Matthews said. “Listen first. Show up. Work hard. Bring people together. Local government works best when we focus less on ideology and more on finding practical solutions that improve people’s everyday lives.” 

Her priorities for a second full term include expanding housing opportunities, supporting small businesses, investing in streets and infrastructure, strengthening climate resilience, and ensuring Arcata remains fiscally responsible while protecting the quality of life residents value. 

California Assemblymember Chris Rogers praised Matthews’ record of balancing long-term planning with practical leadership. “Meredith Matthews has been a thoughtful and impactful leader for the City of Arcata,” Rogers said. “Throughout her time on the City Council, she has demonstrated a commitment to responsible fiscal stewardship, expanding housing opportunities, strengthening infrastructure, and advancing policies that support both economic development and climate resilience. 

Meredith understands that effective leadership means balancing today’s needs with long-term investments in our community’s future. I am proud to support her reelection to the Arcata City Council.” 

Coalition for Responsible Transportation Executive Director Colin Fiske said Matthews has consistently been willing to tackle difficult issues and help move Arcata forward. 

“Whenever there’s an opportunity to move Arcata forward—whether it’s making our streets safer, expanding transportation options, or taking meaningful action on the climate crisis—Meredith Matthews steps up,” Fiske said. “She is a proven leader who helps Arcata live up to its progressive values, and I’m proud to support her reelection to the Arcata City Council.” 

“For me, this campaign isn’t about politics—it’s about continuing to serve a community I love,” Matthews said. “Arcata has always been a place where people come together to solve problems, care for one another, and think boldly about the future. I’m excited to continue that work alongside this community.” 

For more information about Meredith Matthews’ campaign, including volunteer opportunities and upcoming events, visit mereditforarcata.com or follow the campaign on social media at Facebook.

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Press release from the Yurok Tribe:

Starting tomorrow, the Yurok Tribe Fisheries Department and Condor Aviation, along with project partners, will begin conducting low-elevation helicopter missions to map the physical characteristics of 257 miles of the Klamath River channel from Lake Ewauna to the estuary.   

The helicopter is equipped with high-resolution remote-sensing instruments to capture extremely accurate bathymetric and topographic data. The information will primarily be used to evaluate how the river changes in response to the recent removal of four dams near the California/Oregon border. 

“This detailed three-dimensional map of the river corridor will provide invaluable insights into the evolution of the Klamath River ecosystem, as well as help us gain a deeper understanding of the river’s overall health. The data will also guide the development of large-scale restoration projects,” said Yurok Fisheries Department Director Barry McCovey.   

In addition to aircraft operations, crews from the Yurok Tribe and Karuk Tribe will be collecting data from boats.   

The aerial and boat-based data-collection project will begin July 15 and run through early August. During this time of year, it is common to see low-flying helicopters collecting water from the river to douse forest fires. Please don’t be alarmed if you see a helicopter with tail number N1525 flying near the water.   

If you have questions or concerns related to this project, please contact djbandrowski@yuroktribe.nsn.us  

The Klamath River is healing from more than a century of dams that disrupted the river’s natural flow regime, compromised water quality and restricted sediment dynamics. These impairments are largely responsible for the sharp reduction in the Klamath’s salmon, steelhead, Pacific lamprey and sturgeon populations. 

The removal of the four dams reopened approximately 400 miles of habitat within the mainstem Klamath and its tributaries, including newly accessible streams above Upper Klamath Lake.  Less than two years after the dams were decommissioned, spring and fall Chinook salmon have passed the former dam sites and have begun recolonizing formerly inaccessible streams in California and Oregon.

Dam removal not only expanded the amount of habitat available to salmon but also increased the geographic distribution and genetic diversity of populations throughout the Klamath Basin. This greater diversity enhances the species’ overall resilience, improving its ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions in the future. While these early benefits are encouraging, full ecosystem recovery will require time, sustained effort and long-term monitoring, with more significant results expected to emerge over the coming years. 

About Condor Aviation  

The Yurok Tribe has developed a robust aerial data collection program that uses aircraft, drones, and advanced remote-sensing technologies to gather high-resolution information about landscapes, rivers, forests, and habitat conditions. The effort is led by the Tribe’s Fisheries Department and Condor Aviation program, which operate specialized aircraft equipped with LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), aerial imagery systems, and other geospatial sensors. 

The purpose of the program is to provide accurate, landscape-scale data that supports natural resource management, ecological restoration, infrastructure planning, and climate resilience. The detailed elevation and imagery data are used to monitor environmental change, design habitat restoration projects, and assess the impacts of floods, wildfires, droughts, and other natural processes.’