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79-548: The Confusion Hill Bridges (aka. Confusion Hill Realignment , Confusion Hill Bypass or South Fork Eel River Bridges ) are a pair of high bridges carrying two lanes of U.S. Route 101 over the South Fork Eel River in Mendocino County in the U.S. state of California . The bridges were constructed to reroute approximately 1.7 miles (2.7 km) of the highway away from a massive landslide area on

158-518: A 58% majority vote, making it the first county in the United States to declare prosecution of small-scale marijuana offenses the "lowest priority" for local law enforcement. Measure G does not protect individuals who cultivate, transport or possess marijuana for sale. However, Measure G was passed at the local government level affecting only Mendocino County, and therefore does not affect existing state or federal laws. The city of Berkeley has had

237-609: A boundary between tribes, although this claim is only "probable". In 1928, the Benbow Dam was built across the South Fork near Benbow, California , which led to the creation of a slackwater pool, Benbow Lake, and the creation of the Benbow State Recreation Area . During the rainy season, the floodgates of the dam were removed. The lake existed during the summer, when lower flows are impounded behind

316-482: A branch of the Pomo people , once lived in the upper portion of the watershed. Before industrial development in the 1800s, many native tribes relied on the river's abundant runs of salmon and steelhead . In the 1920s, a private company built the Benbow Dam, blocking fish migration to a large area of the basin. The South Fork is designated as a National Wild and Scenic River from the confluence of Section Four Creek to

395-472: A female householder with no husband present, and 34.3% were non-families. 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.04. In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.5% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 27.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age

474-525: A great bend to the west and joins the South Fork. Its length is roughly 8 miles (13 km). After receiving Bull Creek, the South Fork Eel curves halfway around 325-foot (99 m) high Duckett Bluff, and receives its last named tributary, Cabin Creek, on the left bank. Meandering through a downcut channel between U.S. 101 and SR 254 (right bank) and California State Route 211 , it then crosses under

553-647: A similar law (known as the Berkeley Marijuana Initiative II) since 1979 which has generally been found to be unenforceable. In 2008, the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors placed Measure B on the June 3 county-wide ballot. After three months of hard-fought campaigning and national attention, voters narrowly approved "B", which repealed the provisions of 2000's Measure G. However, opponents of Measure B intend to continue

632-448: Is 43 feet (13 m) wide. It has two straight piers that support the side spans that extend out towards the center using cantilevers . The center span rests on these two cantilevers. The spans are actually slightly arched with a maximum depth of 31.4 feet (9.6 m) and a minimum of 11.5 feet (3.5 m). This new [south] bridge is a 3-span variable depth structure consisting of cast-in-place segmental concrete box girder. The spans of

711-617: Is a heritage railway (that formerly connected Fort Bragg, California with Willits ) using steam locomotives. For commercial service, passengers in Mendocino County need to go to Eureka , one county to the north in Humboldt County , or to Sonoma County Airport in Santa Rosa , Sonoma County , one county to the south. More comprehensive service is available from Sacramento to the east or San Francisco , well to

790-527: Is actually located in adjacent Humboldt County ), which was probably named in honor of either Antonio de Mendoza , Viceroy of New Spain , 1535–1542 (who sent the Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo Expedition to this coast in 1542), or Lorenzo Suárez de Mendoza , Viceroy from 1580 to 1583. Mendocino is the adjectival form of the family name of Mendoza . Neither Spanish nor Mexican influence extended into Mendocino County beyond

869-408: Is closer, only about 1-mile (1.6 km) to the north. It is not long after its headwaters that Branscomb Road drops into the South Fork Eel's canyon from the north, paralleling the river. Almost 1-mile (1.6 km) past this point, it receives its first significant tributary , Section Four Creek, on the left bank. Although it is not a large creek, only about 2.5 miles (4.0 km) long, it denotes

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948-591: Is created by the San Andreas Fault , and comprises most of California's Coast Range . The steep terrain in the South Fork Eel's watershed is the result of continuous uplift along the San Andreas Fault, and coinciding with the erosion caused by the river and its tributaries, steep canyons and ridges, many with slopes of over 50 percent, were formed. Of note is that the downstream reach of the river "may be uplifting as much as ten times faster than

1027-458: Is located on a low slice of terrain north of the river. The South Fork, nearing its mouth, passes Burlington on the right bank, and Weott, California , also on the right bank. Several hundred yards upstream from its confluence, it receives its last major tributary, Bull Creek, on the left bank. Bull Creek, whose watershed is entirely contained inside Humboldt Redwoods State Park , begins south of Grasshopper Mountain and flows northwest, then makes

1106-405: Is represented by Glenn McGourty, and serves the central-eastern region of the county, including Potter Valley , Redwood Valley , Calpella , and Talmage . The second district, represented by Maureen Mulheren, serves Ukiah . The third district, in the northeastern quadrant of the county from Willits north to Laytonville and Covelo , is represented by John Haschak. The fourth district covers

1185-659: Is used for recreation and provides groundwater recharge and industrial, agricultural and municipal water supply for residents. The largest tributary of the South Fork is the East Branch South Fork Eel River , which is approximately 25 miles (40 km) long. Tenmile Creek, at 21 miles (34 km) long, is the second largest tributary. Other major tributaries include Cedar Creek , at 7 mi (11 km) long; Bull Creek at 14 mi (23 km) long; and Hollow Tree Creek at 15 mi (24 km) long. There are many streams with repeating names in

1264-700: The Anderson Valley Advertiser , the Willits Weekly and the Independent Coast Observer. Four formerly independent newspapers are now owned by the national conglomerate media company Digital First Media , they are: The Ukiah Daily Journal, The Mendocino Beacon , the Willits News , and The Fort Bragg Advocate. These four papers have seen a precipitous decline in the size of editorial staff and in coverage over

1343-548: The California Secretary of State reports that Mendocino County has 54,505 registered voters. Of those, 26,648 (48.9%) are registered Democratic; 11,387 (20.9%) are registered Republican; 4,389 (8.1%) are registered with other political parties, and 12,082 (22.1%) declined to state a political party. In 2000, Mendocino County voters approved Measure G, which calls for the decriminalization of marijuana when used and cultivated for personal use. Measure G passed with

1422-588: The North Coast of the U.S. state of California . As of the 2020 census , the population was 91,601. The county seat is Ukiah . Mendocino County consists wholly of the Ukiah, California Micropolitan Statistical Area (μSA) for the purposes of the U.S. Census Bureau . It is located approximately equidistant from the San Francisco Bay Area and California/ Oregon border, separated from

1501-503: The Russian River valley near Hopland . Mendocino is a strongly Democratic county in presidential and congressional elections. The last Republican to win a majority in the county was Californian Ronald Reagan in 1984 . However, in the 2016 election, Mendocino County gave Hillary Clinton a reduced margin of victory of any Democrat since Al Gore (though support for third-party candidates more than doubled from 2012). In 2020

1580-725: The Sacramento Valley to the east by the California Coast Ranges . While smaller areas of redwood forest are found further south, it is the southernmost California county to be included in the World Wildlife Fund's Pacific temperate rainforests ecoregion , the largest temperate rainforest ecoregion on Earth. The county is noted for its distinctive Pacific Ocean coastline, its location along California's " Lost Coast ", Redwood forests , wine production , microbrews , and liberal views about

1659-625: The U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 3,878 square miles (10,040 km ), of which 3,506 square miles (9,080 km ) is land and 372 square miles (960 km ) (9.6%) is water. The 2010 United States Census reported that Mendocino County had a population of 87,841. The racial makeup of Mendocino County was 67,218 (76.5%) White , 622 (0.7%) African American , 4,277 (4.9%) Native American , 1,450 (1.7%) Asian , 119 (0.1%) Pacific Islander , 10,185 (11.6%) from other races , and 3,970 (4.5%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 19,505 persons (22.2%). As of

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1738-510: The census of 2000, there were 86,265 people, 33,266 households, and 21,855 families residing in the county. The population density was 25 people per square mile (9.7 people/km ). There were 36,937 housing units at an average density of 10 units per square mile (3.9 units/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 80.8% White , 0.6% Black or African American , 4.8% Native American , 1.2% Asian , 0.2% Pacific Islander , 8.6% from other races , and 3.9% from two or more races. 16.5% of

1817-471: The poverty line , including 21.5% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over. As of 2023, the District Attorney of Mendocino County is C. David Eyster, the elected Sheriff - Coroner is Matthew C. Kendall and the chief executive officer is Darcie Antle. Mendocino County is legislatively governed by a board of five supervisors, each with a separate district. The first district

1896-492: The " Emerald Triangle ", along with Humboldt and Trinity counties. Mendocino County was one of the original counties of California, created in 1850 at the time of statehood. Due to an initially minor settler American population, it did not have a separate government until 1859 and was under the administration of Sonoma County prior to that. Some of the county's land was given to Sonoma County between 1850 and 1860. The county derives its name from Cape Mendocino (most of which

1975-559: The 2 mile wide strip of land belonged to themselves and not the other, with both counties attempting to levy and collect property tax land in said strip. In 1907, Trinity County sued Mendocino County in a Tehama County court to settle the dispute. The trial court in Tehama County ruled in favor of Trinity County, even though the land was situated south of the 40th parallel and state law stated that lands south of that parallel belonged to Mendocino County. The appellate court upheld

2054-701: The 20th century. Other tribes from the Sierra Nevada mountains were also relocated to the Round Valley Indian Reservation during the "California Trail Of Tears", where the Natives were forced to march in bad conditions to their new home in Round Valley. Many of these tribes thrown together were not on good terms with the other tribes they were forced to live with on the reservation, resulting in tensions still evident today. In

2133-494: The California Constitution to define marriage as a union between one man and one woman. The following table includes the number of incidents reported and the rate per 1,000 persons for each type of offense. A coroner's jury ruled that the 2018 Hart family crash in Mendocino County was deliberate. Mendocino County is considered part of the San Francisco Bay Area television market, and primarily receives

2212-657: The California surveyor-general to survey the line and establish the boundaries between the two counties. The new line, as surveyed by Sam H. Rice and approved by the California Attorney General on December 18, 1891, was found to be 2 miles north of the common boundary surveyed by W.H. Fauntleroy, thereby resulting in Trinity County exercising jurisdiction two miles south of the 40th parallel north. Between 1891 and 1907, both counties claimed that

2291-701: The Eel River watershed was inhabited by Pomo Indians and Athapascan peoples. The "extreme headwaters" of the South Fork of the Eel River, as well as the East Fork of the South Fork of the Eel River, were inhabited by the Kai Pomo , whose territory stretched westward to the Eel River mainstem and west and north to the boundary with the Athapascan. The lower section of the South Fork Eel was also said to be

2370-657: The English singer-songwriter John Howard on his 2007 E.P., and also by Bette Midler on her 2014 album It's The Girls . A song written by Matt Serletic and Bernie Taupin , " Mendocino County Line " which was released in 2002, is about a love that could not last and cites the 'Mendocino County Line' in the chorus. Many films and movies have been filmed in and around Mendocino County , including Dying Young , The Russians Are Coming ; Overboard ; The Dunwich Horror ; The Karate Kid Part III ; Dead & Buried ; Forever Young ; Same Time Next Year ; Racing with

2449-518: The South Fork flows generally north, turning west where it receives another major tributary, 11-mile (18 km) Rattlesnake Creek, also on the right. This point is significant because it is where it begins to parallel U.S. Highway 101 and California State Route 271 (Redwood Highway and Old Redwood Highway). Both roads come in from the east and at this point are on the river's right bank. The river turns northwest, receiving Big Dann Creek and another large 9-mile (14 km) tributary, Cedar Creek , on

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2528-493: The South Fork or its major tributaries, there are many on smaller side streams, especially after heavy rainfall. One of the highest waterfalls is Grizzly Creek Falls, which spills over a rocky cliff for nearly 1,000 feet (300 m) above the Tenmile Creek valley. The steep terrain also causes the river to fall at steep inclines, creating a series of rapids . The river's rapids are well known for rafting. On average,

2607-460: The State of California for wild coho. Several tributaries, such as Hollow Tree Creek, also support anadromous fish, but they have become impaired in ways similar to the South Fork Eel. Download coordinates as: Mendocino County, California Mendocino County ( / ˌ m ɛ n d ə ˈ s iː n oʊ / ; Mendocino , Spanish for "of Mendoza ") is a county located on

2686-710: The area, like the Yuki , the Pomo , the Cahto , and the Wintun . The systematic occupation of their lands, the reduction of many of their members into slavery and the raids against their settlements led to the Mendocino War in 1859, where hundreds of Indians were killed. Establishment of the Round Valley Indian Reservation on March 30, 1870, did not prevent the segregation that continued well into

2765-425: The bridge are 106m, 174m and 133m. The bridge deck is 13m wide. The superstructure will be built utilizing the balanced cantilever construction method from the two interior piers and cast-in-place construction on falsework at the abutments. The superstructure of the bridge varies in depth from is 9.6m deep at Pier Nos. 2 and 3 to 3.5m at the ends and mid span of the bridge. South Fork Eel River The Kai Pomo ,

2844-551: The challenge in court, as the wording of Measure B relies heavily on S.B. 420's state limitations which were recently ruled unconstitutional by the California supreme court. On July 3, the Sheriff and District Attorneys offices announced that they would not be enforcing the new regulations for the time being, citing pending legal challenges and conflicts with existing state law. In April 2009, Sheriff Tom Allman issued his department's medical marijuana enforcement policy, which includes

2923-415: The counties named herein", thereby making the law in the political code which defined the boundary as the 40th parallel north only a suggestion and not a fact. The legislature subsequently affirmed this decision, with the modern statute defining the borders of the two counties referencing the survey of Fauntleroy as being the boundary between the two counties instead of the 40th parallel north. According to

3002-501: The county was won by Joe Biden with an increased margin of victory from the previous election. Federally, Mendocino County is in California's 2nd congressional district , represented by Democrat Jared Huffman . In the state legislature Mendocino is in the 2nd Senate District , represented by Democrat Mike McGuire , and the 2nd Assembly District , represented by Democrat Jim Wood . As of February 2021,

3081-727: The establishment of two Mexican land grants in southern Mendocino County: Rancho Sanel in Hopland, in 1844 and Rancho Yokaya that forms the majority of the Ukiah Valley, in 1845. In the 19th century, despite the establishment of the Mendocino Indian Reservation and Nome Cult Farm in 1856, the county witnessed many of the most serious atrocities in the extermination of the Californian Native American tribes who originally lived in

3160-486: The first half of the 1850's the California State Legislature established that the boundaries of Mendocino and Trinity Counties was the 40th parallel north . Both county board of supervisor's hired the surveyor W.H. Fauntleroy to survey the parallel, which he completed on October 30, 1872. The accuracy of the boundary was doubtful, and by 1891 the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors requested

3239-569: The following table is based on the 2010 census of Mendocino County. † county seat "Mendocino" by The Sir Douglas Quintet was released in December 1968 and reached No. 27 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 by early 1969, spending 15 weeks in the chart. Kate McGarrigle 's song "(Talk to Me of) Mendocino," is one of the songs on the McGarrigles' 1975 debut album; it has been covered by Linda Ronstadt on her 1982 album Get Closer , and by

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3318-655: The former two highways, spreads wider, and flows into the Eel River. The South Fork Eel River drains a long, narrow and mountainous watershed of 689 square miles (1,780 km )–or almost 20 percent of the 3,684-square-mile (9,540 km ) Eel River drainage basin. The watershed includes parts of Humboldt and Mendocino Counties and runs generally parallel to the Pacific Coast , with its north-south extent marked by Weott and Laytonville, California (about 144 miles (232 km) and 193 miles (311 km) north of San Francisco , respectively. The highest point in

3397-475: The headwaters area". In much of the middle and lower course of the South Fork Eel, the riverbed is mostly bare gravel, with sparse vegetation, and without a floodplain . The riverbed lies in a downcut channel, with its walls formed by bedrock with scattering of rocks. Bedrock river terraces surround the river, forming the "only level land in an otherwise rugged terrain of narrow ridges and steep [v]alleys". Prior to white settlement of Central California, much of

3476-419: The location closest to the mouth, the annual mean was 1,833 cubic feet per second (51.9 m /s) between 1940 and 2012; The highest recorded peak was 199,000 cubic feet per second (5,600 m /s) on 22 December 1964, with a minimum of 10 cubic feet per second (0.28 m /s) on 30 August 1964. For Garberville, a stream gauge was only operated from 1912–1913, and again in 1940. The annual mean recorded here

3555-497: The location furthest upstream, the annual mean was 173 cubic feet per second (4.9 m /s) between 1946 and 1970. The highest flow recorded was 20,100 cubic feet per second (570 m /s) on 22 December 1955, while the lowest was 0.86 cubic feet per second (0.024 m /s) on 27 July 1977. The watershed is underlain by the Franciscan Assemblage , which consists of soft soil and rock in this region. The formation

3634-585: The major Bay Area TV stations . The county is also served by local and regional newspapers as well as a community radio stations. Community radio stations include KZYX , operating out of Philo, and KLLG , operating out of the Little Lake Grange in Willits. The Humboldt County-based KMUD is also receivable in large parts of the county. Local independent newspapers include the online news service The Mendocino Voice , and The Laytonville Observer,

3713-498: The mouth. The South Fork Eel River begins near Iron Mountain in western Mendocino County , at an elevation of 2,500 feet (760 m). Its headwaters are near that of the Ten Mile River to the south. Dropping off the high plateau where it begins, the South Fork winds north and bends southwest through a steep and narrow canyon. Longvale, California is a few miles to the east of the headwaters, while Laytonville, California

3792-591: The nearby roadside attraction Confusion Hill . The two individual bridges were named after two pioneers, Elizabeth Jane Rosewarne and Mignon Stoddard Lilley. The two spans of the Confusion Hill Realignment are located about 8 miles (13 km) north of Leggett . The site is located at a bend in the South Fork Eel River that takes it from a north-flowing course to turn east, north and west. The original path of Highway 101 follows

3871-568: The northwestern quadrant of the county, including the coast from Caspar northwards through Fort Bragg ; its supervisor is Dan Gjerde, who previously served on the Fort Bragg City Council. The supervisor for the fifth district is Ted Williams; his district covers the southern portion of the county, including the coast from Mendocino to Gualala , the Anderson Valley , the western outskirts of Ukiah , and portions of

3950-644: The opposite bank. The south bridge was begun in November 2006 and its two piers were completed by November 2008. While the north bridge was opened in July 2009, the south bridge, which was also finished in July 2009, was opened in September 2009 and the Confusion Hill Realignment project was completed in October 2009. The total cost of this project is estimated at $ 67 million. The bridges are collectively named after

4029-429: The outside curve of this bend, while the realignment consists of two bridges, a north and south span, on opposite sides of the bend. The realigned portion of the roadway follows the bank of the South Fork opposite from the current bank the roadway follows. The northern bridge is 140 feet (43 m) high and has three spans totaling 531 feet (162 m) in length. The southern bridge is larger, at 255 feet (78 m) above

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4108-593: The past several years, in keeping with the nationwide tactics of DFM. The Sonoma County-based Press Democrat also covers the area. School districts include: Unified: Secondary: Elementary: The Mendocino Transit Authority provides local and intercity bus service within Mendocino County. Limited service also connects with transit in Sonoma County . Greyhound Bus Lines currently serves Ukiah . Amtrak Thruway operates connecting bus service to Ukiah, Willits and Laytonville. The historic Skunk Train

4187-407: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 12.2% were of German , 10.8% English , 8.6% Irish , 6.1% Italian and 5.6% American ancestry according to Census 2000 . 84.4% spoke English and 13.2% Spanish as their first language. There were 33,266 households, out of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.9% were married couples living together, 11.7% had

4266-521: The provisions of Measure B and also cites the California Supreme Court Ruling narrowly defining "caregiver" in the state's medical marijuana law. In 2004, Measure H was passed in Mendocino County with a 56% majority, making it the first county in the United States to ban the production and cultivation of genetically modified organisms . On November 4, 2008, Mendocino County voted 63.1% against Proposition 8 which amended

4345-404: The right bank. The river then reaches Benbow Lake, which is inside the Benbow State Recreation Area and next to the town of Benbow, California . Benbow Lake was a seasonal reservoir , formed by a dam at its western end. The dam was only raised in the summer, and only when water flow is sufficient for impoundment. Since about 2009, the lake no longer gets built, which is good for the ecology of

4424-649: The right bank. Cedar Creek flows west and turns south-southwest, flowing also in a steep, undeveloped gorge. Shortly past Cedar Creek, the South Fork Eel meets another large tributary, Hollow Tree Creek. Hollow Tree Creek flows east, turns north, then turns east again to meet the South Fork, fed by several smaller creeks. The South Fork then turns west again, flowing through the Standish Hickey State Recreational Area . It then meanders north into Richardson Grove State Park on an increasingly wide valley floor, receiving Red Mountain Creek on

4503-468: The right bank. Tenmile Creek begins in another section of the Coast Range, separated from the South Fork Eel River by two sub-ranges. The creek begins in the easternmost of these two sub-ranges. It then flows west, cutting a water gap through the western subrange, and spills into the South Fork. The creek is about 21 miles (34 km) long, despite the name. After the confluence with Tenmile Creek,

4582-418: The river and 1,239 feet (378 m) long. Both bridges are concrete beam bridges with two piers and three spans. The north bridge has two slanted piers that are supported on the hills surrounding the river. Each pier measures 17.5 feet (5.3 m) by 6.9 feet (2.1 m). The south bridge has three spans that are 348 feet (106 m), 571 feet (174 m), and 436 feet (133 m) in length, while its deck

4661-579: The river include Branscomb , Underwood Park, Leggett , Piercy , Andersonia , Benbow , Garberville , Redway , Phillipsville , Miranda , Myers Flat , and Weott . The South Fork also has a number of protected areas along its course. These include Admiral Standley State Park , Standish Hickey State Recreation Area , Smithe Redwoods State Reserve , Richardson Grove State Park , South Fork Eel River Wilderness , Benbow State Recreation Area , and Humboldt Redwoods State Park . The river

4740-420: The river into a generally brownish or tannish color. The South Fork is an important Northern California habitat for anadromous fish (see section below ) and sediment has severely degraded conditions for these fish as well as other aquatic life forms. The rugged topography of the South Fork Eel River watershed also produces an amount of waterfalls from tributary streams. Although there are no large waterfalls on

4819-498: The river receives another medium-sized tributary, Salmon Creek, from the left bank. The South Fork then flows north to a point where it turns sharply around a ridge and flows due south, then turns back north again. At this point, it is paralleled by Highway 101 on the left bank and by California State Route 254 (Avenue of the Giants) on the right bank. U.S. 101 then crosses the South Fork, paralleling CA-254. The village of Myers Flat

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4898-453: The river's discharge in its middle section can range from 2,000 cu ft/s (57 m /s) to 55 cu ft/s (1.6 m /s). In the lower section near the mouth, the river generally ranges from 5,500 cu ft/s (160 m /s) to 60 cu ft/s (1.7 m /s). The United States Geological Survey operates or operated four stream gauges on the South Fork, at Miranda, Garberville, Leggett, and Branscomb. For Miranda,

4977-416: The river. At Benbow Lake the South Fork meets its largest tributary, the East Branch South Fork Eel River . The East Branch, formed by the confluence of two small creeks, Cruso Cabin and Elkhorn Creeks, south of Bell Springs Mountain , flows through a rugged, narrow gorge in a generally northwest direction for about 20 miles (32 km). After passing through the Benbow Dam, which is non-functional during

5056-560: The roadway and delays to traffic. The bridges were designed by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), and the contractors were MCM Construction Inc. and the Finley Engineering Group. The north bridge was begun on July 26, 2006 and it was completed in November 2008. Before the south bridge was finished, the north bridge was used to carry construction debris out of the realignment site on

5135-404: The ruling of the trial court since Section 10 of the special act of March 30, 1872 (Stats. 1871-2, p. 766), which concerned this boundary and was the act under which Fauntleroy acted under, authorized the survey of the theretofore unknown location of the 40th parallel north, stated that "the lines run out, marked and defined as required by this act are hereby declared to be the true boundary lines of

5214-450: The south bank of the river. The north bridge was finished in July 2009 and the south bridge completed in September 2009; the whole bypass was officially opened to traffic in October of that year. The Confusion Hill realignment bypasses the "Confusion Hill slide", a reach of unstable hillside about 1,000 feet (300 m) long and 3,000 feet (910 m) wide. Prior to the realignment this slide would shift during heavy rains, causing damage to

5293-430: The south. Emergency services for the largely unincorporated county are coordinated through Howard Forest Station , a local Cal Fire station just south of Willits. Mendocino County has nine Indian reservations lying within its borders, the fourth most of any county in the United States (after San Diego County, California ; Sandoval County, New Mexico ; and Riverside County, California ). The population ranking of

5372-472: The start of the National Wild and Scenic River section of the South Fork. The river meanders swiftly west and turns west-northwest, passing Branscomb, California . Near the city, it receives Rock Creek on the right and Redwood Creek on the left. These two stream names are a common occurrence throughout the South Fork's watershed. Afterwards, it receives its first significant tributary, Tenmile Creek, on

5451-612: The structure for recreation. The stagnant water in the lake was heated by the sun to a higher temperature than normal and severely hurt salmon and steelhead runs, as well as other aquatic and migratory life downstream. Since 2009 the dam was no longer erected. Benbow Dam was finally removed from 2016-2017 on the South Fork of the Eel River. Dam decommissioning will start to occur on the Klamath River in 2022 pending Federal Energy Regulatory Committee (FERC) approval. The 12,915-acre (52.27 km ) South Fork Eel River Wilderness

5530-434: The use of cannabis and support for its legalization . In 2009, it was estimated that roughly one-third of the economy was based on the cultivation of marijuana. The notable historic and recreational attraction of the " Skunk Train " previously connected Fort Bragg with Willits in Mendocino County via a steam-locomotive, before a tunnel collapse in 2013. Mendocino is one of three Northern California counties to make up

5609-408: The watershed is Iron Peak, at 4,491 feet (1,369 m), and the mouth of the river is at roughly 100 feet (30 m). Due to its rugged and remote location, the watershed is thinly populated. Although U.S. Highway 101 and California State Route 271 follow the river for over 70 percent of its length, there are few communities in the steep and narrow, forested canyon of the South Fork. Towns along

5688-403: The watershed, including Low Gap Creek, Redwood Creek, Rock Creek, and Red Mountain Creek. Historic logging activity in the South Fork watershed has stripped steep hillsides bare of vegetation, resulting in chronic erosion problems. Historically, South Fork Eel River water had an unusual translucent blue-green hue for most of the year. Increased turbidity levels caused by erosion has transformed

5767-410: The winter months, the South Fork Eel receives another tributary called Redwood Creek on the left bank, as it bends north and then west around the community of Redway, California , which is located on a plateau east of the river. The river then passes through another rugged canyon, flowing northeast, then passes the towns of Phillipsville and Miranda which are to the east of the river. West of Miranda,

5846-429: Was 1,747 cubic feet per second (49.5 m /s). Peak discharges of 64,700 cubic feet per second (1,830 m /s) were recorded in both 1912 and 1913, while for 1940, the peak was 55,600 cubic feet per second (1,570 m /s). The Leggett stream gauge began operating in 1965 and is still in use. An average discharge of 774 cubic feet per second (21.9 m /s) was recorded here from 1966–2010. The highest flow recorded

5925-414: Was 20,000 while coho averaged 16,000 at Benbow Dam in the 1930s. Since then, the population has steadily declined, with a current population of roughly 1,000. The reason for the decline is the high amount of silt carried into the river by logging activity and road construction. The silt has filled stream pools and caused higher turbidity, which has harmed fish. The South Fork is said to be the last habitat in

6004-411: Was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 98.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.1 males. The median income for a household in the county was $ 35,996, and the median income for a family was $ 42,168. Males had a median income of $ 33,128 versus $ 23,774 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 19,443. About 10.9% of families and 15.9% of the population were below

6083-401: Was 72,700 cubic feet per second (2,060 m /s) on 4 January 1966. A higher peak flow of 78,700 cubic feet per second (2,230 m /s), on 22 December 1964, before the stream gauge was in place, was determined using flood stage height data and floodmark measurements. The minimum discharge recorded by this gauge was 7.3 cubic feet per second (0.21 m /s) on 4 August 1977. For Branscomb,

6162-601: Was designated in 2006, stretching along portions of the South Fork Eel and extending westward to the Pacific Ocean. The wilderness area borders that of the King Range Wilderness , which is said to be the "longest stretch of undeveloped coastline in the United States outside of Alaska". The river provides wildlife habitat for preservation of rare and endangered species including cold freshwater habitat for fish migration and spawning. The South Fork Eel

6241-410: Was historically rich in salmon and other species of anadromous fish, and has been known as the "most productive sub-basin for anadromous fish". The main anadromous fishes in the South Fork are chinook salmon , coho salmon and steelhead , and it is said that "the South Fork Eel River once supported about half of the total coho run for the State of California". Historically, the population of chinook

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