South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL)

The South Yuba River Citizens League’s Annual River Cleanup is turning 26 this year and registration to participate is open at www.yubariver.org. Each September since 1997, as part of a larger cleanup effort called California Coastal Cleanup Day, SYRCL has organized an annual Yuba River Cleanup event uniting the community to remove the trash that […]

Rotary Screw Traps (RSTs) are specially designed sampling devices used to capture downstream migrating juvenile fish such as salmon and steelhead. They are large, cylindrical traps that float on pontoons. This October, two RSTs will be installed on the North Yuba River, one at Rocky Rest Campground at RM 25.6 and the other along Old […]

The South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL) has been involved in aspen restoration for over 6 years now, with a Yuba River watershed-wide aspen assessment completed last year. To involve our community with the work we do, we are hosting Aspen Volunteer Days on Friday, July 14 and Saturday, July 15 at 10 am at […]

Memorial Day weekend is traditionally the start of the “river season” in Nevada County, where locals and out-of-towners alike descend upon the Yuba River in droves, looking to cool down and enjoy the unparalleled beauty of area. For this reason, Memorial Day weekend is also the start of the South Yuba River Citizens League and […]

On May 16th , Governor Newsom, along with Yuba Water Agency, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) held a press conference announcing efforts to build a fish passage canal around Daguerre Point Dam and begin a reintroduction trap-and- haul effort around New Bullards Bar Dam. The […]

Living in Nevada County, you’ve probably realized that our beloved Yuba River has been “discovered”. With an estimated 800,000+ people visiting the South Yuba River State Park every year, the South Yuba River Citizens League’s River Ambassador program was developed in 2012 in partnership between SYRCL and State Parks to ensure that the Yuba River […]

In 2019, Rise Gold Corp., a private company based out of Canada, submitted plans to the Nevada County Planning Department outlining a proposal to reopen the long-abandoned Idaho-Maryland Mine – hidden away beneath the vibrant community of Grass Valley, an archive of toxic mine waste and an intricate underground tunnel system dating back to the […]

Forty years ago, the South Yuba River Citizens League began caring for the South Yuba River by advocating for dam removal and gaining Wild and Scenic protection. Today, their work encompasses the entire Yuba River watershed – from the Sierra crest to the valley floor. To celebrate SYRCL’s fortieth anniversary, they commissioned a film from […]

Nevada City, CA — In November 2019, Rise Gold submitted a project description to reopen the Idaho-Maryland Mine with the hope of extracting gold on the 119-acre New Brunswick site.    SYRCL has been researching the project since then. We have concluded that the reopening of the Idaho-Maryland Mine poses a significant threat to our […]

Started in 2002, Quiz Night is the annual spring fundraiser for the South Yuba River Citizens League’s (SYRCL) Youth Environmentalist of the Year scholarship and its year-round River Education programs. Each year, SYRCL awards a $4,000 scholarship to support a local college-bound student who has demonstrated a commitment to the environment and is on their […]

Nevada City, CA — Since 2002, the South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL) has offered a $4,000 scholarship to a graduating senior pursuing a degree in the environmental field (science, advocacy, education, art, communication, technology, sustainability, etc.). This year the deadline for students to apply is February 24, 2023. In order to be eligible for […]

Nevada City, CA – Through Growing Green for the Yuba, SYRCL’s goal is to inspire the community to engage in sustainable and ecologically sound cannabis cultivation in the Yuba River watershed. On January 11th from 5:30 to 6:45, join SYRCL, with guest speakers from the Nevada County Cannabis Alliance, at Nevada County Media at 355 […]

Nevada City, CA – The South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL) and the University of California, Santa Cruz are looking for community input on issues surrounding river health, fisheries, and fish passage at Daguerre Point Dam on the lower Yuba River. SYRCL is exploring ways to restore access to habitat for salmon and other native […]

Nevada City, CA – Do you want to do more to help protect the place that you love? Do you want to do some hands-on activism for a cause you believe in? The South Yuba River Citizens League is always looking for dedicated and engaged volunteers to help us protect and preserve the Yuba River […]

Nevada City, CA – After nearly a dozen years with SYRCL, and five years at the helm of the South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL), Melinda Booth will step down as Executive Director following the 21st anniversary of the Wild & Scenic Film Festival in February 2023. Booth served in a number of leadership roles […]

Nevada City, CA – From September 12th to the 24th, with the help of over 400 Yuba River loving volunteers donating more than 1,220 hours, the South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL) was able to remove over 10,600 pounds of trash and recycling from 23 sites in the Yuba River watershed. This year’s Yuba River […]

Nevada City – Registration is open for the South Yuba River Citizens League’s (SYRCL) 2022 Salmon Expeditions on Sunday, October 16th and Saturday, October 29th. Join SYRCL’s River Science staff, trained naturalists, and river guides from H2O Adventures for a float trip down the lower Yuba to see spawning salmon. The day on a raft […]