People and Communities
Several cultures have relied upon the streams of the Russian River watershed to provide for the necessities of life. Native people, including the Pomo and Wappo tribes, have lived here for thousands of years. Fish and wildlife were an abundant food source in the river and its tributary watershed, and streamside plants provided, and continue to provide, materials for some of the finest hand-woven baskets in the world.
Today, the Russian River is a source of drinking water for over 500,000 people. The watershed supports a myriad of activities including timber harvest, agriculture, gravel production, residential and industrial development, and service sector activities, including a world-renowned tourism industry.
As the populations of Sonoma and Mendocino counties expand, streamside landowners and citizens are increasingly concerned about maintaining healthy streams in the midst of a healthy economy. Preservation and enhancement of riparian habitats is an important part of achieving this goal.
