| Area | North Fork |
| Topic | Temperature: Maximum Floating Weekly Average (C) NF Coho Ref 1994-2001 |
The image of the North Fork Gualala showing vegetation and MWAT (C) by location are from the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board. Maximum floating weekly average water temperature in Celsius are the maximum values for all years measured. They North Fork cools as it moves west off mélange terrain from 22 C to 18 C below Robinson Creek but warms again above its convergence with the Little North Fork. An MWAT of 16.8 C is the maximum threshold for supporting coho juveniles (Welsh et al., 2001).
The Chart above was taken from Appendix 9 of the Gualala River Watershed Synthesis Report and represents Gualala River locations versus sites labeled "old growth" and is intended to show that water temperatures in smaller streams are naturally cooler than larger streams. The relationship represents data from Henry Alden of Gualala Redwoods, Inc. who also provided information about the old growth sites: "The old growth watersheds, by increasing acreage, are Cow Creek (93% uncut old growth), Squaw Creek (61% uncut old growth) Canoe Creek (62% uncut old growth) and Bull Creek, where the stream flows through 3 miles of uncut old growth, including the Rockefeller Grove, before it gets to the Bull Creek temperature station."
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