The Noyo watershed is in Mendocino county, located west of the city of Willits and east of Fort Bragg. This 113 square mile coastal tributary flows directly into the Pacific Ocean and experiences a moderate climate with an average of 53°F and an average annual rainfall ranging between 40-65 inches. The mountainous terrain is mostly dominated by Redwood and Douglas fir.
The area is primarily privately owned forestland used for timber production and harvest, with a small portion also used for ranching and public recreation. Timber production is the largest activity conducted in this region, the major companies being Mendocino Redwood Company and Hawthorne Timber Company, and Jackson Demonstration State Forest. There is also a historical redwood train route, called the Skunk Train, used for tourism which travels through the watershed and crosses over the river’s main channel.
The local fishing industry is also reliant on the watershed, with the Noyo River exiting into Noyo Bay near the marina. The watershed supports a variety of fish species including the Coho salmon, Chinook salmon, and Steelhead trout. It additionally supplies the city of Fort Bragg with domestic water.
This chart represents the examples of VELMA 2.0 annual outputs for the Noyo watershed. This legend is interactive please click on each watershed.
This is a three dimensional representation of the Noyo Watershed’s terrain. To interact with map, use the left click to rotate, the right click to pan, and the mouse wheel to zoom in and out.
References: Water Board Report, West Coast Watershed,
Check out the other watersheds:
Eel River Watershed | Trinity River Watershed | Russian River Watershed