Last September brought a heartbreaking reminder of why we do what we do. On the same day, just a few miles apart along the American River, two beavers lost their lives to discarded fishing gear.
One was found at Mile 11 with a lure caught in its tongue, ultimately dying. The other was discovered upstream, tethered by the tail in the middle of the river. Unable to free itself, it died from exhaustion.
One of these beavers was trapped just downstream of the Jim Jones Foot Bridge near the Sunrise access area, a popular fishing spot. That’s where we decided to focus our next cleanup mission.
Teaming Up to Go Deep
To tackle the problem, on June 28, we partnered with Matt Spruitenberg from American River Lost and Found, longtime friends and supporters of the Waterbird Habitat Project. Matt regularly dives the river to recover lost belongings for rafters and paddlers, but this time, he volunteered to dedicate a dive just to removing dangerous fishing gear.
Under the bridge, the river drops to about 30 feet with a strong flow (around 2,200 cubic feet per second that day)—too deep and swift for most cleanup tools. Matt used an underwater scooter to cover a three-mile stretch between Fair Oaks Bridge and Rossmoor Park, while our crew of kayakers and paddleboarders stayed on the surface to collect the gear he brought up.
Clearing the Hazards
As Matt worked below, our surface team paddled along, untangling lines from submerged trees. Some were strung 15 feet apart, with lures and hooks ready to snag any unsuspecting animal. Bit by bit, we pulled up clumps of line, hooks, and sinkers, removing hazards before they could claim another victim.
It was a gorgeous day on the river, with sunlight glinting off the water and osprey overhead, and it felt good knowing every piece of gear we pulled out made the river safer for wildlife.
Growing Momentum
Word of the dive spread quickly, and several other divers have since offered to help. We’re now planning regular diving events dedicated to keeping fishing gear out of the waterbird habitat.
We’re also raising funds for an underwater drone to help us locate high-risk “gear traps” so divers can target their efforts more effectively.
Every piece of gear we remove is one less threat to beavers, waterbirds, and all the other wildlife that call the American River home.