What a day on the river!
On Saturday, June 13, the Waterbird Habitat Project teamed up with expert diver Matt Spruitenberg of American River Lost and Found for another Diving for the Waterbirds event — and we came home with our biggest haul yet.
Matt went underwater searching for abandoned fishing gear while our surface crew followed along in kayaks and paddleboards. This year, dedicated volunteers from the California Conservation Corps (CCC), valued partners of the Waterbird Habitat Project, made up most of the team. One CCC volunteer towed a gear kayak so we could quickly load everything Matt brought up from the depths, along with anything we raked from the shore and around the bridge pylons.
We launched from the Fair Oaks Bridge and headed downstream toward Rossmoor Bar. The river was flowing at 2,200 csf making for safe and productive conditions. By the end we filled the kayak with fishing line, hooks, and gear — a record haul! Every piece of gear removed means less danger for the beavers, waterbirds, turtles, and other wildlife that call the river home.
We hit the San Juan Rapids and pulled over for lunch on the beach — a perfect spot to eat and cheer. Matt guided the fully loaded gear kayak through while the volunteers rode the waves. Good times all around!
Matt-Man was the heart of the day — pulling gear from the depths for hours and keeping everyone safe along the way. Matt’s skill and generous spirit made the whole event possible, and we’re so grateful!
We’re especially grateful to the California Conservation Corps volunteers who showed up with so much energy and heart! We’re looking forward to many more adventures together.
We’re already planning the next magnet fishing event with July 25 and our regular Second Saturdays on the Water July 11.
If you’d like to join us on the river, learn more about fishing responsibly, or support this work, visit waterbirdhabitat.org/get-involved.
Join the Effort!
Together, we’re making the American River safer for the wildlife that lives here — one dive, one paddle, and one good time at a time.