Healdsburg, and many of the cities in the Russian River Valley, have a long history of interacting with the river in a variety of ways. Ranging from extravagant Water Festivals, floating bars, to boating, swimming, and fishing, and intensive irrigation and gravel mining, people’s relationship to the River has taken many forms.

Over time, the River has become much more of a focal point for the community at large. Thanks in large part to stewards, organizers, and the Russian Riverkeeper transformational thinking has taken hold. The project team, in tandem with Sonoma County, are rethinking what it could mean for Healdsburg to radically re-embrace the Russian River and think long-term about eco-social interaction along the River. Through careful study of the River’s key habitats, channel migration zones, and formal and informal access points, plans and strategies are being developed to support public access, safety, and recreation while improving habitat and adapting to Climate Change.

Regional Extents
+
Existing Open Space

River Access Masterplan

Fletcher Studio divided the position of the Russian River that interfaces with the city of Healdsburg into four reaches, and identified conceptual improvements related to each reach:

1. Fish and Wildlife Reach — Primary improvement includes converting the existing dam into a series of channels for various rafting sports (challenging, intermediate, and mellow), approx. ~100-feet in length. Includes spectator seating along the rafting channels, and a path for rafting athletes to exit the river and walk upstream back to the start of the recreational area.

2. Downtown Reach — Home to Memorial Beach and two historic crossings (the rail and a vehicular bridge). Improvement ideas include evaluating the longevity of Memorial Beach, bankside seating seating alongside the river, and a temporary pedestrian trail across the rails bridge preceding the future light rail.

3. Badger Park Reach — Improvements include Willow Island at Badger Park, overlooks downstream, possible kayak put-in, and a Riverwalk Trail connecting west to downtown and east to the Syar gravel beaches.

4. Public Beach Reach — Addition of formal access trail stairs and a moderately sloped path down to the gravel beach area. Bank stabilization measures are proposed to improve help with the volatility of the gravel and river’s edge. Possible seating areas and picnic areas at the top of the river bank, screened with berms and planting from ‘The Birds’ neighborhood to the north. The Riverwalk Trail continues through from the Badger Park Reach following the river upstream.

Reach 1: FISH & WILDLIFE REACH

Reach 2: DOWNTOWN REACH

Reach 3: BADGER PARK REACH

REACH 4: PUBLIC BEACH REACH