While boating and fishing are permitted, contact with the water is prohibited because Lake Hennessey is part of a municipal water supply. It is a reservoir where drinking water for the city of Napa comes from in drought (low rainfall) years. Unlike…

Blanketing the foothills and shading riparian landscapes, oaks are an iconic part of the Napa Valley image. Napa Valley has the greatest density of oaks of any other county in California: thirty-three percent of the county is covered by oak…

The Napa Valley is home to a diverse group of inhabitants, each with their own wants and needs. The economy is largely based upon the success of grape growers and vitners, residents require safe places to live with clean air and water, and wildlife…

Have you ever wondered, “where does the water go from there”? Maybe you think that once the water goes down the drain it’s gone forever, but that’s not the case! Modern technology allows us to give contaminated water a second life, which is…

For years, communities along the Napa River have been devastated by flooding. Since 1862, twenty-two historic flood events have occurred in the Napa Valley. Over the span of 36 years (from 1961 to 1997), 19 floods caused over $542 million dollars in…

All rivers change the way they meander and flow across the landscape over time. Weather, geography, and human use can alter the course of a waterway, and the Napa River is no exception. The river we see flowing through our valley today is very…

The hard work of beavers can be seen all along the Napa River and its tributaries. Scientists and biologists working in our local waterways estimate there to be at least 20 different colonies (families of beavers) spotted as far up the valley as St.…

The wetlands, waterways, grasslands and hills you see in the park are all part of the Napa River Watershed. Miles of trails with interpretive signage explore the troubled history of land use and the impressive rebound the wetlands have made after…

Nature has devised an extraordinary system that stores rainfall in our watershed for plants, animals, and people to use all year long. A watershed is a drainage area defined by mountains and ridgelines, where all the streams and rivers flow to a…

Over 30 species of native and non-native fish have been observed in the Napa River through the use of a rotary screw trap. It can be tricky to track fish in the river; some species, like Steelhead, swim up the river to spawn at night or when the…