construction was undertaken with little thought to the river's ecology or restoration of riparian habitat. This construction is not believed to be responsible for later flooding along the river. More recently, vineyard owners with property that borders the Rutherford Reach, a stretch of the Napa River between St. Helena and Oakville, are allowing prime land to return to a natural state in order to help preserve the ecology of the river. The project known as Rutherford Restoration Project involves 23 property owners have combined forces to provide of land to this cause. After the restoration, native North American beaver returned to the area, establishing 3-4 beaver dams. These keystone species have been shown to increase fish, bird and mammal abundance and diversity in California rivers and streams. They also benefit trout and salmon by reducing sediment loads and improve water quality. The southern part of the river has also been undergoing restoration as former salt ponds along the river are being restored to their natural state. Napa Flood of 1986 In 1986, the worst of 23 floods recorded since 1865 on the Napa River occurred. 5,000 people were evacuated, 250 homes were destroyed, and three people lost their lives. After the devastating flood of 1986, the dormant Napa River Flood Project was revitalized. The Project underwent a lengthy redesign and was approved by the local voters in 1998. Construction began in 2000 and was completed by 2015. Recreation The Napa River and the surrounding watershed provide many recreational opportunities. Whitewater kayaking and rafting can be done on the upper section of river from St. Helena to Napa. The lower section of the Napa River from Napa to San Pablo Bay has flatwater that is suitable for canoeing, sea kayaking and motorboating. The Napa River Trail has segments at Kennedy Park (N 38.26764 W 122.28373) & between Lincoln Ave (N 38.31055 W 122.27783) and Trancas St (N 38.32496 W 122.28384) in the city of Napa. See also List of rivers of California List of watercourses in the San Francisco Bay Area References External links Napa River Watershed UCSB: Napa Watershed Napa River Flood Project Napa River Trail Downtown Napa Photo documentary of the Napa River from SamandaDorger.comM Rivers of Napa County, California Rivers of Solano County, California Tributaries of San Pablo Bay Mayacamas Mountains Napa Valley Napa, California St. Helena, California Rivers of Northern California