Colinas Farming Company is honored to have received from the US Congress a “Certificate of Special Recognition” for our support and participation in the efforts of the Rutherford Dust Society’s restoration of the Rutherford reach of the Napa River. This is an unprecedented collaborative effort of a cohesive group of landowners, government agencies and other stake holders that have come together to restore the Napa River.

The goal is to significantly reduce and even reverse river bank erosion. These adverse conditions were caused, in large part by previous misguided, unintentional clearing of the river channel and berm construction along the upper banks. In many areas along the river, landowners are removing productive vineyards to allow setbacks from the river. These setbacks have been hydrologically designed to allow the river a more natural course, reducing flow velocities and establishing productive spawning habitat for salmonids. (Salmonid: any of a family (Salmonidae) of elongate bony fishes (as a salmon or trout) that have the last three vertebrae upturned)

During the course of the river setbacks and realignments exotic and invasive weed species will be removed and native plant varieties will be reestablished.

Colinas Farming Company has been an active participant of these efforts for a number of years. We are planning to be involved through the duration of the restoration and look forward to participating in the future restoration of other reaches of the Napa River.

By: Christopher Pedemonte, Colinas Farming Company Vineyard Manager