Water quality conditions (flow, temperature, and dissolved oxygen) in both the estuary and creeks during the late summer and early fall are limiting salmonid health and productivity:

• Low stream flow in the late summer and fall are exacerbated by water extraction and diversions in the Inland Subbasin;
• Water temperatures and dissolved oxygen in the mainstem estuary may be unsuitable for salmonids;
• Dissolved oxygen levels may be unsuitable in the North Fork Albion.

Fine sediment is contributed by eroding stream banks, poorly maintained roads, and culverts:

• High road density throughout the watershed, both current and legacy;
• Excess fine sediment generated by surface erosion from residential winter road use;
• Sediment from poorly maintained and undersized County road culverts;
• Levels of fine sediment in some areas (<6.4mm) may impact instream conditions;
• Instream substrate particle size (D50) is generally small throughout the basin;
• Permeability samples at the South Fork Albion sample site were low;
• There is evidence of stream bank erosion caused by livestock grazing within the riparian zone in some areas of the basin.

Instream habitat could be improved by increasing structure and removing barriers:

• Large Woody Debris (LWD) recruitment potential is generally poor;
• There is a shortage of instream LWD in most stream reaches;
• Inadequate spawning habitat due to limited recruitment, sorting, and retention of cobble size substrate;
• Some fish passage barriers related to Mendocino County road stream crossings.