Conservation News
The NCCFFF Conservation Network
By Dougald Scott
The NCCFFF Conservation Network
By Dougald Scott
On November 19th, I attended an all day meeting of the NCCFFF Conservation Network in Lodi. The Network includes representatives from all of the Northern California fly fishing organizations affiliated with the Federation of Fly Fishers. This is the third such meeting I've attended and I find it very helpful and informative to meet with other fly fishers with similar conservation concerns. A number of conservation issues were discussed, and I present the highlights of some below.
Central Valley Steelhead
NOAA Fisheries and Fish & Wildlife have agreed to continue the "Threatened" listing status for Central Valley steelhead under the Endangered Species Act. They will continue to manage migratory steelhead separately from rainbow trout. This agreement goes against the CDFG's recommendation of one year ago to de-list steelhead, a position that NCCFFF vigorously opposed.
The Delta
The population crash of virtually all fish species and the overall food chain in the Delta remains a concern. Numbers of young of the year stripers are at an all time low as are the numbers for the other fish species. A new report cites two of the most probable causes (although there could easily be more):
1. Increased pumping from the Delta. This year more water was pumped from the Delta than any other year on record. To visualize how much water is being pumped, picture the amount of water flowing down the Sacramento River at Redding in the summer, when flows are high. This is usually around 12,000 cfs. The combined pumping from the Delta by the State and Federal water projects is usually around 14,000 cfs.
2. Increased toxic materials. This problem is exacerbated by the increased removal of water from the Delta.
What can be done to relieve the crisis? Dealing with the toxics will require a long-term solution, but turning off the pumps, or at least turning them down, can be done immediately.
Klamath/Trinity
NCCFFF is part of a consortium of conservation and Native American groups that are negotiating with Pacific Corp to remove dams on the Klamath. These dams impede salmonid migration and cover potential spawning grounds. Although negotiations are still in progress, it appears that at least two dams will be removed. This will open miles of river for spawning.
New Zealand Mud Snail Disinfectant
An additional study was done last week on the effectiveness of Formula 409(50%) sprayed on, instead of total immersion. Results will be available soon. A spray-on Copper Sulfate solution (1 TBS/Gal) has already been shown to be effective at killing the snails, as long as the solution is on the waders for at least 5 minutes, and all the nooks and crannies in the waders are sprayed. A Copper Sulfate solution of the correct concentration will soon be available commercially.
International SportsmenŐs Expo
NCCFFF will present panel discussions at the International Sportsmen's Expo in San Mateo and Sacramento. The dates for the show are January 12th-15th in San Mateo and January 19th-22nd in Sacramento. Specific times and days for the presentations will be announced when the schedule becomes available. Presentations on the health of the Klamath/Trinity and Bay Delta fisheries will be followed by panel discussions and questions from the audience. All club members are encouraged to attend. Check the ISE website for the schedule (www.sportsexpos.com).
A Fly Fisherman Appointed to the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board
Dan Odenweller has been a fishery biologist for NOAA Fisheries and the California Department of Fish and Game. He is an expert on fish screens, which are intended to keep fish out of the giant pumps that suck billions of gallons from the Delta every year. He is a member of the American Fisheries Society, the Sierra Club, Delta Fly Fishers and a board member of the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance.
Mokelumne River Salmon Enhancement
We ended the meeting with a presentation on the Mokelumne River salmon enhancement program. This was followed by a field trip to the salmon and steelhead hatchery below Camanche Reservoir on the Mokelumne River. Fisheries biologist Dr. Joe Merz, gave the presentation and led the field trip. When Dr. Merz began his project, there were no suitable spawning areas below the dam. The water was slow moving and deep, and the gravel was choked with algae and sediment. Under Dr. Merz's direction, large boulders and gravel were strategically placed in the streambed. The effect was to create riffles with well-oxygenated spawning gravel. Water releases were modified so that pulses of high flow could flush accumulated sediment and algae from the gravel before the spawning season began. These activities have resulted in a dramatic increase in natural spawning in the river below the dam. There are now more than 10,000 Chinook salmon ascending the Mokelumne, and some 40% of those were spawned in the wild. Our group witnessed hundreds of 20-40 pound salmon engaged in spawning activities in the newly formed riffles.