Conservation News

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Restoration of Central Valley Waters
Record Searchlight - dateline October 8th - Scott Mobley

A plan to restore endangered chinook salmon and threatened steelhead to Central Valley streams asks Californians to cut their water consumption by 20 percent over the next decade.
The National Marine Fisheries Service on Wednesday released a draft of the plan, which would cost up to $1 billion over the next five years and $10.4 billion over a half-century.
Salmon and steelhead populations have shrunk since at least the 1960s, according to the report. Central Valley fisheries could see full recovery in 50 to 100 years, should officials follow through, the report said.
The recovery plan calls for flooding the Sacramento River one week each spring and moving the Coleman National Fish Hatchery to help wild fish populations flourish.
But the report dismisses Redding-area tributaries of the Sacramento as too developed for meaningful salmon and steelhead habitat restoration.
Federal officials, working with state and local officials and experts, would reintroduce salmon and steelhead to the Little Sacramento and McCloud rivers, and Battle and Clear Creeks, among other Northern California streams.

What: Central Valley Salmon and Steelhead Recovery Plan public workshops.
When: 1 to 4 PM and 7 to 9 PM, Oct. 20.
Where: Masonic Center, 1110 W. East Ave., Chico.

Salmon and steelhead plan:
Here are some highlights of the draft plan for salmon and steelhead recovery in the Central Valley:
* Cut water consumption statewide 20 percent by 2020.
* Provide more money for law enforcement to reduce illegal takings of fish and water pollution.
* Restore streamside habitat, boost fish passage at dams, remove some dams on tributary streams.
* Possibly move or modify the Coleman Fish Hatchery.

The report singles out Battle Creek in the far southern Cascades as particularly promising for salmon and steelhead recovery, thanks to its persistently strong cold water flows.
The federal Bureau of Reclamation has already launched plans to remove some of the five dams on Battle Creek as part of a long-term effort to restore that fishery. Crews are slated to begin dismantling the Wildcat Diversion Dam on the creek's north fork next month. The Central Valley recovery plan calls for installing fish ladders at any of the dams remaining on Battle Creek and stepping up cold water releases. The plan also suggests conducting a study of moving or at least modifying Coleman Hatchery operations to spare wild salmon in Battle Creek. Clear Creek also has high salmon and steelhead
The Whiskeytown Dam upstream has contributed to improving fish habitat, the report suggests, which calls for boosting cold water releases from the lake to keep water temperatures below 65 degrees year-round. The plan calls for water temperatures in Clear Creek down to 56 degrees in late summer.
On the main stem Sacramento below Keswick Dam, the plan urges restoring the river's "meanderbelt," or shifting stream channel, between Keswick and Colusa. The report also suggests inundating the river's flood plain for at least seven days each spring in two out of three years.
The billions needed to carry out the Central Valley fisheries recovery plan should be considered an investment, according to the report.
"Because of their direct and indirect economic value as a resource for fishing, recreation- and tourism-related activities, each dollar spent on salmon recovery may generate thousands of dollars for local, state, federal and tribal economies," the report states. A National Marine Fisheries Service spokesman was unavailable for comment Wednesday afternoon.
Reporter Scott Mobley can be reached at 225-8220 or at smobley@redding.com.BR> http://media.redding.com/media/static/Public_Draft_Recovery_Plan.pdf If you wish to read the report in its entirety, go to http://media.redding.com/media/static/Public_Draft_Recovery_Plan.pdf.

Cutting Through The Noise
A Video by Salmon Water Now

This video points out how much misinformation is being promulgated by state officials regarding water allocation to farmers in Southern California versus restoration of salmon habitat. It is controversial and will get you to thinking hard about water issues in the state of California and what importance our government places on conservation. To view it, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiLJPHXWwD8. If it doesn't make you angry, you still don't understand!

Everybody seems to be out fishing, and that's a good thing. Being that there are so many of our club members away on fishing trips it has been a bit difficult to get updated with all the current information on the hatchery situation and the fate of the endangered salmon and and steelhead from the effects of the Lockheed Fire. The bad news is that the entire collection system that provided the water from Berry Creek was completely destroyed. The good news is that a 1400-foot trench was run back up to the collection area and a 4" pipe was installed underground. Quite a few club members showed up and got the job done. Thanks to Barry Burt, Jim Tolonen, Troy Mayer, Kirk Matthews of SCFF. Also a tremendous amount of appreciation to the members of the South Bay Fishing Club who showed up with very little notice to jump in and get the work done. Some of those who participated were Al Blue, Jerry Taylor, Joe and Mary Joe Humphrey, Bill Renick, Bruce Newhall, as well as Roger Caton from Castroville. I apologize for misspelling of names, and omissions of anyone not mentioned. You know who you are and it is all appreciated. There is still work to be done on the catch basin as well as running the rest of the pipe down the road to the hatchery. There is talk of possibly moving the fish because of the concern for the siltation that will really cause problems when the rains come. One piece of good news is that there is word from the National Marine Fisheries that the COHO Salmon is their #1 concern and they would take care of those endangered by moving them to a safe situation. Barry is concerned about not being able to get eggs for the STEP program but is busy looking at options.
In other local conservation news, Debie Chirco-Macdonald, Program Coordinator for the Coastal Watershed Council is still looking for volunteers to participate in the "First Flush" which takes samples of water from the local streams and drainages to see what kind of pollutants may be entering our waterways. I missed the training as I was out of town fishing as were a number of other club members, but a few showed up in representation of the club. The teams visit storm drain sites and collect water samples. CWC staff checks the weather daily and periodically check in with all volunteers to keep you abreast of pending developments. More volunteers are needed to back up the teams. Debie can be reached at (831)464-9200 or e-mail her at: djchirco@coastalws.org.
Another area of interest comes from Ed Orre, Assistant Forest Manager, at the Soquel Demo Forest. (Edgar.Orre@fire.ca.gov). There is tagging of steelhead to be done in the Soquel Creek. " It's fun and good exercise (I know this - really!) And it's a good way to contribute to the body of knowledge of this significant watershed. Put on your neoprene waders and take part in marking the young steelhead with the same "chips" veterinarians use on our pets!" (Debbie Johnson, Minor Minister of Propaganda, Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz) The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) will be surveying steelhead trout in Soquel Creek the last week of September. We are in need of volunteers to help with this important work. Please call or email Noah Parker (NMFS) as soon as possible if you may be able to help. (Noah.Parker@noaa.gov). His cell phone number is (831) 247-2440. The NMFS fieldwork is scheduled to occur September 28, 29, 30 and October 1 and 2 (Monday through Friday). Volunteers are being sought for this rewarding project.
Volunteering is a great way to make a difference. Roll your shirt sleeves up, jump in, get involved. You'll be glad you did. Little by little it all adds up.