Collaborative projects help Sacramento River salmon
By ToddManley In the latterpart of 2020, various actions were implemented in the Sacramento Valley to promote salmon recovery that point positive as we begin 2021. Even
to define freshwater ecosystem budgets for salmon and other species. In addition to participating inmany of these collaborative efforts, state and fed- eral agencies made substantial financial investments in salmon recovery projects in the SacramentoValley. In October, the California Natural Resources Agency invested Proposition 68 funding in eight salmon recovery proj- ects in the region, toprovide vital Chinook salmonspawningandrearinghabitat, pro- mote juvenile salmon outmigration by re- movingbarriers, andreactivate floodplains toprovide foodandshelter for juvenile fish. The Bureau of Reclamation announced it would be investing an additional $40 million in grant funding for Sacramento Valleysalmonrecoveryprojects.These two awards will fund a portion of the salmon habitat and science work planned in the region for at least the next five years. Salmon are anadromous fish, spend- ing most of their life out in the ocean. Investments in habitat do not provide im- mediate results. At best, the impact of im- provements can bemeasured three years after juvenile fishmigrate to the ocean, in increased numbers of adult fish returning tospawn. Itwill takeseveralof thesereturns to determine if the efforts are contributing to a positive trend in salmonpopulations. All of these actions noware investments in the promise of a better future. It is en- couragingthat themanySacramentoValley SalmonRecoveryProgrampartnersarecon- tinuing to collaborateonefforts tohelp fish in the region, focusing on the time ahead and working today to develop habitat for generationsofChinook salmon tocome. (Todd Manley i s di rector of gov- ernment relat ions for the Northern California Water Association.)
during a pandem- ic, partners were working together on efforts to ad- vancescience to in- formsalmonrecov- ery decisions and tangible projects to improve habitat for fish. Voluntary part- n e r s h i p s we r e
Todd Manley
The South Cypress Island Side Channel Restoration Project provides salmon habitat on the Sacramento River near Redding—one of the regional projects intended to benefit the species.
formed or renewed to collaborate on ac- tions ranging from individual projects to comprehensive programs to prioritize work and support project implementa- tion. These partnerships included local landowners, water management entities, academic institutions, conservationorga- nizations, andstateand federal agencies— all working together on common objec- tives tohelpsalmonrecovery. Importantly, this work occurred throughout the valley, in the upper, middle and lower reaches of the region’s rivers, to benefit all Chinook salmon freshwater life-cycle stages. In December, the Sacramento River Forum, ChicoStateEnterprises, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, River Partners and Sacramento River Set t lement Contractors—which included the city of Redding,Glenn-Colusa IrrigationDistrict, Reclamation District 108, Reclamation District 787, Reclamation District 1004, ReclamationDistrict1500andtheTehama- Colusa Canal Authority—completed work on the most recent Sacramento River salmon recovery project. The South
Cypress Island Side Channel Restoration Projectprovides4.8acresofmuch-needed spawningand rearinghabitat in theupper reachof theSacramentoRiver. This area is of critical importance, because it is thepri- maryspawninghabitat for theendangered winter-runChinook salmon. In addition, the first phase of the Hallwood Side Channel and Floodplain Restoration Project, being implemented by the Yuba Water Agency, USFWS, cbec ecoengineering, SouthYubaRiverCitizens League, Cramer Fish Sciences, Teichert and Western Aggregates on the Yuba River is almost completed, and the River Partners’ Sacramento River Willow Bend Project Phase 1 is underway. Important studies on the ability to use farmfields togrowfoodfor juvenilesalmon reachedmilestones towardtheendof2020. The pilot project developed by the CaliforniaRiceCommission; Universityof California,Davis; andCalTrout togrowju- venilesalmononwinter-floodedrice fields
showed promising results on the survival of these fish as they migrated out to the ocean. And the Fish Food on Floodplain FarmFields study continued to show the potential value of growing food on the fields that can be delivered to the region’s rivers to feed juvenile fishmigratingdown- streamto the ocean. There also were activities regarding re-managed flows to benefit salmon in the region. In October, the Sacramento River Settlement Contractors and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation coordinated fall water flowoperations tobenefit spawning Chinook salmon. Dr. Sarah Yarnell and Dr. Robert Lusardi continued to refine their work to describe the importance of functional flows to the environment and the development of the California Environmental FlowsFramework todeter- mineecological flowcriteriaandguide the development of environmental flow rec- ommendations. The Northern California WaterAssociationalsoadvancedourwork
VOL. 48, NO. 4
January 27, 2021
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