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Fish, Salmon, Wildlife

3 million hatchery salmon released into American River in Sacramento

State Department of Fish and Wildlife officials on Monday and Tuesday released 3 million juvenile salmon at the mouth of the American River in Sacramento.

The fall-run chinook salmon, produced at the Nimbus Hatchery, have historically been transported in trucks to San Francisco Bay to help the fish avoid predators. But research showed few found their way back to the river.

So in 2010, hatchery officials began releasing a major share of each year’s production into the river, 25 percent of them marked with a coded-wire tag.

The results have been encouraging. “It appears from the last couple years we’ve done it that the return to the river has increased, and we’re getting less straying from other hatcheries,” said Gary Novak, a manager at the hatchery.

More at SacBee.com >>>

 

Bike Trail, Rafting, Water, Wildlife

Public meeting May 23 on Watt Avenue levee repair

Plans by the U.S. Army Corps to repair the American River levee under Watt Avenue in Sacramento could result in lane closures, and the public is invited to a meeting on the project May 23.

The work at the north end of the Watt Avenue bridge is necessary to close a gap in the existing seepage cutoff wall inside the levee, on either side of the bridge. The Army Corps built more than 20 miles of seepage walls in American River levees between 2000 and 2002. But work was set aside for later where complicated encroachments existed, such as utilities, power lines or bridges.

Construction is expected to begin later this month and continue through November. Nighttime partial lane closures of Watt Avenue are expected in late July.

The American River Bike Trail and major thoroughfares will remain open during construction. But some trail access points near the bridge may be intermittently closed.

The meeting will be May 23 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Arden-Dimick Public Library, 891 Watt Avenue.

For more information, call (916) 557-5100 or email spk-pao@usace.army.mil.

From SacBee.com >>>

Fish, Salmon, Wildlife

Millions of Salmon Released into American River

About 3 million young Chinook Salmon were spawned and then released into the wild Monday.

Raised at the Nimbus Hatchery for 6 months these fish will swim 100 miles or so all the way to the San Francisco Bay. They will live for two or three years out in the ocean, and hopefully make their way right back to the Nimbus Hatchery.

Out of all the fish released today, it’s estimated that only 2% will make it back to spawn.

From Fox40.com >>>

Rafting, safety, Water

Two men drown in separate incidents – beware cold water

Two men drowned in the American River in separate incidents over the weekend, officials said.

An unidentified 25-year-old man drowned Sunday while swimming near the Howe Avenue boat ramp, Sacramento fire officials said. He began struggling and slipped under the water while swimming in the river with another man and a minor, who were rescued from a nearby island, officials said.

On Saturday, a 23-year-old Rancho Cordova man apparently drowned while swimming in the American River near Lake Natoma, officials said.

More at SacBee.com >>>

 

safety, Water

Man drowns in American River

A 25 year old Sacramento man drowned in the American River Sunday around 3:30 p.m. during a swim with friends.

The victim, a friend and the friend’s 12-year-old daughter swam to an island off the Howe Avenue Boat Launch Facility, near La Riviera Drive, and were swimming back to shore when the man got into trouble. The friend tried to help the man, but wasn’t able to according to relatives.

Sacramento City Fire crews responded to the scene to search for the man. Around 4:45 p.m., crews recovered the man’s body.

The friend and the 12-year-old girl were not injured during the incident.

More at News10.net >>>

Fire, safety, Water, Wildlife

Man Accused of Setting American River Canyon Brush Fire

Placer County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a man Wednesday after he allegedly started a brush fire near the American River canyon.

A woman reported seeing the fire shortly after 11 a.m., and also saw a man jumping fences.

A Sheriff’s lieutenant who responded yelled at the man to stop, but he kept going.

A crew from the Sheriff’s Office was training with a helicopter nearby. One sergeant from the group confronted the man and got into a fight with him.

More at Fox40.com >>>

Events, Fish, Rafting, safety, Water, Wildlife

50 Years of the Middle Fork American River Project

A half century ago Placer County Water Agency leaders finalized documents that led to construction of the Middle Fork American River Hydroelectric Project. Their foresight ensured development of a new water supply for Placer County. The construction was funded through a revenue bond with debt service, operations and maintenance costs funded by the sale of electricity generated by the Project.

The public is invited to attend on Thursday (May 2) at 4 p.m., a special PCWA Board meeting to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the construction of the Agency’s Project.

More at RocklinToday.com >>>

Events, safety, Water, Wildlife

Volunteers wanted to upgrade former Boy Scout Camp

Camp Pollock, formally the Boy Scout Camp, soon to be under SVC’s management is a new 11 acre acquisition by the State Lands Commission along the American River and can be found just north of downtown Sacramento, under Hwy 160.

As a volunteer, you will lend a hand to Camp Pollock’s projects. The tasks include: upgrade and expand camping areas, assemble a court yard with an interpretive native plant garden, build benches, construct picnic tables and create a trail in front of Lodge for public access.

More at CalCommNews.com >>>