Category Archives: Wildlife

Bike Trail, Fish, safety, Salmon, Water, Wildlife

Billions in flood-control work coming to region

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More than $1 billion in flood control improvements will come to the Sacramento region in upcoming years, reducing chances for any area to be remapped into a flood-prone status.

The $1.6 billion in federal funds approved earlier this month will also reduce the chances of a building moratorium being instituted for a low-lying area. A moratorium from late 2008 to mid-2015 brought construction to a halt for the Natomas basin area of Sacramento.

Rick Johnson, executive director of the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency, said the new funding is on top of $1.1 billion in federal money authorized for similar purposes about two years ago.

“Basically, what this does is finish the rest of the levee system that wasn’t covered then,” he said.

In the new round of funding, the Sacramento River in Sacramento and West Sacramento south of where it meets the American River would see levee improvements. So would Arcade Creek and the Natomas East Main Drainage Canal, while other work would focus on erosion control. The Sacramento Bypass and Weir would also be expanded, Johnson said.

More at BizJournals.com >>>

Bike Trail, Fish, safety, Salmon, Wildlife

Closures and Detours​ UPDATE

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UPDATE 12/19/16—Closures and Detours​

The following American River Parkway closures will remain in place until further notice: Discovery Park, Watt and Howe access, the PCA Bridge (Lower Sunrise Area) and the American River Parkway multi-use trail from Mile 0-5.

The Gristmill boat launch is closed, although park access is open.

There is a detour in place at Mile 20 of the American River Parkway multi-use trail.

– Sacramento County Regional Parks

Bike Trail, Boating, Fish, safety, Salmon, Water, Wildlife

Water Releases Lowered Following Days of Dangerous American River Levels

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The Bureau of Reclamation lowered water releases from Folsom reservoir after several days of high-water flows that resulted in several river rescues along the lower American River.

“As of noon we’ve lowered releases from 36,000 to 30,000 cubic feet per second,” said Louis Moore, spokesperson for the federal agency.

Less than a week ago flows were at just 1,200 cubic feet per second. Large inflows from Folsom’s 1,800 square mile watershed forced the releases by federal water regulators who have to reserve 40 percent of the space reservoir to protect against sudden surges of water from large storms.

More at Fox40.com >>>

Fish, safety, Salmon, Uncategorized, Water, Wildlife

Fishermen Get Trapped On Island Below Nimbus Dam After Gates Open

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Four fishermen were stranded after the gates of Nimbus Dam opened and increased the water flow around the island they were on.

The incident happened late Tuesday morning just below the Nimbus Dam on the American River.

Sacramento Metro Fire says some fisherman were on an island just below the dam gates. The gates were getting ready to open and when they did, the water flow increased to the point that the fishermen couldn’t make it back across.

A crew was launched to rescue the fishermen and bring them back safely. No one was injured.

More at CBSLocal.com >>>

Boating, Fish, safety, Salmon, Water, Wildlife

Folsom Lake water release going into rising American River

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Water releases out of Folsom Lake were doubled Tuesday morning after weekend rains increased the inflows into the lake, according to the Bureau of Reclamation.

The outflows via Folsom Dam were increased from 3,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) to 6,000 cfs, with the flows expected to sprawl downstream into the low-lying areas, as opposed to the American River rising, the bureau said. The initial plan was to increase the outflow by up to 8,000 cfs by Thursday, but it may increase to as high at 15,000 cfs.

More at KCRA.com >>>

Boating, Fish, safety, Salmon, Uncategorized, Water, Wildlife

Folsom Lake Level Far Ahead of Last Year

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Folsom Lake level continues to rise.

Per the California Department of Water Resources, as of November 27, the lake stands at approximately 447,000 acre feet, about 3 times as much as last year at this time.

Although it is still 5% below the average for this time of year, note that usually we’re still losing water, with levels decreasing through late December. This year, the level has been growing since mid-October.

More at MyFolsom.com >>>

Fish, History, Salmon, Wildlife

Gigantic Spike-Toothed Salmon Swam In California Rivers 5M Years Ago

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At 400 pounds and 8 feet long, this salmon would be good eating—if only it wasn’t extinct. Oncorhynchus rastrosus, the giant spike-toothed salmon, lived in California for around 7 million years, going extinct 5 million years ago. This monster salmon, which is closely related to modern Pacific salmon and actually a member of the same genus, luckily left behind clues about its life and behaviors in its fossil remains. New research by paleontologist Julia Sankey at California State University Stanislaus and colleagues in PaleoBiosgets to the bottom of how this behemoth lived and bred.

Spike-teeth or saber-teeth? When this salmon species was first described, researchers called it a “sabertooth salmon” because of the long, robust teeth on its upper jaw, but actually they point outward instead of downward. This makes them more spike-teeth rather than sabers. The teeth were around 1.5 inches long and pointed straight out from the top of the jaw– likely used for breeding, digging and fighting. Living Pacific salmon fight with each other during mating season for the breeding rights to females, but did O. rastrosus do the same?

More at Forbes.com >>>

Bike Trail, Events, History, safety, Wildlife

Tarantulas looking for love near Folsom Lake

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Tarantulas are out looking for love and hikers are being warned to look out for them.

Last weekend, while hiking along the Darington Trail near Folsom Lake, ABC10’s John Bartell came across one of those hairy arachnids. A group of mountain bikers warned John and his girlfriend, who were on the trail at the time, of a tarantula. A surprisingly large tarantula. If you listen closely to the video, you can hear John’s girlfriend warn him about picking up the eight-legged creature.

Wade Spencer, a member of the UC Davis Entomology Department, works with spiders. He said tarantulas can bite, but only if they are only aggressive when agitated. Though they have fangs and carry poison, tarantulas are not considered a serious threat to humans.

More at ABC10.com >>>

Bike Trail, Events, Fish, History, Salmon, Water, Wildlife

Why are salmon dying? (Hint: It’s a good thing…)

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Dead salmon are washing up on banks of the American River. It sounds gruesome but it’s actually a good thing.
The annual salmon run is underway and the fish have traveled thousands of miles to spawn then die in our waterways.
“Within the last decade we have seen a downward trend,” said Department of Fish and Wildlife researcher Jeana Phillips. The DFW keeps a close eye on the salmon population. Every year a team of researchers count dead salmon after they have spawned.
The American River Nimbus Fish Hatchery in Rancho Cordova is full of salmon right now. A number of salmon in the American River were released from the Nimbus Fish Hatchery. Salmon hatch in rivers then make their way to the ocean where they spend 3 to 4 years. When they are ready to breed. Salmon leave the ocean, head back to the area they were born, lay eggs, then die.
More at ABC10.com >>>

 

Boating, Fish, safety, Video, Water, Wildlife

Speed Limit Lifted As Folsom Lake Levels Rise Above 400 Feet

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There was a little more action on Folsom Lake on Wednesday as motorboats were allowed to pick up speed once again on the water.

It’s been almost three months since the California Department of Parks and Recreation imposed a 5-mile-per-hour speed restriction for boaters on Folsom Lake. The lake level was too low to safely boat at higher speeds.

Alex Vitner frequents the lake and said, “I come frequently and it used to be a wide river, now it’s slowly filling the beaches and the sand is becoming beach again.”

This is definitely a welcome sight for drought stricken California. The National Weather Service recorded over a foot and a half of rainfall across northern California in the month of October. This helped to bring the Folsom Lake level up to 400 feet. That’s the magic number to bring down the speed restrictions on the lake, Higher water levels cover the hazards that pop up when the low water level falls below 400 feet.

The lake didn’t reach this level in the last rain season until late January.

More at CBSLocal.com >>>