Category Archives: Salmon

Fish, Salmon, Water, Wildlife

Huge gates in Delta stuck open, posing threat to migrating salmon

A pair of massive water diversion gates in the Delta near Walnut Grove has become stuck open due to a mechanical problem, posing a potential threat to juvenile salmon migrating to the ocean.

The Delta Cross Channel Gates, operated by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, are used to divert Sacramento River water into the interior of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, and then to Reclamation export pumps near Tracy.

This time of year, the gates are normally closed on weekdays to ensure migrating salmon are not diverted from their migratory path in the Sacramento River, and opened on weekends to accommodate boat traffic.

But on Tuesday, while officials were attempting to close the gates after the Memorial Day weekend,one of the two gates could not be closed due to a mechanical problem. So Reclamation has left both gates open while it works on a fix.

More at SacBee.com >>>

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

Auburn State Recreation Area cleanup tackles trashed canyon sites

Hundreds of volunteers will be taking out the trash in the American River Canyon on Saturday.

The Earth Week cleanup brings volunteers together with several organizations in a major annual spring effort to remove litter and spruce up the canyon near Auburn.

Eric Peach, a Protect American River Canyons (PARC) board member, said Thursday that volunteers will fan out along both the middle and north forks of the American River from the confluence near the city to not only collect discarded garbage.

“Work will also include minor trail maintenance, removal of invasive non-native plant species and graffiti removal,” Peach said.

The Auburn-based PARC will be working with the California State Parks Foundation, which is holding its 15th annual Earth Day restoration and cleanup around the state. Among the projects are cleanups at both the Auburn State Recreation Area in Placer County and at the Folsom Powerhouse State Historic Park in Folsom.

More at AuburnJournal.com >>>

Fish, Rafting, safety, Salmon, Water, Wildlife

State Water Project allocation is slashed

The California Department of Water Resources has reduced its estimate of the amount of water the State Water Project will deliver this year.

DWR on Wednesday dropped its projected delivery total, or allocation, from 60 percent to 50 percent of the requested amount of slightly more than 4 million acre-feet.

‘’Stubbornly dry conditions this winter give us no choice but to roll back our water supply estimate,” says DWR Director Mark Cowin. “We continue to hope, however, that wetter conditions in the remaining winter weeks will allow us to boost deliveries back up.”

DWR says that precipitation so far this winter has been only about half of normal and the mountain snowpack is less than a third of normal.

Water Year (Oct. 1-Sept. 30) runoff from rain and snow is forecasted to be far below average in both the Sacramento River and San Joaquin River systems. The median runoff forecast of 9.4 million acre-feet for the Sacramento River system would be the 16th driest in 106 years.

The February 1 median water year runoff forecast of 3.2 million acre-feet for the San Joaquin River system would be the 21st driest in 111 years.

Average runoff is 18.3 million acre-feet for the Sacramento system, and 5.9 million acre-feet for the San Joaquin.

Much of California’s water comes from the mountainous country from Shasta Lake in the north to the American River basin in the south. DWR’s eight precipitation gages covering this area recorded an impressive 130 percent of average rainfall and snow in October, but only 43 percent in November, 4 percent of average in December, 84 percent of average in January, and 18 percent of a normal February total to date this month. Overall, this “Eight-Station Index” area to date is at 51percent of its seasonal precipitation average. Records go back to 1920.

More at CentralValleyBusinessTimes.com >>>

Fish, Salmon, Water, Wildlife

Lack of rainfall signals driest season since 1976-77

The water-supply picture for Placer County is growing grimmer.

While a Pacific Gas & Electric Co. official has briefed the Placer County Water Agency’s board about conditions that could signal one of the driest years since records have been kept, water providers remain hopeful that precipitation to replenish reservoirs will provide a March – or even April – miracle.

Dave Ward, PG&E partnership coordinator, said that as of Thursday, seasonal precipitation across the Sierra Nevada was 42.6 percent of average. Seasonal precipitation is measured between July 1 and June 30.

“This year is barely above 1976-77,” Ward said. “If the current pattern continues, it could be the sixth or seventh driest year in 117 years of record-keeping.”

PG&E is also currently projecting that less than half of normal runoff will occur on the Yuba River and American River watersheds. As the season continues and warmer weather moves in, there will be less opportunity for snowpack to build up water reserves.

More at AuburnJournal.com >>>

Fish, Salmon, Water, Wildlife

Auburn Ravine salmon restoration effort aims for Auburn

The goal is clear: To allow salmon to move upstream along the Auburn Ravine to spawn at two Auburn city parks.

But for Save Auburn Ravine Salmon and Steelhead President Jack Sanchez, what looks like a quixotic quest to some can be done with determination and cooperation.

Sanchez outlined the organization’s movement toward the ultimate goal of spawning salmon turning the Auburn Ravine shades of gold and red on a future fall day.

The Nevada Irrigation District has been working to retrofit two dams – Hemphill and Gold Hill – before salmon can reach Wise Powerhouse, at the corner of Ophir and Wise roads in Ophir, just outside Auburn city limits.

More at AuburnJournal.com >>>

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

Effie Yeaw to hold speaker series on Sacramento’s natural wonders

The Effie Yeaw Nature Center along the American River is launching a new speaker series in January to illuminate the region’s natural wonders.The six-speaker series begins Jan. 20 with a presentation on venomous bites and stings.

Each event costs $5 per person, or $25 for all six. Space is limited and registration is required.

The first speaker is Mike Cardwell, an expert on venomous snakes and bite treatment. He’ll discuss California’s only dangerous native snake, the Northern Pacific rattlesnake, how to avoid bites, appropriate first-aid, and common myths about venomous snakes.

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

50 years of protecting the American River Parkway

The Save the American River Parkway Association celebrated its 50th anniversary this month and received a resolution from the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors honoring its accomplishments over the past five decades.

“We commend the work that a whole host of folks (at the association) have done in providing a strong voice for a precious resource,” Supervisor Don Nottoli said Tuesday as he presented the resolution.

The Save the American River Association is a volunteer, nonprofit group of more than 600 members and a Board of Directors that started in 1961 to develop the American River Parkway and to create a plan to maintain it.

The 23-mile American River Parkway hosts more than 5 million visitors each year for fishing, boating and rafting on the water – and picnicking, golfing and paved walking and bicycling trails for land lovers.

More at SacramentoPress.com >>>

Events, Fish, Salmon, Water, Wildlife

Outbound Escapes: A fly fishing talk; a salmon watching spot

Fish fanciers take note: The salmon ladder at the Nimbus Fish Hatchery opened Nov. 1, signaling the official start of the spawning season on the Sacramento River.

Nimbus is one of three state-run hatcheries in the Central Valley that will take approximately 38 million eggs from salmon over the next two months in order to produce 24 million Chinook salmon for release next spring.

Nimbus has a viewing area where visitors may watch the spawning process and a playground where kids and adults may enjoy replicas of giant salmon.

The center, located at 2001 Nimbus Road, Suite F, Gold River, is open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekends every day except Christmas. Raceways (fish-rearing ponds) are open from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. Opening time may vary during spawning season.

For more information, go to www.dfg.ca.gov/fish/Hatcheries/Nimbus.

More at SacBee.com >>>

Events, Fish, Salmon, Water, Wildlife

Salmon run to be on display as Nimbus fish ladder opens

The fish ladder at Nimbus Hatchery on the American River is expected to open for the season Tuesday, giving visitors a chance to witness a resurgent fall salmon run.

Visitors are likely to see a strong fall chinook salmon run at the hatchery for the first time in four years. Fishermen are enjoying the first full salmon season since 2007. Anglers are crowding both the American and Sacramento rivers for the chance to catch a king salmon, which typically return to spawn in their freshwater birthplace after three years in the ocean.

More at ModBee.com >>

Bike Trail, safety, Salmon, Water, Wildlife

Hundreds Voice Outrage Over Possible Plan For New Flood Operation Center

The building could be built on the American River next to the Nimbus Fish Hatchery.The federal and state government is studying three different locations for a new flood operation center that would house three state and federal agencies, the Department of Water Resources, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the National Weather Service.

The proposed site is the Nimbus Fish Hatchery and two alternative sites are Mather Airport and near the intersection of Sunrise and Killgore in Rancho Cordova.

The size of the proposed center is 200,000 square feet.

Hundreds of concerned residents are angry the government would even consider building such a large structure so close to the river and the bike trail.

More at SacBee.com >>>