The stonefly hatch on the Klamath River can make for some seriously fun fly fishing; you’re throwing big bugs — which are often viciously attacked. It’s carnage, but it’s the kind of carnage fly fishermen can get behind:
Klamath River Salmonfly Hatch from Wild Waters on Vimeo.
(Now imagine the hatch — and the fish you’d catch — if the Klamath River Dams came down…)
A Klamath Falls Herald & News editorial points out what so many opponents of the Klamath Basin accords (KBRA & KHSA) want to ignore: Life can’t go on the way it is:
Several weeks ago, the Herald and News printed a commentary from Dean Brockbank, vice president and general counsel for PacifiCorp Energy, which owns the four dams and has determined that shutting them down is better than relicensing them and keeping them running.
A couple of the points he made:
“Probably the most important thing to remember in the debate over whether to remove the dams is that the status quo is not among the options. It doesn’t work in this case to say, ‘I don’t like it so, let’s go back to how things were.’”
Opponents of the agreements often assume their defeat means the status quo will continue, but they’re mistaken. Without the basin agreements in place, the Klamath Basin water issues will quickly return to the legal quagmire of the prior decade, including uncertain water deliveries, potential fish kills, more ESA listings, and communities devastated by water calls and fisheries
The KBRA and KHSA agreements — the collaborative agreements crafted by 42 stakeholder groups — remain the best way to solve the Klamath Basin’s water issues.
For Immediate Release: May 16th, 2013
Contact: Meadow Barr, 530-859-1411
Shasta County-CA
Siskiyou County-CA
Did you know that Hat Creek was once California’s premier spring creek fishery? Come learn about Hat Creek’s unique characteristics, why it fell on hard times, and what is being done to fix it.
The public is invited to an educational presentation, “Water Talks: The Science Behind the Hat Creek Restoration Plan” on Wednesday June 5th 2013 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the McConnell Foundation headquarters building located at 800 Shasta View Drive in Redding. The informational Water Talks are free and open to the public. Please RSVP to mbarr@caltrout.org as seating is limited at the McConnell Foundation.
“Water Talks: The Science Behind the Hat Creek Restoration Plan” will feature presentations from:
In November of 2012 California Trout received a grant from the California Natural Resources Agency to restore fish habitat and create new recreational opportunities on Hat Creek. Andrew Braugh, California Trout’s Mount Shasta Conservation Manager will be managing the project.
“The Hat Creek Restoration project is an example of what can be accomplished when public and private organizations work together to manage northern California’s natural resources. Hat Creek was once California’s most important spring creek wild trout fishery; our restoration partnership is committed to bringing this special place back to life,” Braugh said.
“Presentations like these help me understand the broader scope of the project and encourage me to contribute in the capacity that I can,” stated Tony Orozco, a PG&E hydrologist. “I will discuss the unique characteristics of the Hat Creek Watershed, the hydrology of Hat Creek and provide an overview of PG&E’s power generation on Hat Creek,” he said.
Jeff Cook, an ecologist at Spring Rivers has been conducting studies, working, and fishing on Hat Creek since 1996 and a part of the Hat Creek Restoration planning since 2003. His studies have included trout spawning surveys, rare species surveys, identification of sediment sources and influx rates, and in-stream sediment transport studies. “In my portions of the talk I will cover the geologic history and geomorphology of Hat Creek as well as the existing ecological conditions and how they tie to the science behind the planned restoration activities,” he said.
“My research interest is understanding how nutrients in the underlying geology can be incorporated into groundwater, emerge as springs, and ultimately provide the base of a productive foodweb,” said Carson Jeffres, Staff Researcher for the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences.
Jeffres’ presentation will set the stage for Erin Donley, who is a student researcher at the USDA and a Ph.D. student in the Department of Entomology at UC Davis. “I will cover the unique characteristics of spring creek food web dynamics,” she said.
The Department of Fish and Wildlife has managed a portion of Hat Creek as a Wild Trout water since 1972. “I will share the results of recent trout population and creel studies, and discuss how restoration actions will benefit wild trout populations,” said Mike Berry, a senior environmental scientist with the Department.
Attendees can expect to come away with a better understanding of the story behind why Hat Creek needs restoration, the science behind the restoration plan, and the restoration actions beginning this summer.
Water Talks are an ongoing series of informational and educational presentations with local and regional experts sharing their knowledge with the public on a range of water related topics. The purpose of Water Talks is to provide a place to learn about water related topics. Water Talks is a project of California Trout. California Trout is a nonprofit organization dedicated to seeking workable solutions for fisheries restoration throughout California.” For more information contact Meadow Barr, California Trout Outreach Consultant at 530-859-1411 or mbarr@caltrout.org.
California Trout (CalTrout) is looking for an energetic, organized, and mature college-aged individual to assist in the delivery of CalTrout’s 2013 Hat Creek Youth Initiative. The Team Leader will work under the guidance of the CalTrout Project Coordinator, to supervise and manage a field crew of 5 high school students in various stream-bank restoration and scientific monitoring projects. The Hat Creek Youth Initiative is in support of CalTrout’s River Parkway Project and the larger efforts of restoring Hat Creek’s Wild Trout Area. The Team Leader will have opportunities to network with a diverse range of Natural Resource Professionals, and will receive career training and guidance from CalTrout Staff.
Mandatory Requirements of the Position:
Interested persons with experience and/or education in the following activities are encouraged to apply:
The Team Leader will be based during the field season in either Fall River Mills or Burney, in Northern California for the duration of the summer. Having access to your own personal vehicle is mandatory, as there are limited public transportation options in the rural towns of Fall River Mills and Burney. Housing is not provided, but assistance in finding a room/rental can be accommodated. The area offers numerous opportunities for fishing, hiking, camping and recreating. The town of Burney is located an hour from the city of Redding, CA where there are amenities that the small-town of Burney does not offer.
This position does not include benefits or paid holidays. Contingent upon success and interest, the Team Leader would be considered for extended full-time employment up to but not later than October 31, 2013 in order to facilitate fall internships. Due to quick turn-around, the individual would need to be available in Burney, California by early June.
Experienced and interested individuals are encouraged to forward a detailed cover letter and resume to:
Ally Sherlock
Project Coordinator- Hat Creek Youth Initiative
CalTrout- Mount Shasta Office
701A Mount Shasta Blvd, Mount Shasta, CA, 96067
E-mail: allysherlock@gmail.com
Fax: 530-926-3267
For Immediate Release: May 9th, 2013
Contact: Meadow Barr, 530-859-1411
Siskiyou County-CA
Did you know that four runs of salmon, and steelhead existed in the Upper Sacramento, McCloud and Pit Rivers prior to the building of Shasta Dam? Come learn about why salmon reintroductions are being considered, and steps being taken to assess the feasibility of accomplishing reintroductions above Shasta Dam.
The public is invited to an educational presentation, “Water Talks: Reconnecting Salmon to Shasta Mountain: Shasta Dam Fish Passage Feasibility” on Wednesday May 29th 2013 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the Mount Shasta Sisson Museum located at 1 North Old Stage Road in Mount Shasta. The informational Water Talks are free and open to the public.
“Water Talks: Reconnecting Salmon to Shasta Mountain: Shasta Dam Fish Passage Feasibility” will feature presentations from:
Local historian and California Trout’s fly fishing ambassador Craig Ballenger, will provide an introduction to the evening’s topic with a short history of the salmon and steelhead runs on the McCloud, Upper Sacramento and Pit Rivers. “The spring fed rivers that flow into Shasta Dam once supported four runs of salmon and runs of steelhead,” he said.
Brian Ellrott, the Central Valley Chinook salmon and steelhead Recovery Coordinator for NOAA Fisheries, will discuss the importance of providing salmon with more spawning habitat. “Historically, there were four independent populations of winter-run Chinook salmon spawning in the Sacramento River basin; today, there is only one population and it is on a path to extinction”, Brian stated. “To avoid extinction and ultimately recover winter-run Chinook salmon, the feasibility of returning these fish to their historic spring-fed spawning areas must be explored.”
“It’s been a long time since anadromous fish had access to the habitat above Shasta Dam and watershed conditions have changed since then,” said John Hannon, a Fisheries Biologist with the Bureau of Reclamation. “We’re looking at the habitat to make sure it’s still compatible with the targeted salmon runs and will be working with other agencies and interested stakeholders to design and conduct studies to learn whether we may be able to feasibly reintroduce salmon back into some of their historic habitat above Shasta Dam,” he explained.
“Stakeholders in regions above large head dams have concerns about how reintroducing endangered species could affect them,” said Alice Berg, who is a fisheries biologist and an Endangered Species Act Specialist for NOAA Fisheries. “While we are still in the early stages of identifying what tools may be applicable above Shasta Dam, I will explain the suite of tools used to address these concerns as well as a case study on how these tools have been used in other regions in the Pacific Northwest,” she said.
Attendees can expect to come away with a better understanding the history of salmon runs above Shasta Dam, why the National Marine Fisheries Service is considering the possibility of reintroducing salmon above Shasta Dam, and the process and timeline of studying the feasibility of reintroductions.
Water Talks are an ongoing series of informational and educational presentations with local and regional experts sharing their knowledge with the public on a range of water related topics. The purpose of Water Talks is to provide a place to learn about water related topics. Water Talks is a project of California Trout. California Trout is a nonprofit organization dedicated to seeking workable solutions for fisheries restoration throughout California.” For more information contact Meadow Barr, California Trout Outreach Consultant at 530-859-1411 or mbarr@caltrout.org.
Here’s another of our interview series, this one with Mount Shasta Region Conservation Director Andrew Braugh, who is largely focused on the region’s spring creeks, especially the restoration and protection of Hat Creek and Fall River.
CalTrout’s Drew Braugh.
Tell us a little about yourself and your region.
My name is Andrew Braugh and I’m CalTrout’s Mount Shasta Conservation Manager. Currently, I’m focusing on the restoration of two of Northern California’s premier spring creek fisheries: Hat Creek and Fall River.
These spring-fed systems are special because they generate large volumes of cold, clean, nutrient-rich water. More specifically, the spring systems all around Mt. Shasta tend to produce elevated levels of nitrogen and phosphorous. Why are these nutrients important? Because they grow fish, bugs, and aquatic plants much faster than most surface-fed streams.
Spring creeks also tend to generate more constant flows year-round because they are fed by groundwater, whereas as surface-fed streams depend more on precipitation and snow runoff. We’re really lucky to have both Hat Creek and Fall River in our region. They are fascinating systems to work on; we’re making progress on some challenging issues. The fishing is unforgiving but rewarding when you finally land that 20 incher on 7x!
What are the critical issues facing Hat Creek and Fall River?
Hat Creek and Fall River both suffer from sediment issues that seem to have really disrupted their entire food web cycles. Over the last 20-25 years both systems have experienced a major influx of fine sediment that blanketed their stream beds and altered their natural aquatic plant life cycles.
This may or may not be related to the terrible Eurasian watermilfoil outbreak in the Fall River that started around 2002. Excessive sedimentation like this can originate from various natural or anthropogenic sources such as flooding, channel straightening, and bank erosion from unrestricted cattle.
The problem with low gradient, slow-moving spring creeks is that they usually don’t have the large flood events needed to flush excessive sediment out. So once it gets in there it’s stuck! But it actually moves faster than most people think; we’re finally seeing the tail ends of both sediment slugs in Hat and Fall.
More importantly, we’re starting to see aquatic vegetation growing again, which is really positive. There has been a lot of talk about dredging both systems but with these new signs of life — and stable fish populations — I suggest we try to help nature do its thing.
Stabilizing streambanks, managing cattle better, restoring native terrestrial and aquatic vegetation — all these things will improve habitat conditions and increase the carrying capacity of both fisheries to hold larger and more abundant wild trout.
Tell us about your favorite place in your region.
The Hat Creek Wild Trout Area has become my new favorite place on earth! We obviously have big plans for this place and I can’t wait to get started on our restoration plans.
I’m really impressed with CalTrout’s initiative and commitment to Hat Creek. Dick Galland and I were talking the other day about our ten and twenty year restoration vision and I got goosebumps just thinking about the legacy of fly-fishing here and the impact our organization will have.
There’s no place better than sundown up on the hill above Carbon Flats. I can picture the restored canopy hanging over the river, bald eagles grabbing lunkers from the stream, maybe even a few anglers fishing there again!
http://caltrout.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/drewtreelaydown.jpg
While individuals and groups have been working to restore California’s Eel River for decades, CalTrout’s North Coast Manager Darren Mierau has added the organization’s horsepower to the fight with the formation and launch of the brand-new Eel River Forum — a group created to:
“Coordinate and integrate conservation and recovery efforts in the Eel River watershed to conserve its ecological resilience, restore its native fish populations, and protect other watershed beneficial uses. These actions are also intended to enhance the economic vitality and sustainability of human communities in the Eel River basin.”
“The Eel River is an amazing place” said Mierau. “But its native fish populations never recovered from the bad practices of the past.”
“The Eel drains 2.3 million acres and the potential is enormous, yet native fish populations are typically only 3% of their historic numbers. We think that we can work with all the stakeholders and build a better Eel.”
The Eel River
According to the story printed in the Redwood Times, public interest in the forum is high:
ERF, a coalition of public agencies, conservation groups, tribes, and other stakeholders concerned about fisheries on the Eel River, rotates the site of its monthly meetings. Its previous meeting in Benbow on Jan. 23 drew nearly 40 members of the public.
The Eel River Forum’s 21 Charter Members include many groups who have been working on the Eel for years. Charter members include:
Currently, CalTrout’s Mierau is most involved in the the Eel River Estuary Preserve project, the Bridge Creek railroad crossing removal, Salt River and PG&E’s Potter Valley project.
CalTrout is also hosting an Eel River Forum mini-site here, where you’ll find updates on the progress of the group.
In support of CalTrout, Abel has created a limited edition line of CalTrout products. Proceeds from the sale of these items will benefit CalTrout in its mission to protect and restore the wild trout, steelhead, salmon and their waters throughout California.
The Abel Classic brings back the traditional look and feel of an ultra-lightweight Spey reel, but with the perfect modern fit and finish expected of an Abel.
A perfect fit for those on big water throwing Spey and Skagit lines in the 8/9/10 category. The standard arbor gives plenty of room for the thickest of lines, making it large in capacity and light on weight.
Designed, Manufactured and Assembled in the USAAll orders must be placed by June 15th, 2013.
Note: Shipping is $5 for nippers & $15 for reels ($15 if you order reel & nipper.) Please expect delivery by mid-July .
For questions, please contact Lisa Clarke, lclarke@caltrout.org or 415.392.8887 xl02.
What's CalTrout doing for fisheries? Here's our 2012 Project list.
65% of California’s native salmon, steelhead, and trout species may be extinct within 100 years. Learn more about SOS: California's Native Fish in Crisis here.
Mt. Shasta's many springs feed the Upper Sacramento, McCloud and Shasta Rivers (and tributaries). Read our comprehensive report.
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