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A Bridge Runs Through It

Trabuco Creek is the major tributary to San Juan Creek. CalTrout’s fish passage project at the Interstate 5 Bridge Array and Metrolink Railroad Bridge crossing Trabuco Creek addresses one of the most significant fish passage barriers in Southern California.

USC Environmental Program students visit the two largest fish passage project sites in Orange County. Photo: Scott Applebaum (USC, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies).

We seek to partner with the Acjachemen in all aspects to implement this fundamentally important fish passage project to benefit an endangered species. Domingo Belardes of the Acjachemen Nation joined the USC Student Tour hosted by CalTrout in March 2023 and led us through historical history of the area.

Domingo Belardes (Acjachemen Nation, right) and Scott Applebaum (USC, left) discuss watershed health at the Putuidem Village near the I-5 project site in San Juan Capistrano. Photo: Sandra Jacobson.
Domingo conveying cultural history to USC students at the Metrolink site. Photo: Sandra Jacobson.

Check out recent article by Francisco Martinezcuello, Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) CalTrout Ecosystem fellow funded by UC-Davis and CalTrout here.

The fish passage project at I-5 and Metrolink bridges breaks down barriers on many levels not only to restore access and understanding of those that went before us, but to restore our watersheds for those that come after us.

Signage “Water is Life at the Putuidem Village. Credit: Sandra Jacobson.

We’ve seen salmon and steelhead rebound in other parts of the country where barriers are removed and habitat is restored. There’s every reason to believe it will also work here.

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