Before project construction can begin, the project team must obtain necessary permits to meet relevant state and federal regulations. At the same time, the team will work to develop a final design for the project construction to follow. Design work will be led by Michael Love and Associates. Permitting work will be conducted by Gallaway Enterprises.
In tandem with the permitting and design phase, a robust education and outreach program will be kicked off by Chico State’s Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve and the Mechoopda Tribe who have lived and fished along Ótakim Séwi since time immemorial.
Many restoration projects across the state are funded in stages, through multiple grants, but the Iron Canyon Fish Passage Project received funding from NOAA’s Community-based Restoration Program through a single grant to cover all stages – from planning through to construction. This funding model can significantly reduce administrative burdens and timing delays associated with separate grants. It accelerates restoration on Big Chico Creek and provides an example for accelerating restoration work statewide.
For this project, CalTrout also relies on the work of our partner organization Sustainable Conservation and their collaboratively developed Statewide Tools to Accelerate Aquatic Habitat Restoration. Tools like this help simplify permitting processes, reduce costs, and further accelerate restoration at Big Chico Creek and beyond.
At Big Chico Creek, we expect these efficiencies to reduce the permitting time in half, move the project to construction 1.5 years sooner, and reduce project costs by $250,000 allowing us to get more restoration on the ground faster!
“This is the most streamlined way that I can think of to get something from concept to construction,” said CalTrout Mt. Lassen Regional Director Damon Goodman. “Together we are building a more efficient approach to restoration.”
California Trout, Mechoopda Indian Tribe of Chico Rancheria, Chico State’s Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the City of Chico, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Syblon Reid, Michael Love and Associates, Gallaway Enterprises, FISHBIO, Western Fishes, Maxim Crane Works, Gayland Taylor, NV5, Dr. Paul Maslin, and interested community members.
Project funding comes from NOAA Restoration Center’s Community-based Restoration Program.
Sign up to hear from California Trout! CalTrout’s mission is to ensure healthy waters and resilient wild fish for a better California. Hear about our work and how to get involved through our monthly newsletter, The Streamkeeper’s Blog, “Trout Clout” action alerts, article from our e-magazine, The Current, event invites, and much more! We respect your privacy and will never sell or share your information with other organizations.
Peter Moyle is the Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology and Associate Director of the Center for Watershed Sciences, at UC Davis. He is author or co-author of more than 240 publications, including the definitive Inland Fishes of California (2002). He is co-author of the 2017 book, Floodplains: Processes and Management for Ecosystem Services. His research interests include conservation of aquatic species, habitats, and ecosystems, including salmon; ecology of fishes of the San Francisco Estuary; ecology of California stream fishes; impact of introduced aquatic organisms; and use of floodplains by fish.
Robert Lusardi is the California Trout/UC Davis Wild and Coldwater Fish Researcher focused on establishing the basis for long-term science specific to California Trout’s wild and coldwater fish initiatives. His work bridges the widening gap between academic science and applied conservation policy, ensuring that rapidly developing science informs conservation projects throughout California. Dr. Lusardi resides at the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences and works closely with Dr. Peter Moyle on numerous projects to help inform California Trout conservation policy. His recent research interests include Coho salmon on the Shasta River, the ecology of volcanic spring-fed rivers, inland trout conservation and management, and policy implications of trap and haul programs for anadromous fishes in California.
Patrick Samuel is the Conservation Program Coordinator for California Trout, a position he has held for almost two years, where he coordinates special research projects for California Trout, including the State of the Salmonids report. Prior to joining CalTrout, he worked with the Fisheries Leadership & Sustainability Forum, a non-profit that supports the eight federal regional fishery management councils around the country. Patrick got his start in fisheries as an undergraduate intern with NOAA Fisheries Protected Resources Division in Sacramento, and in his first field job as a crew member of the California Department of Fish & Wildlife’s Wild and Heritage Trout Program.