Mill Creek is the lowermost tributary to the Scott River, which consistently generates the largest returns of wild coho salmon in California. During the fall spawning migration for coho and Chinook salmon, Mill Creek is the first tributary they encounter, and one of the only low gradient tributaries in this steep section of the Scott. In the last few years, the mainstem Scott went dry in multiple locations in the summer and early fall, due to drought and late fall rains; these conditions prevented adult salmon from accessing their typical spawning areas and significantly impacted fisheries populations. Restoring a tributary this low in the watershed will ensure that salmon have a place to spawn, and rear, regardless of upstream conditions and drought years.
The entire Mill Creek watershed was affected by mining in the early 1900s, and the creek was moved during hydraulic mining activities. Since the 1980s, Mill Creek has been blocked to fish passage during most times of the year by a steep, bedrock cascade at the mouth and an impassable road crossing just 200 feet from its confluence with the Scott River. In July 2023, after much effort by state, federal, tribal partners, and private landowners, construction began on the Scott-Bar Mill Creek Fish Passage Restoration Project. The project will replace the road crossing with a channel spanning bridge, re-profile the channel to improve fish passage, and restore riparian and instream habitat conditions in Mill Creek. CalTrout will restore access to threatened coho salmon, steelhead, and other aquatic species to approximately three miles of year-round, cold water spawning and rearing habitat. Project construction is expected to continue through October 2023.
As the Klamath River dams are removed, this project will be especially important for salmon recovery throughout the larger mid-Klamath Basin. By the end of 2024, four Klamath River dams will be removed, which will improve water quality in the mainstem Klamath River, reduce disease, and increase the number of returning adults looking for suitable habitat conditions in historic spawning and rearing streams. Spawning and rearing tributaries to the Klamath, like the Scott River, act as salmon nurseries for the entire basin making our restoration efforts crucial in places like Scott-Bar Mill Creek.
We are thrilled to partner on this project with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), the Karuk Tribe, private landowners, the Siskiyou RCD, and Siskiyou County. We are grateful for our generous funders at the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Wildlife Conservation Board, and CDFW Fisheries Restoration Grant Program.
Restoring Mill Creek is part of CalTrout's larger vision to enhance and restore fish passage throughout the Scott River watershed. Explore our projects on the East Fork, South Fork, and at Mill-Shackleford bridge.
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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.
1 Comment
Excellent article- thank you for your dedication to restoring coho populations through your work!