A fish passage improvement project led by CalTrout and partners on Ótakim Séwi (Big Chico Creek), east of the City of Chico, has been recommended for funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The project is one of only 36 projects targeted by NOAA and was secured through a highly competitive grant application process.
CalTrout and partners, including the city of Chico, Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve, The Mechoopda Tribe, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and others will be working to remove a fish passage barrier in Iron Canyon, restoring access to more than 8 miles of critically needed spawning and rearing habitat for steelhead and spring-run Chinook salmon in the upper reaches of the creek, including cold water habitat critical for climate resilience.
Kyle Henry, Mechoopda Indian Tribe Cultural Director and Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, describes more of the project: “We will be consulting with CalTrout at every stage of the project, and our Traditional Ecological Knowledge crew will get native plants established once the fish barriers are removed. We will also be involved in the educational aspect of the project. The end goal for us is to give our kids a sense of connection to this place and to our ancestors, who lived here and were stewards of the land and waters. Salmon have sustained our people for thousands of years and they are the reason we are alive today. They are a part of our DNA. Being able to see this project go through to help out the salmon and to see them thrive is paramount for the Tribe."
The Iron Canyon Fish Passage Project is serving as the flagship project for CalTrout’s new Mt. Lassen region. The region has a physical office in Chico and joins CalTrout’s six other regional offices across California, a legislative/policy office in Sacramento, and CalTrout headquarters in San Francisco. By positioning CalTrout in key geographical areas where wild fish influence the community, the organization is suited to implement large-scale conservation projects for the benefit of California’s fish, water, and people. In addition to the Iron Canyon project, CalTrout staff in the Mt. Lassen region will be leading habitat restoration and fish passage improvement projects in the Battle Creek watershed which historically supported winter-run Chinook salmon, now federally endangered.
“As a 20-year resident of Chico, when I heard CalTrout was expanding into this region and was taking on a fish passage project in Iron Canyon, I knew I had to be part of it,” said Holly Swan, new Project Manager for CalTrout’s Mt. Lassen region. “I am extremely thrilled to be partnering with the CSU, Chico Ecological Reserves on this project as a two-time Chico State alum. But most of all, I am excited to see the cascading ecological effects these migratory fish will bring to the entire ecosystem in Bidwell Park. These fish will provide subsistence to predators and scavengers, and as they reach the end of their life cycle, moving upstream to spawn in Big Chico Creek, they will also bring nutrients to plants throughout the park. Their migratory lifecycle will provide benefits across the entire landscape.”
Read the project’s press release.
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Thank you for your interest in Big Chico Creek and the Iron Canyon Fish Passage Project! We looking forward to sharing project updates, news, and stories with you from the Big Chico Creek watershed as they develop.
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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
Fantastic video – educational, great video shots and great diagrams, excellent comments from multiple speakers, so professionally done. Bravo!