American River project to boost salmon, steelhead spawning

[Scott V]

The following was taken from the Sac Bee:

Two projects are under way this month to improve fish spawning in the American River.

Salmon and steelhead need fine gravel sediment to create nests, or "redds," for their eggs. The projects will create more spawning habitat by adding and moving gravel at key locations.

The first project began Monday at Sailor Bar Recreation Area near Fair Oaks and continues through Oct. 6. Over a five-year period, the work will add 75,000 cubic yards of gravel at seven locations on the river.

Funded largely by federal water contractors, the work aims to atone for the effect of upstream dams, which block natural gravel movement downstream.

The second project begins next week to improve access to a side channel for spawning steelhead. The site downstream of Sunrise Boulevard contains 9 percent of all steelhead spawning habitat in the river but dries out at flows less than 3,500 cubic feet per second, often killing millions of steelhead eggs.

The project, running through Oct. 24, will deepen and re-contour the channel so it remains open to flows as low as 1,000 cfs.

The two projects cost $1.4 million and are managed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Sacramento Water Forum, Sacramento County and the California Resources Agency.

[Charlie Gonzales]

The Sailor Bar project was initially reported to start durring the summer so it didnt coincide with incomming salmon/steelhead. It is supposed to(as reported) add another island/channel system. I am all for more spawning areas but unless they close those areas to fishing its just going make the fish more accesable to the snaggers. I still say that from Sunrise to Hazel should be closed from November 1st to February 1st.

But thats just one persons opinion.

[Jgoding]

If I remember correctly, the plan would be that the new channel would be closed during the spawn but that could've changed since the initial planning.

[Blueracer]

Seemed a little strange seeing bulldozers out in the middle of the river this morning.

[burl51]

All of this work is well and good, but until they keep the flows above 2000 cfs and the water temps below 58 degrees. I really do not believe the full impact of this effort will be realized. Water temps are most important. Releasing water from the bottom of lake natoma is the best way to get the job done. I was just on the Rogue in the Medford area and they regulate the temps on the river. I was fishing for 5 days and could feel the difference in the water temp from Monday to Friday the week I was there. When I left the temp was 56 degrees, the river was full of smolts. Great job by the ODFW.
Water temps and flow mixed with habitat is the winner.

Burl

[STEELIES/26c3]

My understanding is that the steelhead-habitat, side channel is going to be constructed on the flat along Sailor bar on the North side of the river.

Although, the Upper Sunrise side channel would be a logical prime habitat restoration site as well.

I agree that the river should be closed Nov to Jan from Sunrise to the hatchery.

Stripers... make it easy to forget about targeting salmonids. Of course, conserving the chromers is always close to my heart. And this isn't an oxymoron because I believe predation on smolts by striped bass is negligible when compared to so many other human-induced factors.

I really hope we can get a mandated flow regime that is actually upheld by BOR and DWR so that the habitat restoration projects prove viable.

I wonder if DFG intends to phase out the introduced Eel River strain of steelhead in favor of the smaller natives...

It would be nice to go back in time and take a different approach to managing our fisheries but we cannot.

As a fisherman, I am glad that conservation of fish and fisheries is not the focal point of mainstream America. As a conservationist and humanitarian, I am sad that it is not.

Mark