Shasta Area Fishing Report
If you are headed this way to celebrate the 4th you are in for a treat. Mount Shasta celebrates Independence Day in a big way, with a morning fun run, parade, sidewalk vendors, music venues and a huge fireworks display over Lake Siskiyou. Did I mention the fishing? Dry flies in the evenings have been silly good on both the Upper Sac and McCloud. Lake Siskiyou has Smallmouth, Trout and a Hex hatch! The Fall River Hex is in full swing and the Pit is fishing great, catch the Lower Sac on your way up or way back! Campgrounds fill early so head up soon! Our fishing report has been updated, check it out for details or drop us a line if you'd care for a little advice on finding an out of the way spot!
Craig
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ShastaTrout.com
Legendary Rivers, Local Guides
Pit River Access, PG&E statements, Cal Trout summary
Big Bug:
Below is the email text from Jason F.R. Vann, License Coordinator, Power Generation Department -Hyrdro Licensing, PG&E
I received on Monday.
Curtis Knight NE Rep for Cal Trout sent a letter out to some local folks and he summed up access this way:
"In regards to the road closure my understanding is that car traffic over Pit 3 dam will be closed from July 6- December 1. From Pit 3 dam to Pit 4 dam at least one lane will be open at all times. But the road will be closed at Pit 4 dam, so if you want to fish Pit 4 or 5 reach you have to access from Big Bend up. Road closures are in place while road improvements are done—my recollection is the Forest Service wanted more turnouts for safety."
I hope this helps you to better understand access for the remainder of this year, feel free to ring.
Craig
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ShastaTrout.com
Legendary Rivers, Local Guides
ROAD CLOSURES, TRAFFIC CONTROLS START JULY 6
FOR WORK ON DAMS ALONG PIT RIVER
Stream Flows to Increase in Pit River from Lake Britton Dam to Pit 4 Dam
REDDING, Calif. -- Road closures and traffic controls as well as increased stream flows will occur along the Pit River from approximately July 6 to December 1, 2009, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) announced today.
The traffic controls and increased stream flows are necessary while a contractor for PG&E installs new flow release systems in three dams and makes road improvements along the Pit River in eastern Shasta County. The new flow release systems will allow for higher and variable in-stream flows that are intended to improve aquatic habitat in the river.
PG&E will also improve Pit River Canyon Road to make it safer and to provide better recreational access to the river. Improvements to recreational sites such as new picnic tables, potable water, trails, and fire rings will occur this year and next year. The work is being conducted in accordance with conditions of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) license for the Pit 3, 4, and 5 Hydroelectric Project that was issued in July 2007. The license conditions were collaboratively developed during the relicensing process, in consultation with federal and state resource agencies, non-governmental organizations, and public stakeholders.
Road Closure Information
During construction work, Pit River Canyon Road will be accessible to recreationists despite these various road closures:
• The Clark Creek Road crossing over Pit 3 Dam, also known as the Lake Britton Dam, will be closed 0.7 miles from the south abutment, and at Five Corners on the north side, during the construction period from about July 6 through December 1, 2009. Access will remain open to roads and parking along the south entrance to Clark Creek Road. Additionally, the Pit River Canyon Road will remain open via the north entrance to Clark Creek Road off of Highway 89.
• Pacific Crest Trail hikers will be will be able to cross the Pit 3 dam. During construction hours of 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., hikers will be safely escorted through the work site. During non-construction hours, a path for foot traffic will be provided.
• Pit River Canyon Road at Pit 4 Dam will be closed to through traffic during the construction period from about July 6 through December 1, 2009. Access to the Pit River downstream of the Pit 4 Dam is available from the town of Big Bend, via Big Bend Road from Highway 299. Access to the Pit River upstream of the Pit 4 Dam is available from Five Corners along the eastern end the Pit River Canyon Road.
• Temporary delays may be encountered crossing the Pit 5 Dam from about July 6 through December 1, 2009. Flaggers will control traffic during equipment movement and material deliveries.
• Pit River Canyon Road single lane closures will be in effect between Pit 3 Dam and Pit 4 Dam during the construction period from about July 15 through October 15, 2009. Expect temporary delays as flaggers will allow traffic to pass each construction site, one direction at a time.
• Pit River Canyon Road from Underground Creek Bridge, just downstream of Pit 3 Powerhouse, to Pit 4 Dam will be closed from July 6-10, 2009. Bridge passage will be reopened and closed again from about August 1 through October 15, 2009 for bridge replacement. This closure will restrict access to the Pit 4 Reservoir area.
All road closure dates and locations are subject to schedule modifications. Changes in the closure dates and locations will be communicated to the public with as much advance notice as possible and will be posted at all appropriate entrances to the construction area. PG&E’s contractor, Barnard Construction Company, Inc., has established a recording with current road closure details: 406-586-2206, extension 703.
Construction on roads and recreational facilities will also occur in late spring and summer of 2010 and may result in occasional traffic restrictions along the Pit River Canyon Road. Traffic impacts will be announced as details become available.
Other improvements include replacing two bridges over Screwdriver Creek and Underground Creek, and reshaping earthen piles leftover from the original tunnel construction. The contractor will also improve the Pit River Road by building new turnouts, shoulder embankments, retaining walls, culverts and fords.
Pit River Flows During Construction
PG&E will be making minor modifications to the existing flow releases at Pit 3, Pit 4, and Pit 5 dams periodically, as needed for construction purposes, while maintaining minimum instream flows. These modifications will be limited to short gate transfers not exceeding one hour in duration, except as noted below:
• PG&E will increase stream flows in the Pit 3 bypass reach during this year’s construction on the Pit 3 Dam. Flow in the Pit 3 bypass reach will increase from about 150 cubic feet per second (cfs) to approximately 230 cfs. PG&E anticipates that this temporary flow modification will last about 6 months, beginning as early as July 2009, and continue to about December 2009.
• During construction, flows in the Pit 4 and Pit 5 bypass reaches will be maintained at current levels of approximately 200 cfs and 100 cfs, respectively.
Pit River Flow Following Completion of Construction
The new minimum in-stream flows required by the FERC license are scheduled to begin in the Pit 3 and Pit 4 bypass reaches by July 2, 2010, following completion of the flow release systems. PG&E anticipates that installing the flow release system at Pit 5 Dam will be completed by the end of 2009, at which time the minimum in-stream flow release required by the license will be provided in the Pit 5 bypass reach.
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric utilities in the United States. Based in San Francisco, with 20,000 employees, the company delivers some of the nation’s cleanest energy to 15 million people in northern and central California. For more information, visit www.pge.com/about/.
