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Thread: American river salmon restoration

  1. #1
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    Default American river salmon restoration

    I can’t believe they are doing another restoration project on the American, especially at that section of the river. This area has so much great active natural spawning grounds for Salmon and Steelhead. These project have ruined the river in numerous ways throughout the river, you can’t duplicate what Mother Nature has made! It will all get washed out the first big flood and infill the holes below. Haven’t they learned anything yet? This river will all be shallow in no time. I know if they don’t spend their allowance they’ll lose it the following year, use it on something else! Put some structure in this river if you need to use it. Place some VW size rocks throughout the river for some holding water and current breaks. This is getting freakin ridiculous, they’ve failed to many times!

    https://www.waterforum.org/ah/?fbcli...EzVEfqDCRv8WWQ

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Kranhold View Post
    I can’t believe they are doing another restoration project on the American, especially at that section of the river. This area has so much great active natural spawning grounds for Salmon and Steelhead. These project have ruined the river in numerous ways throughout the river, you can’t duplicate what Mother Nature has made! It will all get washed out the first big flood and infill the holes below. Haven’t they learned anything yet? This river will all be shallow in no time. I know if they don’t spend their allowance they’ll lose it the following year, use it on something else! Put some structure in this river if you need to use it. Place some VW size rocks throughout the river for some holding water and current breaks. This is getting freakin ridiculous, they’ve failed to many times!

    https://www.waterforum.org/ah/?fbcli...EzVEfqDCRv8WWQ
    I love the idea of large rocks......like the Dean river in BC.
    Bill Kiene (Boca Grande)

    567 Barber Street
    Sebastian, Florida 32958

    Fly Fishing Travel Consultant
    Certified FFF Casting Instructor

    Email: billkiene63@gmail.com
    Cell: 530/753-5267
    Web: www.billkiene.com

    Contact me for any reason........
    ______________________________________

  3. #3
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    It’s been s$&@ show since the dam was built. No reason to expect a change now.

  4. #4
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    Did you attend the open houses and voice your opposition?

  5. #5
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    Unfortunately no, I wasn’t aware of this until recently.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Kiene semi-retired View Post
    I love the idea of large rocks......like the Dean river in BC.
    Wouldn’t that be nice Bill! That river is magical, love to get back there again before I die.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Kranhold View Post
    Unfortunately no, I wasn’t aware of this until recently.
    Me either. With the city and county it’s always finding out at the last minute, or more frequently, too late at all

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Kranhold View Post
    I can’t believe they are doing another restoration project on the American, especially at that section of the river.
    These projects are part of mitigation that Reclamation must provide. They must dedicate a certain amount of funding towards restoration as part of the agreement with building Natomas and Folsom dams.

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Kranhold View Post
    This area has so much great active natural spawning grounds for Salmon and Steelhead.
    No it doesn't, the main spawning area is downstream of the powerlines within the side channels. This site is more than a mile upstream from that. This section is largely featureless.

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Kranhold View Post
    These project have ruined the river in numerous ways throughout the river, you can’t duplicate what Mother Nature has made!
    Exactly, gravel doesn't travel through the dams so needs to be added to make up for it. Mother nature has not 'made' the current American River, Reclamation has.

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Kranhold View Post
    It will all get washed out the first big flood and infill the holes below.
    That's exactly what is supposed to happen in big floods. Gravel mobilization is super important for spawning fish as it provides fresh substrate. Gravel that is infiltrated with fines will become concrete-like. Gravel mobilization is also important for creating floodplains which is critical for juvenile salmonids. Gravel mobilization is important to prevent encroachment of vegetation that would otherwise entrench the river. Entrenchment disconnects floodplains from the river which is really bad for juvenile salmonids.

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Kranhold View Post
    Haven’t they learned anything yet? This river will all be shallow in no time.
    Gravel augmentation is probably the most accepted science when it comes to restoration. The American is supposed to be a highly alluvial river with alternating bars which don't generally lend themselves to being very deep.

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Kranhold View Post
    I know if they don’t spend their allowance they’ll lose it the following year, use it on something else!
    They will lose it but these projects are planned years in advance so water year generally has no influence when it is constructed.

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Kranhold View Post
    Put some structure in this river if you need to use it.
    They are. From the fact sheet: "Project teams will add large woody material and plant riparian trees and bushes in the alcove, creating places for young fish to hide from predators and for insects and vegetation to grow for feeding."

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Kranhold View Post
    Place some VW size rocks throughout the river for some holding water and current breaks.
    Project isn't designed for holding water. Adult holding habitat is not limiting on the American, juvenile rearing is. In past projects they have added boulders on the spawning riffles.


    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Kranhold View Post
    This is getting freakin ridiculous, they’ve failed to many times!
    I'd like to know what has 'failed' about these projects. I hear this a lot and still can't get a reason why these projects are failures. These projects are not the reason why salmon populations are what they are. I'd blame the unnatural temperature and flow regime, loss of floodplain habitat in the Delta, and ocean conditions long before I'd attribute it to these projects.
    Last edited by Fishtopher; 08-08-2021 at 11:02 AM.
    “There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.”
    ― Issac Asimov

  9. #9
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    Old timers I knew well from the greatest Generation who fish the American river before the dams said the Fall King salmon use to spawn

    where Lake Natomas is now.

    Also I thought King salmon like larger rocks to spawn in?
    Bill Kiene (Boca Grande)

    567 Barber Street
    Sebastian, Florida 32958

    Fly Fishing Travel Consultant
    Certified FFF Casting Instructor

    Email: billkiene63@gmail.com
    Cell: 530/753-5267
    Web: www.billkiene.com

    Contact me for any reason........
    ______________________________________

  10. #10
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    Default S/S Spawning....

    Seems like there's an opportunity to prove these projects are having the desired affect this year. From the report in the link provided by Mark, "The project produced a record number of salmon redds—underwater depressions or “nests” created by female salmon to lay their eggs. In 2018, there were zero redds counted in the area. By fall 2019, the area was teaming with redds—more than 1,000."

    Since Salmon generally return 3 years after spawning and there was a good spawn (as indicated in the above statement), there should be a good return this year (assuming ocean conditions are supportive).

    Have to admit, I haven't followed Salmon/Steelhead spawning or returns in the American for many years but find these projects interesting.
    "America is a country which produces citizens who will cross the ocean to fight for democracy but won't cross the street to vote."

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