Tyrone McDonald
Editor’s Note: It has come to our attention that a previous version of this article (and the print version) erroneously stated that Friends of the Eel River (FOER) are partnering with CalTrout to restore the Cedar Creek fish passage on the South Fork of the Eel River and restoration of the Salt River in the Eel River Estuary. Although FOER is not working on either of these restoration projects, they are doing important work to benefit salmonid populations, in conjunction with the Round Valley Tribes and many others, by ensuring that the Eel River Dams come down.
More details on the work that CalTrout is doing to restore salmon habitat is outlined in the final paragraphs below.
We take seriously our responsibility to provide readers with the fact-based reporting they need to make informed environmental decisions. We regret the error and promise to do better in the future.
Credit: Jacob Pounds of the Blue Lake Rancheria Environmental Department and UAV pilot.
Salmon and steelhead are cold water fish and have been on Earth for millions of years, surviving numerous ice ages. Our present climate, the new normal, consists of unprecedented climate heatwaves, droughts and atmospheric rivers of wind and rain. Climate extremes disrupt salmon and steelhead migrations and increase their mortality rate.
Salmon and steelhead are spawned and mature in fresh water and then spend their adulthood in the ocean, before returning to spawn in their natal place. Atmospheric warming has led to ocean warming, which has caused poor nutrient and health conditions reducing the amount of returning salmon and steelhead. This year, the return of cold, nutrient rich upwelling has improved the fitness of returning fish.
Prior to climate change, salmon and steelhead populations were drastically reduced by impassable dams, culverts, roadways, water diversions and tide gates. Presently dams are creating low water flows, and low flows raise water temperatures to lethal extremes for salmon and steelhead. Often rivers with dams have non-lethal warm water flows that create algal blooms which foster deadly diseases for migrating salmon and steelhead.
Pollution from agricultural runoff of insecticides and pesticides is a problem for salmon and steelhead. In addition, silt from building roads and logging has washed into rivers and streams covering the gravel beds of spawning salmon and steelhead. Gold mining has done considerable damage to the Klamath and Trinity Basins too.
Increased water temperature, water diversions, pollution and silt covered spawning habitat, all increase the mortality of these fish during drought years.
Environmental restoration and rehabilitation by local Indigenous Tribes, NGOs, and government agencies has been regenerating salmon and steelhead habitat. Restoration has never been more necessary than now, due to climate change.
The Salmon River Restoration Council Director, Karuna Greenberg, says she has experienced a new state of weather unpredictability, as evidenced in changes of historical patterns of rain and snow. Last summer the Salmon River had a heat dome for forty-two days of over 100-degree Fahrenheit temperatures. Changes in weather have altered Spring Chinook Salmon, and they are returning younger. Greenberg is saddened that, “The giant lunkers, five-year-old Spring Chinook Salmon, have disappeared from the Salmon River.”
Mattole Restoration Council Watershed Information Science Program Director, Nathan Queener, was very concerned in January through March of this year when there was no rain and spawning steelhead could not access their higher reaches, causing steelhead to spawn on top of other steelhead. Increased densities of juvenile steelhead reduce the availability of food. The late April rain provided higher tributary access for steelhead spawning and allowed for improved disbursement of juveniles.
Wiyot Tribe Natural Resource Director, Adam Canter, appreciates process-based restoration. The Wiyot Tribe endorses Indigenous management of forests. Canter states, “Water that could be in the creeks is being drawn up by young Douglas Fir trees.” Massive Douglas Fir immigration into woodlands and prairies negatively affects the wetlands and tributaries of the Eel River Basin. Low water flow increases the Eel River temperature, making it more suitable for the invasive pikeminnow which eat juvenile salmon and steelhead.
NGO’s have been joining together to restore habitat. The Yurok Tribe and Trinity River Restoration have completed restoration of in-channel, side channel, flood plains and salmon pool habitat by Junction City on the Main Fork of the Trinity River. Trinity River Restoration Director, Mike Dixon reports, “Restored pools on the Main Fork of Trinity River are now full of Coho Salmon!”
Friends of the Eel River Director, Alicia Hamann said, “New weather trends are the new reality. We are living in a less predictable natural world.”
CalTrout is partnering with the local consulting firm McBain Associates and Hanford Environmental Restoration in St. Rosa to restore the Cedar Creek fish passage on the South Fork of the Eel River. CalTrout is also working with local partners, including GHD and CDFW, to develop engineering designs for restoration of Cannibal Island in the Eel River Estuary. Through the governor’s emergency drought fund, CalTrout was awarded funding to prepare a Climate Resiliency and Salmonid Recovery Plan for the entire Eel River Basin. CalTrout, along with several local partners including Northern Hydrology and Engineering, Tom Gast and Associates, McBain Associates, Pacific Earthscapes, and Samara Restoration completed the earthworks and restoration of Cochran Creek and Quail Slough on Organic Matter Farm near Indianola. It is also working with the McKinleyville Community Service District on the Mad River floodplain restoration and public access project, adjacent to School Road in McKinleyville and has embarked on a multi-partner, multi-phased restoration of the lower mile of Prairie Creek, tributary to Redwood Creek near Orick, CA.
CalTrout is committed to working with our local Tribal partners to lead in fish habitat restoration. CalTrout North Coast Regional Manager, Darren Mierau states, ”We have an unprecedented opportunity to advocate for landscape-level restoration, and we’re doing what we can to protect fish and watersheds throughout the state.”