{"id":3825,"date":"2021-08-01T18:41:35","date_gmt":"2021-08-02T01:41:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/calsport.org\/fisheriesblog\/?p=3825"},"modified":"2021-08-01T18:41:35","modified_gmt":"2021-08-02T01:41:35","slug":"feather-river-salmon-recovery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/calsport.org\/fisheriesblog\/?p=3825","title":{"rendered":"Feather River Salmon Recovery"},"content":{"rendered":"

The State Water Project (SWP) is not protecting salmon in the Feather River.\u00a0 The Feather River\u2019s once-prolific populations of wild spring-run and fall-run salmon have been replaced by smaller numbers of hatchery fish of inferior genetic composition.<\/p>\n

The fact that the replacement of wild fish by hatchery fish plagues all salmon stocks in the Central Valley Evolutionarily Significant Units (ESUs) is no excuse.\u00a0 The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) has many responsibilities and commitments to protect Feather River salmon under the SWP\u2019s project\u2019s hydropower license, water rights, and other permits, and more generally under the public trust doctrine and the reasonable use doctrine in the state constitution (Article X, Section 2).\u00a0 The SWP has not met these responsibilities or related commitments since the SWP\u2019s completion in the 1960s.<\/p>\n

Neither Feather River nor Central Valley salmon recovery can be achieved without cleaning up the mess in the lower Feather River.\u00a0 This fact is recognized widely in salmon recovery plans, federal biological opinions, State incidental take permits, and even in part in the Oroville Settlement Agreement for the relicensing of the SWP\u2019s hydroelectric facilities at Oroville.\u00a0 DWR has made many promises and commitments toward salmon recovery, but has realized very few.\u00a0 While DWR has spent billions on upgrading project infrastructure, especially after the 2017 spillway failure, it has spent little toward salmon recovery.<\/p>\n

So how should DWR focus its salmon recovery process for the Feather River at this point?<\/p>\n

Well, most certainly on mandatory provisions in the soon-to-be issued FERC hydropower license and related State Board water quality certification.\u00a0 Also, on existing or needed conditions in its water right permits that extend beyond the small geographic scope of the FERC license.\u00a0 The next focus should be on \u00a0the \u201cHabitat Expansion Agreement for Central Valley Spring-Run Chinook Salmon and California Central Valley Steelhead\u201d (HEA) that DWR and Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) agreed to during the Oroville relicensing.1<\/a><\/sup> There are also requirements in the Reasonable and Prudent Measures in the 2016 federal biological opinion for the Oroville relicensing.<\/p>\n

The overall focus should be on recommendations in specific salmon recovery plans pertaining to the project.<\/p>\n

Below are my recommendations for top priority actions for Feather River salmon recovery from among the sources mentioned above.<\/p>\n

Spring-Run and Fall-Run Salmon Introgression<\/h1>\n

A primary focus and priority should be on minimizing introgression of the spring-run and fall-run salmon populations in the hatchery and natural spawning area of the 8-mile Low Flow Channel (LFC) downstream of Oroville Dam.<\/p>\n

For the natural spawning area of the LFC, one option is a segregation weir at the lower end above the Thermalito Afterbay outlet that would provide for selective passage of selected adult spawners into the spawning area.\u00a0 Similar weir systems are operated in lower Battle Creek and lower Butte Creek.\u00a0 For example, the weir could provide seasonal passage to accommodate only spring-run spawners that arrive earlier than fall-run.\u00a0 The fall-run would be forced to spawn downstream of the afterbay outlet in the High Flow Channel (HFC) where habitat conditions, especially water temperatures, would be more suitable later in the year when fall-run salmon are spawning.\u00a0 The weir could also trap fish to allow direct segregation or egg taking, or trapping-and-hauling of selected adults or offspring produced in the LFC.<\/p>\n

The hatchery program should focus on broodstock selection and hatchery operations that produce returning adult spring-run and fall-run salmon of the highest genetic integrity possible.\u00a0 \u00a0It should also operate to limit straying of Feather River origin hatchery salmon.\u00a0 Hatchery operations should also focus on strategies for smolt releases that provide the greatest return while limiting effects on wild salmon. \u00a0Otherwise, the Feather River Fish Hatchery Improvement Program (Article A107 of the Oroville Settlement Agreement) should be implemented. \u00a0This program sets specific targets for hatchery temperatures, requires development of a hatchery management program (including a Hatchery and Genetics Management Plan), potential installation of a water supply disinfection system, and funding for annual hatchery operations and maintenance.<\/p>\n

Lower Feather River Habitat Improvements<\/h1>\n

There are many potential habitat improvements in the LFC and in the High Flow Channel (HFC, the lower Feather River downstream of the outlet of Thermalito Afterbay).\u00a0 Habitat improvements could provide significant benefits to adult salmon holding and spawning success, and wild fry survival and smolt production.\u00a0 One general category is water quality (i.e., water temperature) and streamflow management through improved infrastructure and operations strategies of flow releases to the LFC and HFC.\u00a0 The second category is improvements to the physical (non-flow) habitat features, including channel configuration (depths, velocities, and substrate composition) in both the LFC and HFC.<\/p>\n

Flow and Water Temperature<\/h2>\n

Adult spring-run salmon migrate in spring to the lower Feather River, then hold in deep pools over the summer to spawn in early fall.\u00a0 Adequate flows and cool water temperatures are essential elements of (1) spring adult migration habitat in the lower Feather River and (2) over-summering holding habitat.\u00a0 Without adequate flows for migration and holding, adult salmon are prone to disease and pre-spawn mortality, poor reproductive success, or lower survival of eggs.\u00a0 Water temperatures should be no higher than 65o<\/sup>F during migration and 60o<\/sup>F during holding to minimize such detrimental effects.\u00a0 Water temperatures in the HFC (or LFC) should not exceed 65o<\/sup>F in spring (Figure 1).\u00a0 Water temperatures in the LFC should not exceed 60o<\/sup>F in summer (Figure 2).\u00a0 The various planning documents outline potential options to reduce water temperatures in the LFC and HFC.\u00a0 These include measures to sustain Oroville Reservoir\u2019s cold-water pool and reliably release water from it.\u00a0 They also include measures to keep water in the Afterbay complex cooler prior to release into the HFC.\u00a0 Still other measures may include limiting release of water from the Afterbay through a variety of modifications to facilities and operations.<\/p>\n

Physical Habitat Features<\/h2>\n

The Biological Opinion and Settlement Agreement for the Oroville relicensing include prescriptions for the restoration and enhancement of lower Feather River salmon habitat, consistent with the NMFS Salmon Recovery Plan:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Design and build infrastructure and stream channel features that will allow for segregation and reproductive isolation between fall-run and spring-run Chinook salmon naturally spawning in the LFC of the Feather River.<\/li>\n
  2. Develop a spawning gravel budget and introduction plan, and implement the plan.<\/li>\n
  3. Design, construct, and maintain side-channel and off-channel habitats for spawning and rearing salmon and steelhead.<\/li>\n
  4. Obtain river riparian and floodplain habitat through easements and\/or land acquisition as needed, allowing the river room to grow and move as necessary to provide key transition habitats, and to minimize degradation (such as channel incisions\/filling and substrate armoring) of existing high quality habitat features. Provide a balance between the needs of flood conveyance, recreation, and aquatic, riparian and floodplain habitat in and near an urban environment.<\/li>\n
  5. Design, build, and maintain channel features that provide optimum habitat, fish passage, and flood control necessary to minimize scour and erosion. High-flow floodplain channels may be such a feature.<\/li>\n
  6. Provide deeper holding habitat and cover for adult over-summering spring-run salmon in the channel habitat features described above. Such habitat is often larger pools with a large bubble curtain at the head, underwater rocky ledges, and shade cover throughout the day. Adult spring-run Chinook salmon may also seek cover in smaller \u201cpocket\u201d water behind large rocks in fast water runs.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Benefits to Other Species<\/h2>\n

    Efforts to improve salmon habitat in the lower Feather River will benefit other important native fish.<\/p>\n

    The lower Feather River is home to other significant fisheries resources including the following:<\/p>\n