From tstokely at att.net Wed Jan 8 20:33:24 2025 From: tstokely at att.net (Tom Stokely) Date: Thu, 9 Jan 2025 04:33:24 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [env-trinity] =?utf-8?q?Controversy_surrounds_State_Water_Board?= =?utf-8?q?=E2=80=99s_Bay-Delta_Plan=2C_Trinity_River?= References: <1177008109.9816569.1736397204761.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <1177008109.9816569.1736397204761@mail.yahoo.com> Controversy surrounds State Water Board?s Bay-Delta Plan, Trinity River - By Francisco Mart?nezcuelloCalifornia Local News FellowThe Trinity Journal - 14 hrs ago - https://www.trinityjournal.com/news/local/article_7e9d4acc-cd45-11ef-81c7-0b12ef603351.html#tncms-source=login - The California Water Resources Control Board has announced an opportunity for the public to participate in working meetings intended to update the Bay-Delta plan. Written comments on the draft must be received no later than Jan. 10. The State Water Board is tasked with adopting and updating the Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan (Bay-Delta Plan), which outlines water quality measures and flow requirements to ensure the reasonable protection of beneficial uses within the watershed. The Bay-Delta watershed includes the Sacramento and San Joaquin River systems, the Delta, Suisun Marsh and San Francisco Bay. According to the State Water Board website, the Bay-Delta Plan objectives were established in 1995 and updated in 2006 with minor modifications. Tom Stokely is a Salmon and Water Policy Consultant for Save California Salmon. He takes issue with the way the State Water Board manages the Trinity River. ?The Trinity River is in the unfortunate position of being in a different region than the Bay-Delta,? he said. There are nine regional water quality control boards in California. The North Coast Region is managed by the North Coast Regional Water Control Board which has its own plan with very specific water quality objectives for temperature in the Trinity River. But the Trinity River is also diverted to the Sacramento River which is in the Central Valley Regional Water Control Board. ?They?re essentially relying on it to meet the requirements of the new Bay-Delta Plan,? Stokely said, ?without giving the Trinity River any protection whatsoever.? State Water Board modeling indicates there will be more water taken from Trinity Lake to meet the Bay-Delta Plan objectives, including for what they call voluntary agreements. Stokely said the State Water Board is looking at two options: restoring a percentage of full natural flows, and voluntary agreements. The voluntary agreements were negotiated between water agencies as well as the Department of Water Resources and the Bureau of Reclamation. ?But the deal they came up with didn?t include anybody in the Trinity River Basin, Trinity County, Humboldt County, neither the Hoopa Valley Tribe, nor the Yurok Tribe,? he said. The voluntary agreements are nuanced and intended to be commitments or compromises. But when it comes to the Trinity River, Stokely said it?s one-sided. ?Not to mention it won?t actually help fish in the Central Valley, either,? he said. ?It will basically degrade water quality and flow conditions for almost all the listed species in the Central Valley streams. So, they?re claiming it?s a wonderful thing, but it?s not.? Exporting more water from the Trinity River will impact the temperature of the river which will affect spawning, incubating and rearing salmon like the federally threatened coho. Stokely referenced a critical moment in November 2021, when the Trinity River Hatchery suffered nearly 75% egg mortality from warm water because of low Trinity Lake storage and the lack of cold water to meet downstream temperatures. The Bay-Delta Plan temperature objective is inadequate, according to Stokely. ?The bottom line is that the Trinity River basically has virtually no protection from what we call temperature-dependent mortality of chinook as well as coho eggs.? Stokely said he has been the only person speaking up and advocating about the Trinity River at the State Water Board working meetings. ?The State Water Board does not care about the Trinity River, and they?re just going to basically drain every drop of water out of Trinity Lake during the next major drought until we have nothing but dead fish,? he said. The Trinity Journal reached out to the State Water Board regarding the lack of advertising about these workshops. A spokesperson responded via email. ?The written comment period on the draft Sacramento/Delta updates to the Bay-Delta Plan was extended to Jan. 10, 2025.? In addition, State Water Board staff will be holding a series of working meetings to receive additional oral input (beyond that provided during a multiday public workshop held this fall) on the draft updates.?Staff also plan additional outreach to tribes and others as appropriate, and following these processes, will release an additional draft of the updates to the Bay-Delta Plan for further public input before the board?s consideration of these updates. ? ?Additionally, staff has held four public workshops, with a final one planned for Jan. 23. A media advisory was distributed prior to the previous workshops and will be sent out before the Jan. 23 session.? At the time of this publication, they did not respond to an interview request. The Hoopa Valley Tribe did not respond to an interview request also. ? The Bay-Delta Plan draft can be found online at www.waterboards.ca.gov/waterrights/water_issues/programs/bay_delta/docs/2024/drft-sacdelta-Bay Delta Plan Updatesbdplan-updates.pdf. Facebook Twitter Facebook Twitter Email Print -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jabel at usbr.gov Fri Jan 17 10:20:22 2025 From: jabel at usbr.gov (Abel, Kiana) Date: Fri, 17 Jan 2025 18:20:22 +0000 Subject: [env-trinity] Trinity River Restoration Program - January Newsletter Message-ID: [https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/header-JAN25-01-01.png] Header photo: Trinity River in Lewiston at 1500 cubic feet per second, Jan. 8, 2025. [Kiana Abel, Trinity River Restoration Program] River Riffle Newsletter - January (click to read on our website) Contents * Current Conditions * Reading, Listening & Watching * Program Updates: The Year Ahead for our Implementation and Science Branches * Trinity River Animal Spotlight: Bug of the month: Baetid mayflies * Upcoming Meetings and Events: Trinity River Survey, Science on Tap, Upper Conner Creek Rehabilitation Resumes, Next TMC Meeting Current Conditions [https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Card4_LewDam.jpg] A synchronization flow was triggered on Dec. 20 for a peak on Dec. 24 and 25. Flows were scheduled to ramp down to winter baseflow (300 cfs) on Jan. 11. However, on Dec. 31 the Bureau of Reclamation's Central Valley Operations office released a change order due to storage capacity concerns in Trinity Reservoir. The change occurred because inflows to Trinity Reservoir reached storage management thresholds for this time of year. Because diversion infrastructure is down for maintenance the Central Valley Operations office has advised that flows to the Trinity River may remain elevated above 300 cubic feet per second until further notice. Forecasts, inflow and storage in Trinity Reservoir will direct "as needed" action from Central Valley Operations. Change orders from Central Valley Operations are communicated via email, click here to join the Trinity_Releases Google Group. View Trinity Reservoir Daily Data [https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/WY25-general-flow-timeline-with-benefits-WY2025-01.jpg] Wet-Season Baseflow Period (Feb. 15 ? Apr. 14) The next period within the Trinity River Restoration Program environmental flow management is the Wet-Season Baseflow Period, which begins Feb. 15. This period marks an increase to prescribed Record of Decision dam releases and are determined by a conservative monthly inflow projection for Trinity Reservoir from the California Department of Water Resources (90% B120). The purpose of adaptively managing river flows is to increase available food sources and habitat for juvenile salmonids while rearing (growing) in freshwater, prior to their migration to the ocean. [https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/IMG_0169.jpg] Trinity River Adult Salmon Migration Monitoring In mid-November, the Junction City and Willow Creek weir sites completed seasonal trapping efforts to count the Trinity River salmonid adult migration for the 2024 season. Yearly adult monitoring efforts are done in collaboration with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Hoopa Valley Tribe, the Yurok Tribe and are funded by the Bureau of Reclamation. Depending on flows, the Junction City Weir site will be re-installed in the latter spring/early summer for the 2025 season typically in June or July. The Willow Creek Weir is usually installed in mid to late August, also depending on flows. Download reports from the 2013-2023 seasons [https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/20230926-IMG_0583.jpg] Trinity River Adult Salmon Redd and Carcass Monitoring Redd and Carcass surveys are complete for the 2024 season. Preliminary data are showing counts trending slightly lower than the 2002-2023 median and mean to date. As of Dec. 20, crews from the Hoopa Valley Tribe, US Fish and Wildlife Service, CDFW and the Yurok Tribe have counted 2,839 redds in the 14 reaches surveyed in the Trinity River. View the weekly reports here Reading, Listening, Watching [cid:e8704c02-d801-4a4b-89c0-f0d0be3e483c] Jan. 7, Board of Supervisors Meeting | Trinity County YouTube Clerk of the Board. January 7, 2025 Reclamation's Northern California Area Office presented to the Board of Supervisors on Jan. 7 regarding Trinity Reservoir current conditions including; storage, maintenance and recent safety of dam's releases to the Trinity River. Laurie Larson who presented in place of the Area Manager is a Supervisory Civil Engineer for NCAO and begins her presentation at 37:05. [https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Golden-Mussel-Alexander-Karatayev-1024x773-1.webp] Delta Ecosystem Threatened by Another Nonnative Mollusk | California Water Blog By Andrew Cohen and Peter Moyle. January 5, 2025 Golden Mussel Limnoperna fortunei. Photo Credit : Great Lakes Echo, Alexander Karatayev. The Trinity watershed has been protected from invasive mussels like Zebra and Quagga thus far, however the Golden Mussel Limnoperna fortunei which has recently been discovered in the delta system are known to live and reproduce in water with lower calcium levels found in Northern California watersheds like the Trinity, Klamath, Sierra Nevada, Upper Sacramento and Smith River systems. Golden mussels are filter feeders that can consume large quantities of the microscopic plants and animals that many species depend on. If allowed to colonize, the ecological balance of an entire waterbody can be disturbed. Continue Reading ... [https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/CA-CDFW-WSP-Corpsmembers-Natt-McDonough-and-Ryan-Blaich-Santa-Rosa-Creek-San-Luis-Obispo-County-Photo-Credit-Hayley-Barnes.jpg] California Department of Fish and Wildlife Watershed Stewards Program crew members Natt McDonough and Ryan Blaich conduct restoration work in Santa Rosa Creek, San Luis Obispo County, California. Photo Credit: Hayley Barnes NOAA Makes $99 Million Available for Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund | NOAA Fisheries Media Release. December 4, 2024. NOAA Fisheries announced up to $99 million in funding through the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund for conservation and recovery projects focusing on Pacific salmon and steelhead. This funding?which includes $34.4 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law?will advance state and tribal efforts to restore salmon populations and habitats, and bolster climate and economic resilience in surrounding communities. NOAA will accept proposals from eligible applicants from the States of Alaska, California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Washington, and federally-recognized tribes of the Columbia River Basin and Pacific coast (including Alaska) with a deadline of Mar. 4, 2025. Continue reading ... [https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/klamath-fish-705x397-1.jpg] SOU News Klamath dam removal workshop at SOU fosters collaboration | Southern Oregon University News January 6, 2025 (Ashland, Ore.) ? Southern Oregon University recently hosted the Klamath Dam Removal Research Collaboration Workshop, a follow-up seminar for the numerous groups and agencies working together on the world?s largest-ever dam removal and river restoration project. The November workshop brought together nearly 150 researchers, Tribal leaders and agency representatives to share information about ecological and social changes in the Klamath River basin that have resulted from the removal of its four dams. The Trinity River Restoration Program had two representatives in attendance this past November. Although the TRRP does not have direct management over the Klamath Dam Removal recovery our organization and partners share a vested interest in its success. Read more about the event by clicking here ... Program Update [https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Elliot-Sarnacki_Nov-2024_drone-image-of-phase-1-UCC-Edit_sm.png] Implementation Branch The Trinity River Restoration Program is working on two Trinity River channel rehabilitation projects in 2025; Phase II of the Upper Conner Creek Rehabilitation Project located in Junction City, CA and Phase I of the Sawmill Gravel Processing Site Rehabilitation Project located in Lewiston, CA. In addition to Trinity River projects there are 3 watershed grantees that are slated to be implemented in the next year. Click below to read more! Continue Reading ... [https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/IMG_20241104_094337289.jpg] Science Branch The science side of the Program will continue with several annual monitoring activities that collect data specific to the recent change to environmental flow management. Also this year a comparison of low riparian areas will receive some attention to see if restored areas at Oregon Gulch are reacting differently than earlier restoration sites. Click below to read more! Continue Reading ... Trinity River Watershed Animal Spotlight [https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Screenshot_15-1-2025_152348_www.troutnut.com_.jpeg] Photo Credit: TroutNut.com Bug of the month: Baetid mayflies genus Baetidae Mayflies from the family Baetidae are this month?s ?bug of the month?. Commonly known as blue winged olives by fly fishermen, Baetid mayflies are small (<10mm) and can be extremely prolific. In addition, they grow rapidly, can have multiple generations within a year (known as multivoltine) and are especially apparent during the winter and early spring when few other bugs are hatching. Continue Reading ... Upcoming Meetings and Events For a full list of events, click to view the TRRP Calendar. ________________________________ [https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/472797270_6617302611854_3984321210876112457_n.jpg] Jan. 6 - Feb. 6 - Trinity County RCD - Trinity River Survey The Trinity County Resource Conservation District invites Trinity County residents and visitors to share their thoughts on the history, ecology, and restoration efforts on the Trinity River. Insights will be used to assess the impact of the RCD's education and outreach programs. Submit your perspective by Feb. 6 by clicking the link below. The survey takes about 10-20 minutes to take. Take the Survey ... [https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/472773538_923456763232554_5473568093596404270_n.jpg] Jan. 22, 6pm - Science on Tap Trinity County Brewing Company This month?s Science on Tap features Mike Belchik, a senior water policy analyst for the Yurok Tribe, where he has worked for 25 years. Mike will explore the historical journey of Klamath River restoration and dam removal and what lies ahead for this significant project. Mike has an extensive background in river restoration and fisheries management. In the late 1990s, he served as the Yurok Tribe?s senior fisheries biologist for the Klamath and Trinity Rivers before focusing exclusively on Klamath River restoration, including dam removal. [https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Elliot-Sarnacki-post-phase-1-restoration-Upper-Conner-Creek-Project_Trinity-River-in-Junction-City-Ca_SM.jpg] Jan. 27 - Rehabilitation at Upper Conner Creek Resumes Rehabilitation at the Upper Conner Creek site in Junction city will resume implementation beginning on Jan. 27. The Yurok Tribe Construction Corporation will begin work on upgrading the river access point and moving the current location onto Bureau of Land Management land. Please note that recreational river access at the Junction City Campground may be intermittent during the Phase II construction period as improvements are made to the put-in/take out location. Please contact us at 530-623-1800, or info at trrp.net (or visit this page) for current information regarding access. [TMC Partnership Ring] March 19 & 20 - All Day Quarterly TMC Meeting Meeting Details In Person: Arcata, Ca. - Location TBD Click here to join the meeting Meeting ID: 254 819 589 844 Passcode: UY3b6cv9 Download Teams | Join on the web Kiana Abel Public Affairs Specialist | Trinity River Restoration Program | U. S. Bureau of Reclamation 1313 S. Main St., Weaverville, CA 96093-1300 | 530-623-1800 (desk) | 530-739-9761 (cell) | jabel at usbr.gov -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image.png Type: image/png Size: 90610 bytes Desc: image.png URL: From Kenneth.Lindke at Wildlife.ca.gov Tue Jan 14 10:44:10 2025 From: Kenneth.Lindke at Wildlife.ca.gov (Lindke, Kenneth@Wildlife) Date: Tue, 14 Jan 2025 18:44:10 -0000 Subject: [env-trinity] 2024/25 CDFW Trinity River Project trapping summary through Julian week 1 (January 7) Message-ID: Hello fellow fish enthusiasts, I hope this finds you well and optimistic about a new year ahead. Please find attached the TRP trapping summary through JW1 (January 7th). For those of you who don't know me, I have worked along side Mary Claire since 2017 and I will be taking over some of her responsibilities in her retirement, including distributing this trap summary. With the exception of a few stragglers since Christmas, the salmon run to Trinity River hatchery has come to a close with lack luster returns for fall Chinook and Coho. Operations have shifted to steelhead spawning with a notable uptick in returns of half-pounders. Well, at least half-pounders as we define them to be less than 42 cm fork length, which doesn't necessarily mean they exhibit a true half-pounder life history. Ken Lindke Senior Environmental Scientist - Trinity River Restoration Program Coordinator Klamath-Trinity Program California Department of Fish and Wildlife - Northern Region Kenneth.Lindke at wildlife.ca.gov Work Cell: (707) 672-3620 "An approximate answer to the right question is worth a great deal more than a precise answer to the wrong question." - John Tukey REPORT POACHERS AND POLLUTERS: 1-888-334-2258 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 2024 TRP_ trapping_summary_through_JW1.xlsx Type: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet Size: 99309 bytes Desc: 2024 TRP_ trapping_summary_through_JW1.xlsx URL: From Kenneth.Lindke at Wildlife.ca.gov Wed Jan 29 16:01:40 2025 From: Kenneth.Lindke at Wildlife.ca.gov (Lindke, Kenneth@Wildlife) Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2025 00:01:40 +0000 Subject: [env-trinity] 2024/25 CDFW Trinity River Project trapping summary through Julian week 1 (January 7) In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Folks, Please find attached the TRP trapping summary through JW3 (January 21). The only trapping we're still doing is at Trinity River hatchery, and spawning there is now exclusively focused on steelhead. One very late arriving fall Chinook entered the hatchery on January 14th. Otherwise it has been all steelhead which will continue into March. Ken Lindke Work Cell: (707) 672-3620 "An approximate answer to the right question is worth a great deal more than a precise answer to the wrong question." - John Tukey From: Lindke, Kenneth at Wildlife Sent: Tuesday, January 14, 2025 10:44 AM To: Knechtle, Morgan at Wildlife Subject: 2024/25 CDFW Trinity River Project trapping summary through Julian week 1 (January 7) Hello fellow fish enthusiasts, I hope this finds you well and optimistic about a new year ahead. Please find attached the TRP trapping summary through JW1 (January 7th). For those of you who don't know me, I have worked along side Mary Claire since 2017 and I will be taking over some of her responsibilities in her retirement, including distributing this trap summary. With the exception of a few stragglers since Christmas, the salmon run to Trinity River hatchery has come to a close with lack luster returns for fall Chinook and Coho. Operations have shifted to steelhead spawning with a notable uptick in returns of half-pounders. Well, at least half-pounders as we define them to be less than 42 cm fork length, which doesn't necessarily mean they exhibit a true half-pounder life history. Ken Lindke Senior Environmental Scientist - Trinity River Restoration Program Coordinator Klamath-Trinity Program California Department of Fish and Wildlife - Northern Region Kenneth.Lindke at wildlife.ca.gov Work Cell: (707) 672-3620 "An approximate answer to the right question is worth a great deal more than a precise answer to the wrong question." - John Tukey REPORT POACHERS AND POLLUTERS: 1-888-334-2258 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 2024 TRP_ trapping_summary_through_JW3.xlsx Type: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet Size: 99398 bytes Desc: 2024 TRP_ trapping_summary_through_JW3.xlsx URL: From Kenneth.Lindke at Wildlife.ca.gov Thu Jan 30 09:05:34 2025 From: Kenneth.Lindke at Wildlife.ca.gov (Lindke, Kenneth@Wildlife) Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2025 17:05:34 +0000 Subject: [env-trinity] 2024/25 CDFW Trinity River Project trapping summary through Julian week 1 (January 7) In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Folks, Please replace the version I sent yesterday with the one I've attached here. Thanks to the careful attention of a couple recipients of the trap summary, I fixed an error in the number of adipose fin clipped steelhead in Julian week 51. Ken Lindke Work Cell: (707) 672-3620 "An approximate answer to the right question is worth a great deal more than a precise answer to the wrong question." - John Tukey From: Lindke, Kenneth at Wildlife Sent: Wednesday, January 29, 2025 4:02 PM To: Knechtle, Morgan at Wildlife Subject: 2024/25 CDFW Trinity River Project trapping summary through Julian week 1 (January 7) Folks, Please find attached the TRP trapping summary through JW3 (January 21). The only trapping we're still doing is at Trinity River hatchery, and spawning there is now exclusively focused on steelhead. One very late arriving fall Chinook entered the hatchery on January 14th. Otherwise it has been all steelhead which will continue into March. Ken Lindke Work Cell: (707) 672-3620 "An approximate answer to the right question is worth a great deal more than a precise answer to the wrong question." - John Tukey From: Lindke, Kenneth at Wildlife Sent: Tuesday, January 14, 2025 10:44 AM To: Knechtle, Morgan at Wildlife > Subject: 2024/25 CDFW Trinity River Project trapping summary through Julian week 1 (January 7) Hello fellow fish enthusiasts, I hope this finds you well and optimistic about a new year ahead. Please find attached the TRP trapping summary through JW1 (January 7th). For those of you who don't know me, I have worked along side Mary Claire since 2017 and I will be taking over some of her responsibilities in her retirement, including distributing this trap summary. With the exception of a few stragglers since Christmas, the salmon run to Trinity River hatchery has come to a close with lack luster returns for fall Chinook and Coho. Operations have shifted to steelhead spawning with a notable uptick in returns of half-pounders. Well, at least half-pounders as we define them to be less than 42 cm fork length, which doesn't necessarily mean they exhibit a true half-pounder life history. Ken Lindke Senior Environmental Scientist - Trinity River Restoration Program Coordinator Klamath-Trinity Program California Department of Fish and Wildlife - Northern Region Kenneth.Lindke at wildlife.ca.gov Work Cell: (707) 672-3620 "An approximate answer to the right question is worth a great deal more than a precise answer to the wrong question." - John Tukey REPORT POACHERS AND POLLUTERS: 1-888-334-2258 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 2024 TRP_ trapping_summary_through_JW3.xlsx Type: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet Size: 99721 bytes Desc: 2024 TRP_ trapping_summary_through_JW3.xlsx URL: From Kenneth.Lindke at Wildlife.ca.gov Tue Feb 11 11:22:20 2025 From: Kenneth.Lindke at Wildlife.ca.gov (Lindke, Kenneth@Wildlife) Date: Tue, 11 Feb 2025 19:22:20 +0000 Subject: [env-trinity] 2024/25 CDFW Trinity River Project trapping summary through Julian week 1 (January 7) In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Greetings from the Trinity River, Attached is the Trinity River trapping summary through Julian week 5, ending February 4th. One of our Weaverville biologist shared a cool anecdote that I want to pass along. On February 4th a near record steelhead returned to Trinity River hatchery, a female at 89 cm (or 35" for those that prefer SI). There have only been three years since 1990 that a fish that size or bigger returned to the hatchery, with the 35-year winner in 2010 coming in at 93 cm (36.6")! Ken Lindke Work Cell: (707) 672-3620 "An approximate answer to the right question is worth a great deal more than a precise answer to the wrong question." - John Tukey From: Lindke, Kenneth at Wildlife Sent: Wednesday, January 29, 2025 4:02 PM To: Knechtle, Morgan at Wildlife Subject: 2024/25 CDFW Trinity River Project trapping summary through Julian week 1 (January 7) Folks, Please find attached the TRP trapping summary through JW3 (January 21). The only trapping we're still doing is at Trinity River hatchery, and spawning there is now exclusively focused on steelhead. One very late arriving fall Chinook entered the hatchery on January 14th. Otherwise it has been all steelhead which will continue into March. Ken Lindke Work Cell: (707) 672-3620 "An approximate answer to the right question is worth a great deal more than a precise answer to the wrong question." - John Tukey From: Lindke, Kenneth at Wildlife Sent: Tuesday, January 14, 2025 10:44 AM To: Knechtle, Morgan at Wildlife > Subject: 2024/25 CDFW Trinity River Project trapping summary through Julian week 1 (January 7) Hello fellow fish enthusiasts, I hope this finds you well and optimistic about a new year ahead. Please find attached the TRP trapping summary through JW1 (January 7th). For those of you who don't know me, I have worked along side Mary Claire since 2017 and I will be taking over some of her responsibilities in her retirement, including distributing this trap summary. With the exception of a few stragglers since Christmas, the salmon run to Trinity River hatchery has come to a close with lack luster returns for fall Chinook and Coho. Operations have shifted to steelhead spawning with a notable uptick in returns of half-pounders. Well, at least half-pounders as we define them to be less than 42 cm fork length, which doesn't necessarily mean they exhibit a true half-pounder life history. Ken Lindke Senior Environmental Scientist - Trinity River Restoration Program Coordinator Klamath-Trinity Program California Department of Fish and Wildlife - Northern Region Kenneth.Lindke at wildlife.ca.gov Work Cell: (707) 672-3620 "An approximate answer to the right question is worth a great deal more than a precise answer to the wrong question." - John Tukey REPORT POACHERS AND POLLUTERS: 1-888-334-2258 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 2024 TRP_ trapping_summary_through_JW5.xlsx Type: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet Size: 99707 bytes Desc: 2024 TRP_ trapping_summary_through_JW5.xlsx URL: From tstokely at att.net Fri Feb 14 14:23:29 2025 From: tstokely at att.net (Tom Stokely) Date: Fri, 14 Feb 2025 22:23:29 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [env-trinity] Trinity River summer flow cuts ill-advised References: <916086391.338823.1739571809431.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <916086391.338823.1739571809431@mail.yahoo.com> Trinity River summer flow cuts ill-advised | | | | | | | | | | | Trinity River summer flow cuts ill-advised Tom Stokely C-WIN board member On Aug. 28, 2024, Trinity River Restoration Program hydrologist Dr. Todd Buxton presented his findings on pool s... | | | Trinity River summer flow cuts ill-advised - By Tom StokelyC-WIN board member On Aug. 28, 2024, Trinity River Restoration Program hydrologist Dr. Todd Buxton presented his findings on pool stratification in the Trinity River. Though indicating more studies are in order, he proposed significantly reducing summer flows on the Trinity to allow pool stratification that mimics the pre-dam era. ? Dr. Buxton maintained lower flows (down to 70 cfs from the current base flow of 450 cfs) would result in pool stratification and provide adequate temperatures for holding adult spring chinook salmon while reducing water velocities, allowing fish to reduce energy expenditures. He appeared to blame low spring chinook numbers on high summer flows. However, his logic is seriously flawed. Cutting summer flows would significantly impact both spring chinook and the communities that depend on the Trinity River. Dr. Buxton also failed to note that some of the highest adult spring chinook runs on record followed nine to 12 years after the 450 cfs minimum summer flow standard was established. Contrary to his claim that the 450 cfs is a relic of the 2000 Trinity Record of Decision (ROD), it began nine years earlier in 1991.????? ? A little history of Trinity River summer flows clearly is in order: ? The 1955 Trinity River Act that authorized construction of Trinity and Lewiston dams required summer low flows of 150 cfs. That requirement is in federal law and is also contained in the Bureau of Reclamation?s 1959 State Water Permits, which require a total annual fishery flow of 120,500 acre-feet (af) per year.? In 1981 Interior Secretary Cecil Andrus signed a decision authorizing a 12-year flow study that specified instream flow volumes of 140,000 af in critically dry years, 220,000 af in dry water years and 340,000 af in normal water years. ? The Andrus Decision allowed minimum summer flows of 300 cfs in all but critically dry years. Unfortunately, such critically dry years soon developed, and flows were scheduled to go to 150 cfs in 1991. However, Interior Secretary Manuel Lujan signed another Secretarial decision in 1991 making 340,000 af the minimum Trinity River volume in all years. That was also included in federal law with Public Law 102-575 in 1992. ? Also in 1991, the state approved temperature objectives for the Trinity River that, combined with the higher minimum annual flow volumes, required summer flow releases of 450 cfs. Some of the biggest returns of adult Trinity River spring chinook occurred in 2002 and 2003 with 450 cfs summer flows, casting serious doubt on Dr. Buxton?s assertion that the high summer flows are the problem for spring chinook salmon. Perhaps it?s something else: lack of higher winter flows, gravel dumps in the river that fill in pool volumes, disease problems in the Klamath River or running heavy equipment in the river during spring chinook spawning. These issues are ongoing, and their impacts have not been analyzed to any meaningful degree. One of the main rationales supporting Trinity River summer flows that are higher than ?natural? pre-dam flows is historic spring chinook behavior. Typically, they would migrate past Lewiston Dam to hold and spawn in cold tributaries upstream from the reservoirs. That habitat is no longer available. The Trinity River is clearly not a ?natural? river and returning to ?natural? summer flows would be a disaster. The Trinity River Restoration Program recently achieved a major victory for their science program by obtaining approval of the Winter Variable Flows. If indeed more winter flows are needed to improve chinook and coho adult returns, it makes sense to wait and see results before taking such a dramatic step as cutting summer flows. It also would be a good idea to wait and see if removal of the Klamath dams reduces diseases that have, at times, killed up to 90% of the salmon smolts migrating to the Pacific Ocean. ? The impact of cutting summer flows involves huge risks. If the pools don?t stratify as posited, it would likely kill adult Spring Chinook ? especially during heat waves. There is no turning back the clock on dead fish. Cutting summer flows would also have a significant impact on water quality. It would clearly violate Trinity River temperature objectives approved in 1992 by USEPA. Decreased river flows would likely cause severe impacts to the municipal diversions for Lewiston, Weaverville, Hoopa and Willow Creek, and to the hundreds of private diversions along the Trinity River. The lower Trinity River is already experiencing toxic blue-green algae blooms that impact fish, wildlife and municipal water supplies, including Hoopa?s diversions and many private diversions. Dramatically cutting summer flows can only result in increased algae contamination and perhaps even dry pumps, depriving people of water. Other impacts would be the economic loss of one of Trinity County?s few remaining viable economic opportunities: summer whitewater boating. Following the 1991 increase in summer flows, commercial whitewater boating immediately increased by 1,500%. Combined with low Trinity Lake levels, fires and reduced steelhead fishing opportunities due to high winter flows, Trinity County has been identified as ?the poorest county in California.? The new administration in Washington, D.C., is not expected to be friendly to the Trinity River, and it?s likely that there will be attempts to divert additional Trinity water to the Sacramento River. Trinity River interests are horribly divided at a time when they should all be uniting. Moving ahead with plans to dramatically cut summer flows would further divide diverse Trinity River interests, exacerbating the extreme animosity that many Trinitarians feel toward the Trinity River Restoration Program. Furthermore, cutting summer flows below 150 cfs would require an Act of Congress. It seems unwise and ill-advised to seek Trinity River legislation at a time when Washington is not friendly to salmon and dependent cultures and economies. In conclusion, I urge the TRRP to drop its plans of cutting summer flows. It?s scary to many, dangerous, foolhardy and divides Trinity River interests at a time when we should all be coming together to protect the gains of the past 40 years. Please give current efforts an opportunity to show progress (or not) ? and don?t muddy the waters with a new and perilous ?grand experiment.? Tom Stokely is a board member of the California Water Impact Network. *** The Trinity Journal welcomes thoughtful guest columns on issues concerning Trinity County. Columns generally should not exceed 800 words. Send columns to editor at trinityjournal.com. Be sure to include a name and contact phone number should there be any questions. As with our letters to the editor, we're looking for thoughtful, enlightened, well-crafted pieces that remain on the high road. Please, no hateful diatribes that have no place or purpose in furthering reasonable discussions on issues facing Trinity County. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image.png Type: image/png Size: 41277 bytes Desc: not available URL: From jabel at usbr.gov Fri Feb 14 16:00:03 2025 From: jabel at usbr.gov (Abel, Kiana) Date: Sat, 15 Feb 2025 00:00:03 +0000 Subject: [env-trinity] February Newsletter - The River Riffle Message-ID: [https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Feb-River-Riffle-Banner-01.jpg] Header photo: Trinity River at Oregon Gulch Feb. 4, 2025. [Rob Gross] River Riffle Newsletter - February (click to view on-line) Contents * Current Conditions * Reading, Listening & Watching * Program Updates: Trinity River Watershed Restoration Environmental Assessment * Featured Article: The Language of Sediment * Trinity River Animal Spotlight: Bug of the month, Chironomidae * Upcoming Meetings and Events Current Conditions [cid:45fdfee7-ee9a-47a6-9621-fbfd1c185be0] Water Year 2025 - 90% chance of normal or wetter Water Year 25 thus far has been a good year for Trinity Reservoir. In October, Trinity measured in at 70% full with 1.7 million acre feet. Seasonal storms have recently pushed storage over 2 million acre feet (or 84%). In December, flows were held steady at 1500 cfs through January and increased to 3500 cfs after several atmospheric river systems passed through in early February. Continue Reading ... [cid:71721d31-14b9-4b28-8cc6-16029e6a2bce] Snow Surveys Each year, the Watershed Research and Training Center along with the U.S. Forest Service ? Shasta-Trinity National Forest conduct monthly snow surveys at specific locations in the Trinity Alps which are a part of the statewide California Cooperative Snow Survey program. The data from these local organizations help the California Department of Water Resources in developing the forecast for the quantity of water available for our watershed each water year. Click here to read more about collecting this important yearly data. [cid:466a9e08-76d4-466c-915a-6300c86c72a6] California Department of Fish and Wildlife Steelhead Report Card Dashboard The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) tracks steelhead angler effort and success through a reporting program. This reporting program consists of a mandatory report card that all steelhead anglers need to have in their possession while fishing. Anglers record each day that they fish, where they fish, how many fish they catch, and whether those fish are from a hatchery (determined by the lack of an adipose fin, which is removed by hatchery staff before the fish is released), or were spawned in the wild (determined by the presence of an adipose fin). Continue Reading [cid:810c8e4b-8f03-4d66-93db-2f5f89ac2889] Benthic Macro Invertebrate Monitoring Partners of the Trinity River Restoration Program, USGS, and Cal Poly Humboldt are partnering to complete the largest benthic macroinvertebrate monitoring project on the Trinity River. This will be the most comprehensive sampling to date, including sampling biweekly during the winter and spring months and monthly during the summer and fall months. Samples will be collected in several different habitats including in the perennial channel and in newly inundated floodplains across the Trinity River. A graduate student from Cal Poly Humboldt will be processing and identifying all the samples collected as part of their graduate work. The goal of this project is to provide baseline data across the entire year as well as investigate how scour and inundation events affect the benthic macroinvertebrate communities. This project is one of the many that are designed to better inform flow management on the Trinity River. This project is one of the many that are designed to better inform flow management on the Trinity River. Photo: Ken Lindke (CDFW) and Keiki Yamasaki (Yurok Tribe) collecting benthic macroinvertebrates with a kick net. [Chris Laskodi, Yurok Tribe] Reading, Listening & Watching [cid:4bc6c95e-ca1d-4217-8fdb-05715cd77d69] Water Year 2024 Summary | California Nevada River Forecast Center (CNRFC) 2024, An Unusually Average Water Year On the heels of the incredible WY 2023 and with an outlook for a strong El Ni?o, many expected another banner year of precipitation. What happened instead was fairly? average. Continue Reading ? The California Nevada River Forecast Center (CNRFC) is a field office of the National Weather Service (NWS) located in Sacramento, California. The NWS is an agency of the National Oceanic Atmospheric and Administration (NOAA) under the United States Department of Commerce. Program Updates [cid:109255c7-3909-4bc7-af49-f031ec7a9ca3] Trinity River Watershed Restoration Environmental Assessment Public Comment Period: Spring 2025 The Trinity River Restoration Program is working with the Bureau of Land Management ? Redding Field Office and the US Forest Service ? Shasta-Trinity National Forest to help increase restoration projects within Trinity River tributaries. The Watershed Environmental A will cover projects related to; * instream habitat restoration * upslope habitat restoration * road maintenance, rehabilitation, and decommissioning activities This Environmental Assessment will be available to organizations who wish to implement restorative projects on Bureau of Land Management and US Forest Service lands within the Trinity Watershed as well as for projects that are funded by those agencies. More Information Featured Article [cid:3f63ef7b-7803-47fa-9c7f-b1500260c1cf] The Language of Sediment Rivers are dynamic ecosystems shaped by multiple interacting and overlapping physical and biological processes. A fundamental aspect of a river?s ecology is sediment, which is the foundational underpinnings of habitats, influence for water quality, and support for wildlife. In this article, we explore terminology and features of Trinity River sediments, the building blocks of our river system. Continue Reading Trinity River Animal Spotlight [cid:d9e2e99e-53cd-4c8c-acf2-dd0c3a099639] Photo: Newly inundated floodplain habitat with a Chironomid ?bloom?. Each one of the tube-like structures are cases that Chironomids construct out of fine sediments. [Chris Laskodi, Yurok Tribe] Bug of the month: Chironomids You may notice a distinct absence of bugs flying above the river during these winter months. However, if you look closely you?ll find an active colony of tiny midges buzzing on the surface. These midges, despite their small size, are extremely important to the ecology of the Trinity River. Midges belong to the ?true flies? (order Diptera) and are related to other flies such as houseflies, craneflies, and mosquitoes. Continue Reading Upcoming Meetings and Events For a full list of events, click to view the TRRP Calendar. ________________________________ [https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Trinity-River-Photo-Contest-2025-1.png] Feb. 1 - Feb. 22 Trinity County RCD - Trinity River Photo Contest The Trinity County Resource Conservation District and the Trinity River Restoration program invite you to submit your best photos of the Trinity River by Feb. 22 to Duncan McIntosh at TCRCD. Entries can be sent via email, mail, or dropped off at the TCRCD office. Click for More Details [https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Birding-Day-2025-Event-Flyer-Instagram-Post-2.png] Feb. 15-16, Trinity County Birding Days * First Event: Saturday, Feb. 15, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. at Ewing Reservoir, Hayfork * Second Event: Sunday, Feb. 16, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. at the Trinity River Hatchery, Lewiston Local Shasta College instructor and birding aficionado Pat Frost will lead two special Birding Days in February. Join us for a fun-filled and educational outdoor adventure (weather permitting?events will be canceled if it?s raining or snowing). Be an early bird to access our limited supply of binoculars and bird guides. Bringing your own is encouraged. Light refreshments will be provided. For more information or to register for updates on weather cancellations, contact Duncan at the Trinity County RCD at 530-623-6004 x 222 or dmcintosh at tcrcd.net. [https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/ScienceOnTapFebruaryFlyer-Instagram-Post-3.png] Feb. 26, 6pm - Science on Tap Trinity County Brewing Company This month?s Science on Tap features a presentation from Todd Buxton, Ph.D., Hydrologist and Geomorphologist with the Trinity River Restoration Program on Trinity River fine sediments. Fine sediment such as sand and silt, play a critical role in river ecosystems. Too much can harm aquatic life while too little disrupts physical processes, ultimately impacting fish populations. Dr. Todd Buxton is an expert in sediment transport, streamflow, and river ecology, with extensive experience in the Western U.S., Alaska, New York, and Costa Rica. He holds a B.S. in Watershed Analysis and Restoration, an M.S. in Watershed Management from Humboldt State University, and a Ph.D. in Water Resources from the University of Idaho. Event Details [cid:5531cfbd-1aa3-4e5f-9ec0-789b808f9a6c] Mar. 1, Marti Gras Parade De Salomon Up North Confectionary & The Weaverville Hotel, 2pm - 4pm Get your masks and beads ready! The Krewe of Koho Reaux invites you to the Mardi Gras Parade de Salmon in Weaverville on Saturday, March 1st, starting at 2pm. Celebrate the carnival season and salmon sightings with the Trinity County Resource Conservation District and Trinity Arts Council at an educational and crafting event at the Up North Confectionary?s Deck and the Weaverville Hotel. At 4:00 PM, the sidewalk parade begins at Up North Deck, winding through downtown to symbolize the salmon?s journey from river to ocean and back. Local businesses and artists will be along the parade route, so be sure to check out their offerings after the parade! Event Details Kiana Abel Public Affairs Specialist | Trinity River Restoration Program | U. S. Bureau of Reclamation 1313 S. 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Name: image.png Type: image/png Size: 536628 bytes Desc: image.png URL: From tstokely at att.net Sat Mar 1 14:17:18 2025 From: tstokely at att.net (Tom Stokely) Date: Sat, 1 Mar 2025 22:17:18 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [env-trinity] =?utf-8?q?Politico=3A_DOGE_is_hobbling_Trump?= =?utf-8?q?=E2=80=99s_plan_to_unleash_California=E2=80=99s?= References: <460273510.5266816.1740867438309.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <460273510.5266816.1740867438309@mail.yahoo.com> Can anyone verify that it's the Carr PowerHouse and Clear Creek Tunnel repairs that this article mentions as being shut down by DOGE? https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/28/trump-california-water-doge-00206796 California DOGE is hobbling Trump?s plan to unleash California?s water Sharp staffing cuts at the Bureau of Reclamation are causing panic among the farm districts that Trump says he wants to help. Among those fired are employees who were working on a power plant upgrade near Shasta Dam in Northern California. | Rich Pedroncelli/AP By Annie Snider and Camille von Kaenel 02/28/2025 04:49 PM EST - - SACRAMENTO, California ? DOGE-ordered firings at the federal agency responsible for delivering water to farms and cities across California are getting in the way of President Donald Trump?s order to maximize the state?s water supplies. The Bureau of Reclamation?s California office has lost 10 percent of its staff due to buyouts and orders by Elon Musk?s so-called Department of Government Efficiency to fire short-tenured employees, according to three people close to the office who were granted anonymity because they feared retaliation. DOGE?s cuts are already hurting Reclamation?s ability to move water through a sprawling system of pumps, canals and reservoirs to roughly a third of the state?s farmland ? and impeding the agency?s ability to ratchet up deliveries in line with Trump?s demand, the people said. The sharp cuts being leveled on Reclamation mirror those being imposed by the Trump administration across the federal government as Musk?s team of aides and other agencies have sought to slash spending. But their impact on a dusty corner of the federal bureaucracy that has taken outsized importance in the president?s mind offers a case study in how DOGE?s bulldozer approach stands to upend one of the president?s dearest policy goals. Trump?s long-running feud with state Democrats over water restrictions escalated in January when the president falsely linked hydrants that had run dry during the Los Angeles wildfires to those restrictions. His first month in office was marked by an obsessive focus on the state?s water issues, with the White House issuing not one, but two executive orders on the topic and ordering an abrupt water dump from a pair of dams. Reclamation?s terminated employees ? some 100 of the agency?s 1,000-odd staff in California ? include civil and mechanical engineers, plant mechanics and resource managers responsible for land acquisition and permitting, according to documents obtained by POLITICO. Among those fired are employees who were working on a power plant upgrade near Shasta Dam in Northern California, according to one of the people, a Reclamation employee. That facility, which helps move water through the federal system, has been sitting disassembled for weeks after the Trump administration froze funding for it under an order halting spending tied to the bipartisan infrastructure law. That funding may soon be released, but now key staffers hired to do the work have been fired, the Reclamation employee said. Agency staff say the impacts were avoidable. ?We could have made the 10 percent cuts, if we?d been allowed to, much more easily, with far less impact to the mission,? the agency employee said. ?Instead, it?s been this baseball bat that?s been taken to it, and the targets that they?ve hit are mission-critical.? The firing of probationary employees hit Reclamation?s California office particularly hard because it had staffed up over the past year to fill what had been a 30 percent vacancy rate. Now, Reclamation as a whole is drawing up plans for a 40 percent reduction in staffing on orders from DOGE, the three people said. The cuts have alarmed the agricultural water districts that Trump has long aligned himself with, spurring more than a dozen of them to write Interior Secretary Doug Burgum this week to defend the staff and call for a ?strategic and thoughtful? approach to any additional cuts at Reclamation, which his department oversees. ?The elimination of Reclamation?s staff would merely compromise its ability to fulfill its mission of delivering water and power without significantly promoting the goal of increasing the federal coffers,? the letter says. Interior spokesperson J. Elizabeth Peace said by email that short-term impacts to operations at the Shasta power station are being ?mitigated? and ?immediate mission fulfillment is not expected to be affected.? ?We will always prioritize our resources to ensure we are delivering reliable and safe operations of these facilities,? she said. Spokespeople for the White House and DOGE did not reply to requests for comment. The backstory Trump has been infatuated with California water issues for nearly a decade, frequently lambasting the tiny endangered fish at the heart of the state?s fish-versus-farmers water wars and mocking Gov. Gavin Newsom and other state Democrats over water policy. Within his first week in office, Trump issued two executive orders directing agencies to maximize California water supplies, and dispatched DOGE employees to a Bureau of Reclamation pumping plant in the state?s water hub. DOGE claimed victory on social media after that visit, when Reclamation restarted a pump that had been offline for maintenance. Many employees at the federal agency saw that announcement as a meaningless publicity stunt. So they were shocked when the White House shortly thereafter ordered the Army Corps of Engineers to hastily release water from two Central Valley dams ? a move that wasted the water and nearly flooded downstream farms, according to local officials. Now, DOGE?s staffing moves are having very real repercussions on Reclamation?s ability to carry out Trump?s stated goal of delivering more water. The fallout The impact of the staffing shortage on water deliveries to farms could soon be even more severe due to planned staffing cuts related to the pumping facility DOGE employees visited last month. Near the Jones Pumping Plant is a facility that catches endangered salmon before they can enter the pumps that export water to Central Valley farmers. Its operations are essential to carrying out Trump?s order to maximize water deliveries, since federal environmental rules ? including those crafted by the first Trump administration ? only allow the pumps to run if the fish collection facility is active. Seven staff there are within their first year of employment. Agency leaders intervened to shield them from the first wave of firings, but some of them are on the list to be fired soon in a second wave of terminations, the Reclamation employee said. Four of the employees physically operate the facility, while three are fish biologists. ?The kinds of things that we?re being directed to try to maximize supplies is critically dependent on the optimal functioning of that facility,? the employee said. Morale at the regional office has hit rock bottom, the three people close to the office said, with further firings and retirements expected. The region?s director, Karl Stock, is among the employees who took a deferred retirement, they said. Stock, an agency veteran who joined Reclamation in 2001, declined to comment. The cuts are putting the California water suppliers that have celebrated Trump?s water promises in a difficult position as they ask for policy changes to get more water while reckoning with the risks to basic functions. The fourteen local water officials who sent the letter to Burgum this week primarily manage small water agricultural districts in the northern part of the Central Valley ? not the powerful water districts in the southern San Joaquin Valley whose lobbyists include Trump?s former Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, who remains close to his new administration. In their letter, they endorsed the goal of overall efficiency and said they want to see the ?badly outdated? water infrastructure system improved, especially by loosening the environmental rules limiting how much water can be pumped out of Northern California rivers. But, they wrote, it is mostly their local water agencies ? funded by water sales to individual farmers ? who pay for the Bureau of Reclamation?s services through contracts for water deliveries ? not federal taxpayers. Power production at the dams also generates significant revenue for the federal Treasury Department. ?It is important to note that elimination of Reclamation staff will not further the goal of achieving significant cost savings to the American people,? they wrote. Not only do the job cuts imperil Trump?s agenda to increase water supplies, they wrote, but also the agency?s basic contracts to deliver water to its paying customers. The Central Valley Project operated by the Bureau of Reclamation moves water through a 450-mile series of dams, aqueducts, pumps and pipes from the wetter, far northern part of California to some of the state?s driest regions in the heart of the agriculturally rich southern San Joaquin Valley, irrigating roughly a third of the state?s farmland, or three million acres. The future Reclamation earlier this week forecast it would be able to provide 75 percent of the summer water under contract with agricultural water districts in the northern part of the Central Valley and 35 percent in the southern part of the Central Valley. But delivering on that promise requires careful modeling to determine when runoff is expected to flow down rivers and into reservoirs as well as the ability to physically maintain and operate the pumps that move water around the state. ?It is critical that Reclamation retains experienced staff to continue fulfilling its mission (and its contractual obligations) of delivering reliable water and power supplies to its paying contractors,? the letter says. The authority managing water for cities in the Sacramento region, meanwhile, echoed some of the same language in its own letter and raised an additional alarm bell about the risk to downstream communities, like Sacramento, that depend on the Bureau of Reclamation?s dams to prevent flooding. ?It is my assessment that the organization is already extremely lean on staffing, and further workforce cuts would jeopardize its mission and place the American people, who live in or near key federal water facilities such as dams, in danger,? wrote Jim Peifer, the executive director of the Sacramento Regional Water Authority. - Filed under: - California, - Donald Trump, - Water, - Elon Musk, - DOGE DOGE is hobbling Trump?s plan to unleash California?s waterSharp staffing cuts at the Bureau of Reclamation are causing panic among the farm districts that Trump says he w... -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tstokely at att.net Tue Mar 4 11:45:14 2025 From: tstokely at att.net (Tom Stokely) Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2025 19:45:14 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [env-trinity] TRRP, USFWS and NMFS office leases in Weaverville and Arcata to be terminated References: <1913856423.39493.1741117514108.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <1913856423.39493.1741117514108@mail.yahoo.com> Here's the story on the Arcata offices from the Lost Coast Outpost: Trump, Musk Plan to Shutter Federal Offices Includes Arcata Site for NOAA Fisheries, Redwood National Park Staff My sympathies go out to the displaced workers. | | | | | | | | | | | Trump, Musk Plan to Shutter Federal Offices Includes Arcata Site for NOA... ### | | | ?Here is the list of federal office leases to be shut down that is linked in the article above.? It includes the TRRP in Weaverville.? I don't believe that this means the end of the TRRP, just it's office, but I haven't spoken with them about the status of the TRRP. https://lostcoastoutpost.com/loco-media/loco-media/blog/post/41577/GSA_Lease_Terminations.pdf Tom Stokely?Salmon and Water Policy Consultant530-524-0315?tstokely at att.net? -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tstokely at att.net Wed Mar 5 17:09:38 2025 From: tstokely at att.net (Tom Stokely) Date: Thu, 6 Mar 2025 01:09:38 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [env-trinity] Trinity Journal: Science, sediments and strife: Debating the future of the Trinity River References: <717072236.586554.1741223378890.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <717072236.586554.1741223378890@mail.yahoo.com> Dr. Todd Buxton'sAugust presentation can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NP2kksA4qnQ ? The TCRCDConservation Almanac has an article on page by the TRRP on pages 10 and 11 alsogives a pitch for lower summer flows here: https://tcrcd.net/almanac/pdf/nws-v32n2.pdf Science, sediments and strife: Debating the future of the Trinity River - By Francisco Mart?nezcuelloCalifornia Local News FellowThe Trinity Journal https://www.trinityjournal.com/news/local/article_29a33cda-f945-11ef-a717-3b73c325deb5.html Todd Buxton, a hydrologist/geomorphologist with the Trinity River Restoration Program, gives a presentation on fine sediment in the Trinity River at the Trinity County Brewing Company Feb. 26. Francisco Mart?nezcuello | The Trinity Journal February?s Science on Tap event featured a talk by Todd Buxton about the sediments in the Trinity River and how they impact wildlife and the river?s natural flow. Buxton is a hydrologist and geomorphologist with the Trinity River Restoration Program. ?Fine sediment is an important component of stream ecosystems,? Buxton said. ?It?s important for the health and productivity of these systems.? Fine sediment consists of tiny particles of sand, silt and clay that are carried by water and settle on riverbeds, lake bottoms or other surfaces. These particles can come from natural erosion, runoff or anthropogenic activities like construction and logging. Fine sediment can affect water quality, aquatic habitats and fish populations by clouding the water, covering spawning areas and altering river flow. According to Buxton, the Goldilocks principle applies to the amount of fine sediment in rivers. Too many or too little fine sediments can damage them. ?But just the right amount of (fine sediments), and we usually have more healthy river ecosystems for salmon and other creatures,? he said. Buxton has been involved with river and salmon restoration for 32 years. He received his bachelor?s and master?s degrees from Humboldt State and earned his Ph.D. in water resources from the University of Idaho. Forums like this are important to Buxton. He said although most people care for rivers, they may not know why river ecosystems are important. ?Having talks like this is a way to educate people on things they may not know about,? he said. Forums like Science on Tap are not only intended to educate an audience, but discussions and debates are a part of it as well. They are passionate scientists after all, they question everything ? it?s part of the scientific method. Scientific debates can be contentious Last August Buxton gave a presentation on the stratification of water temperatures in pools on the Trinity River during a Science on the River presentation in Lewiston. ?I was reporting the results of research that they did on two river pools,? Buxton said. One river pool was located above the reservoirs in the Trinity River that receives natural stream flows, Buxton said. The second river pool was located just upstream of the North Fork Trinity River, which receives unnatural summer flows released from Lewiston Dam. ? ?And the results were essentially that where salmon used to migrate to before the dams, you have very low flow conditions,? Buxton said. ?But these stratified pools stratified in the sense that the water flow through the pools is so slow that the different temperatures contributed to the pool throughout the day and night, enable the cold water to sit in the pool bottoms during the day and then release that cold water slowly throughout the day.? According to Buxton, this enables temperature regulation downstream but also provides warmer water toward the surface of the pools that other creatures require. ?So the adult salmon require that cold water in summer, the juvenile fish and the turtles and the frogs require that warmer water in the upper layers of the pool, and in stratified pool conditions, you have those different habitats available for those different species,? he said. Buxton said the unnatural increase in summer water flow downstream of reservoirs speeds up the current, preventing temperature layers from forming. He said this disrupts the natural thermal stratification needed for aquatic life, negatively impacting the river ecosystem. The Science on the River presentation in Lewiston prompted California Water Impact Network board member Tom Stokely to write a guest column titled ?Trinity River summer flow cuts ill-advised,? which was published on Feb. 12 (www.trinityjournal.com/opinion/guest_columnists/article_767dfc0c-e8c4-11ef-b9f0-afc001065b07.html) According to the op-ed, Stokely said Buxton?s logic was seriously flawed and cutting summer flows would significantly impact both spring chinook and the communities that depend on the Trinity River. ?Dr. Buxton also failed to note that some of the highest adult spring chinook runs on record followed nine to 12 years after the 450 cfs minimum summer flow standard was established. Contrary to his claim that the 450 cfs is a relic of the 2000 Trinity Record of Decision (ROD), it began nine years earlier in 1991.? Stokely?s op-ed struck a chord with Trinity River Restoration Program?s executive director Mike Dixon who opened the Science on Tap with a response. ?I just want to make sure it?s clear that there is no plan to change summer-based flows in the Trinity River,? he said. Dixon said the study Buxton was reporting on was just trying to convey what they?ve learned in a single study on a couple of pools. ?So, if you were concerned, based on what (Stokely) reported in his editorial, there?s no plan to do anything with that right now.? When asked about the guest column, Buxton said he was misquoted. ?I explicitly explained several times in my talk, I was making no recommendations.? Buxton said he was reporting the results of research on two single pools, and that, if there ever was going to be a recommendation for change in flows, much more work would need to be done, in addition to considering the impacts of any proposed change on power generation and recreation. ?We?re not even close to looking at all those things,? he said. Buxton said TRRP has expanded the study up to a dozen pools on the river. ?We?re looking at how the thermal characteristics may be managed with flow regulation, but that?s as far as we?ve gone,? he said. ?So (Stokely) saying that the program has made plans to change summer flows is just completely inaccurate.? Delayed response The Trinity Journal asked Stokely about the timing of the guestcolumn. If there was concern, why the five-month delay? In an email Stokely said he didn?t have time to write it in August or September and it wasn?t going to happen immediately. ?However, coincidentally, it was apparent that waiting until after the presidential transition was appropriate because the Trinity River is now under siege, and the protections of the past are at serious risk,? he said.??It was a public plea to the TRRP to stop dividing Trinity River interests so that various parties can come together to protect the river and the gains that have been made over the past 40-plus years.? When asked why he didn?t bring his concerns during Buxton?s August presentation, Stokely said he didn?t specifically object to Buxton?s presentation, ?but I did ask several questions.?It wasn?t a forum for a debate and public input was not requested, nor was it encouraged.? Stokely said he had conversations with TRRP staff and affiliates about summer flows in the past but not Dr. Buxton in particular. ?Many thousands of dollars are being spent to complete the studies to make it happen,? he said. ?If they aren?t serious about it then why are they spending money on it?? In an email from TRRP spokesperson Kiana Abel, she said TRRP pursues studies of river function because it is important for them to understand how the river works in order to effectively apply restoration tools. ?In the grand scheme, we are spending hardly any money on it. At the scale of the program?s budget, it is almost entirely in-kind (staff time) with some $100 to low $1,000 worth of equipment that was purchased. Additionally, an approximately $80,000 of internal Reclamation effort to develop and refine the three-dimensional hydrologic model.? Stokely said it?s disingenuous for the TRRP to claim that he conflated plans to decrease Trinity River summer flows. He said if TRRP wasn?t thinking hard about it, they wouldn?t be doing studies on it and giving presentations. Stokely also said many, but not all TRRP staff and program partners are already convinced that it?s a good idea.? ?Obviously, they have to do more studies to justify it, and I said so in my guest editorial, but they are moving in that direction, even if it takes several years.?My guest editorial was an effort for them to drop it so that Trinity River advocates could come together to protect what we have.?The Trinity River is in big trouble.?? Editor?s note: Francisco Mart?nezcuello covers science, environment, and indigenous communities through the California Local News Fellowship initiative. - Facebook Twitter Email Print -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tstokely at att.net Mon Mar 10 16:51:07 2025 From: tstokely at att.net (Tom Stokely) Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2025 23:51:07 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [env-trinity] [Trinity Releases] Change Order - Lewiston Dam References: <503138368.2125213.1741650667079.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <503138368.2125213.1741650667079@mail.yahoo.com> From: "'Patton, Thomas K' via trinity-releases" Date: March 10, 2025 at 3:40:16?PM PDT To: Undisclosed recipients:; Subject: [Trinity Releases] Change Order - Lewiston Dam Reply-To: "Patton, Thomas K" ? ? Please make the following release changes to the Trinity River. ? ? Date? ? ? ? ????? ? ? ? ? Time??????? ? From (cfs)? ? ? ? To (cfs) ? 3/13/2025??? ?? ? ??0001? ? ? ? ? ? ?3,500? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??3,300 ??????????????????????????? ? ? ?0400? ? ? ?? ? ? 3,300? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??3,100 ????????????? ????????????? ??2000? ? ? ? ? ? ? 3,100? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??2,900 ? 3/14/2025??? ?? ? ??0001? ? ? ? ? ? ?2,900? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??2,700 ??????????????????????????? ? ? ?0400? ? ? ? ? ? ?2,700? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??2,500 ????????????? ????????????? ??2000? ? ? ? ? ? ? 2,500? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??2,300 ? 3/15/2025??? ?? ? ??0001? ? ? ? ? ? ?2,300? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??2,100 ??????????????????????????? ? ? ?0400? ? ? ? ? ? ?2,100? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??2,000 ? ? Comment:? Trinity storage management ? Issued by: Tom Patton -- View online at http://www.trrp.net/restore/flows/release-email/ --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "trinity-releases" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to trinity-releases+unsubscribe at googlegroups.com. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/trinity-releases/SJ0PR09MB9224A3053E0BB83AE1ADAA9DD8D62%40SJ0PR09MB9224.namprd09.prod.outlook.com. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tstokely at att.net Tue Mar 11 17:30:49 2025 From: tstokely at att.net (Tom Stokely) Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2025 00:30:49 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [env-trinity] Friends of the River lead scientist posting References: <1717956795.2569006.1741739449046.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <1717956795.2569006.1741739449046@mail.yahoo.com> Begin forwarded message: From: Gary Bobker Date: March 11, 2025 at 1:07:06?PM PDT To: Subject:? lead scientist posting all, FOR is looking to hire a new lead scientist. I've attached the posting and included a link to it on our website. Please circulate to your networks. https://www.friendsoftheriver.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/250304-Lead-Scientist-GB.pdf best, Gary Gary BobkerProgram DirectorFriends of the River415.272.6616gbobker at friendsoftheriver.orgwww.friendsoftheriver.org -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Kenneth.Lindke at Wildlife.ca.gov Wed Mar 12 11:14:05 2025 From: Kenneth.Lindke at Wildlife.ca.gov (Lindke, Kenneth@Wildlife) Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2025 18:14:05 +0000 Subject: [env-trinity] 2024/25 CDFW Trinity River Project trapping summary through Julian week 9 (March 4) In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Good morning, Attached is the Trinity River trapping summary through Julian week 9, ending March 4th. You may notice that some of the numbers changed for Coho and steelhead counts at the hatchery. I corrected some errors I had made in accounting for fish that were held over in round tanks to ripen and I had missed in a couple weeks. This is a good opportunity to remind folks that these data are always preliminary and our final counts and estimates are found in our annual reports. I always appreciate when folks notice discrepancies, so feel free to reach out if you see something..... fishy, no pun intended! Ken Lindke Work Cell: (707) 672-3620 "An approximate answer to the right question is worth a great deal more than a precise answer to the wrong question." - John Tukey From: Lindke, Kenneth at Wildlife Sent: Tuesday, February 11, 2025 11:22 AM To: Knechtle, Morgan at Wildlife Subject: RE: 2024/25 CDFW Trinity River Project trapping summary through Julian week 1 (January 7) Greetings from the Trinity River, Attached is the Trinity River trapping summary through Julian week 5, ending February 4th. One of our Weaverville biologist shared a cool anecdote that I want to pass along. On February 4th a near record steelhead returned to Trinity River hatchery, a female at 89 cm (or 35" for those that prefer SI). There have only been three years since 1990 that a fish that size or bigger returned to the hatchery, with the 35-year winner in 2010 coming in at 93 cm (36.6")! Ken Lindke Work Cell: (707) 672-3620 "An approximate answer to the right question is worth a great deal more than a precise answer to the wrong question." - John Tukey From: Lindke, Kenneth at Wildlife Sent: Wednesday, January 29, 2025 4:02 PM To: Knechtle, Morgan at Wildlife > Subject: 2024/25 CDFW Trinity River Project trapping summary through Julian week 1 (January 7) Folks, Please find attached the TRP trapping summary through JW3 (January 21). The only trapping we're still doing is at Trinity River hatchery, and spawning there is now exclusively focused on steelhead. One very late arriving fall Chinook entered the hatchery on January 14th. Otherwise it has been all steelhead which will continue into March. Ken Lindke Work Cell: (707) 672-3620 "An approximate answer to the right question is worth a great deal more than a precise answer to the wrong question." - John Tukey From: Lindke, Kenneth at Wildlife Sent: Tuesday, January 14, 2025 10:44 AM To: Knechtle, Morgan at Wildlife > Subject: 2024/25 CDFW Trinity River Project trapping summary through Julian week 1 (January 7) Hello fellow fish enthusiasts, I hope this finds you well and optimistic about a new year ahead. Please find attached the TRP trapping summary through JW1 (January 7th). For those of you who don't know me, I have worked along side Mary Claire since 2017 and I will be taking over some of her responsibilities in her retirement, including distributing this trap summary. With the exception of a few stragglers since Christmas, the salmon run to Trinity River hatchery has come to a close with lack luster returns for fall Chinook and Coho. Operations have shifted to steelhead spawning with a notable uptick in returns of half-pounders. Well, at least half-pounders as we define them to be less than 42 cm fork length, which doesn't necessarily mean they exhibit a true half-pounder life history. Ken Lindke Senior Environmental Scientist - Trinity River Restoration Program Coordinator Klamath-Trinity Program California Department of Fish and Wildlife - Northern Region Kenneth.Lindke at wildlife.ca.gov Work Cell: (707) 672-3620 "An approximate answer to the right question is worth a great deal more than a precise answer to the wrong question." - John Tukey REPORT POACHERS AND POLLUTERS: 1-888-334-2258 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 2024 TRP_ trapping_summary_through_JW9.xlsx Type: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet Size: 99491 bytes Desc: 2024 TRP_ trapping_summary_through_JW9.xlsx URL: From jabel at usbr.gov Mon Mar 17 15:37:36 2025 From: jabel at usbr.gov (Abel, Kiana) Date: Mon, 17 Mar 2025 22:37:36 +0000 Subject: [env-trinity] Trinity River Restoration Program March Newsletter - The River Riffle Message-ID: [https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Trinity-River-in-Lewiston-kiana-abel-01.jpg] Header photo: Trinity River in Lewiston. [Kiana Abel, Trinity River Restoration Program] River Riffle Newsletter - March (click to read online) Contents * Current Conditions * Reading, Listening & Watching * Program Updates: Upper Conner Creek Phase II Civil Construction Update * Featured Article: Executive Director Report - Year in Review 2024 * Trinity River Animal Spotlight: Bug of the Month: March Mayfly * Upcoming Meetings and Events Current Conditions [https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/March-B120-01.png] Water Year 2025 - March B120 = 90% chance of wet or wetter The California Department of Water Resources March 90% B120 declaration was published on Mar. 10 as ?wet? with the 90% determination at 1,415,000 acre feet. The hydrograph developed by the Program with the ?wet? water allocation for Mar. 15 - Apr. 14 will commence on March 21 after Storage Management Releases from Trinity Reservoir come to a close. Click here to view the DRAFT schedule. The schedule is finalized with a change order released by Central Valley Operations. If you would like to receive those emails please follow this link: Subscribe to e-mail Alerts Reading, Listening, Watching Functional Flows are Good for California?s Native Fishes | California WaterBlog Posted: Feb. 23, 2025 By Sarah Yarnell, Ethan Baruch, Andrew L. Rypel, and Rob Lusardi [https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Putah_Creek_EB.webp] Lower Putah Creek during early summer. PC Ethan Baruch. California WaterBlog California faces significant water management challenges, particularly concerning how much water should remain in streams to support native fish species. While there are many environmental flow assessment methods, California has adopted the Functional Flows approach as part of the California Environmental Flows Framework (CEFF). A recent study focused on Putah Creek, where the implementation of the Putah Creek Accord in 2000 has led to a dramatic increase in native fish populations. The study analyzed long-term fish data and found that as stream flow conditions improved and approached more natural patterns, the populations of native fish increased while non-native species declined. This suggests that even partial adherence to a functional flow regime can support the recovery of native fish. The successes observed in Putah Creek demonstrate the potential benefits of implementing the Functional Flows approach across other impacted streams in California. Continue Reading ... How Three (Fairly) Wet Winters Could Help California's Salmon | Public Policy Institute of California March 3, 2025 [https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/salmon-pops-out-of-river-in-california-1024x683-1.webp] Image published on Public Policy Institute of California California has experienced an unusual weather pattern with three consecutive wet winters, particularly in the northern region, which hasn't happened since the late '90s. Experts Jeffrey Mount and Carson Jeffres discuss how these rainy years offer a crucial opportunity for salmon, as abundant water helps juvenile salmon grow faster and avoid predators before they head to the ocean. Historically, wet years have been beneficial for salmon, allowing them to thrive in floodplains. However, they emphasize the need for improved management practices to ensure these fish can survive during future dry periods. While the recent wet conditions provide a glimmer of hope, the overall trend for salmon populations remains concerning, highlighting the need for innovative approaches to protect and restore these vital species. Clackamas River Stream Temperature Modeling and Monitoring Project | Clackamas River Basin Council [cid:231fd858-9632-4ea7-83e5-ae8b19267adb] Follow this link to watch This video explores a project focused on monitoring and modeling stream temperatures in the Clackamas River Basin, a collaboration involving the Clackamas River Basin Council, Portland State University, and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. The project emphasizes how important stream temperatures are for the health of aquatic ecosystems, particularly for cold-water species like steelhead, Coho, and Chinook salmon. Using over 30 years of temperature data and climate projections, the study examines how rising temperatures could affect fish habitats in the basin. The presenters explain how stream temperature models help illustrate how different landscape features influence how streams respond to changes in air temperature. They highlight critical thermal refuges for salmonids amidst potential habitat loss due to warming. Additionally, the video introduces a new interactive web tool that combines temperature and habitat data to aid in conservation and restoration efforts. This important work is funded by the Oregon Conservation and Recreation Fund and supported by various individuals and organizations, showcasing a community commitment to preserving the region?s aquatic life. Program Update [https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/befpre-and-after-frame-phase-II-2025-01-1.jpg] Upper Conner Creek phase II restoration area from summer 2019 (left) and winter 2025 (right) during civil construction. [Ken DeCamp via airplane (left)/Elliot Sarnacki via drone (right)] Upper Conner Creek - Phase II Civil Construction Update Construction is progressing at the Phase II Upper Conner Creek Channel Rehabilitation site with significant advancements with excavation of the river right floodplain and the development of the new river access route. [https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Screenshot-2025-03-12-072523.png] Project managers have temporarily closed access to the project site which began Monday, March 10, 2025. The closure affects access for river recreationists at the Junction City Campground. While we had hoped to maintain some level of public access, it has become clear that this short-term closure is unavoidable yet will expedite the timeline to a functional river access point, likely late July. The river can be accessed a few miles upstream of the project at Evans Bar or Sky Ranch or downstream of the project at Bagdad or Pigeon Point. To stay up to date on access at the Junction City Campground river access, please click here. [image] Supply Creek, a tributary to the Trinity River was a watershed restoration project in Hoopa, Ca. that received funds from the Trinity River Restoration Program. [Hoopa Valley Tribal Fisheries Department] Trinity River Watershed Restoration Environmental Assessment Public Comment Period: Spring 2025 The Trinity River Restoration Program is working with the Bureau of Land Management - Redding Field Office and the US Forest Service - Shasta-Trinity National Forest to help increase restoration projects within Trinity River tributaries. The Watershed Environmental Assessment will cover projects related to; * instream habitat restoration * upslope habitat restoration * road maintenance, rehabilitation, and decommissioning activities This Environmental Assessment will be available to organizations who wish to implement restorative projects on Bureau of Land Management and US Forest Service lands and TRRP-funded work on private land within the Trinity Watershed as well as for projects that are funded by those agencies. Click for More Information Featured Article [image] Executive Director Report - Year in Review 2024 The Trinity River Restoration Program?s twenty-fourth year brought challenges and positive steps forward with agency collaborations, channel rehabilitation on the Trinity River, watershed restoration and environmental flow management. Click below to continue reading the full report. Continue Reading Trinity River Watershed Animal Spotlight [https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/A-March-Brown-adult-courtesy-The-Missoulian-Angler-Fly-Shop-Les-Korcala.png] Photo: A March Brown adult (courtesy The Missoulian Angler Fly Shop [Les Korcala]) Bug of the month: March Brown Rhithrogena morrisoni Discover the fascinating world of the March Brown mayfly, nature's little miracle that kicks off the spring season. Known for their warm brown hue and incredible hatching patterns, March Browns play a crucial role in our aquatic ecosystems, especially as a vital food source for hungry fish like salmon and trout. But there's much more to these creatures than meets the eye! >From their impressive ability to cling to fast-moving waters to the unique way they attract anglers hoping to catch a big Steelhead, the March Brown offers a captivating glimpse into the life of one of nature's most remarkable insects. Curious to learn how this intriguing bug influences both ecosystems and fishing success? Click through to dive deeper into the story of the March Brown! Continue Reading... Upcoming Meetings and Events For a full list of events, click to view the TRRP Calendar. ________________________________ [TMC Partnership Ring] March 19 - All Day Quarterly TMC Meeting Meeting Agenda and other Details Location: Virtual Only Click here to join the meeting Meeting ID: 254 819 589 844 Passcode: UY3b6cv9 Download Teams | Join on the web [https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/ScienceOnTapMarchInstagramPost-2.png] Mar. 26, 6pm Science on Tap Trinity County Brewing Company This month?s Science on Tap features a presentation from Zac Reinstein, Fisheries Biologist with the Yurok Tribe, who will present: ?Coho Salmon Supplementation in Trinity River Tributaries.? Zac is a Fisheries Biologist for the Trinity River Division of the Yurok Tribe. He holds a B.S. in Environmental Natural Resources, Conservation Biology from Clemson University. Zac previously served with the AmeriCorps Watershed Stewards Program and worked with California Sea Grant?s Russian River Salmon and Steelhead Monitoring Program from 2015 to 2022. Event Details [https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Junction-City-Campground-Scotch-Broom-Pull-Instagram-Post.png] Mar. 29, 10am Invasive Weed Pull Junction City Campground Join the Trinity River Restoration Program, Hoopa Tribal Fisheries, Trinity County Resource Conservation District and Bureau of Land Management in our effort to eliminate invasive Scotch and Spanish broom. This effort helps create space for native plants and prevents the spread of these noxious invasive weeds in our watershed. Volunteers are encouraged to wear suitable outdoor clothing and bring their own reusable water bottles. Water, snacks, tools, and gloves will be provided. Event Details [image] Apr. 10 - 5:30 to 7pm North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board Public Workshop Trinity County Brewing Company North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board staff plan to hold a public workshop to present information on the continuation of regulating the Bureau of Reclamation, Trinity River Restoration Program ? Channel Rehabilitation for Remaining Phase 1 and Phase 2 Sites (Project) pursuant to Section 401 of the Clean Water Act (33 USC 1341) and Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act authority. Information on how to comment on the draft Water Quality Certification during the 45-day comment period will be available. Kiana Abel Public Affairs Specialist | Trinity River Restoration Program | U. S. Bureau of Reclamation 1313 S. Main St., Weaverville, CA 96093-1300 | 530-623-1804 (desk) | 530-739-9761 (cell) | jabel at usbr.gov [cid:9e19296d-5f37-434b-99e1-0a0d9fbe6606] Book time to meet with me -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image.png Type: image/png Size: 402006 bytes Desc: image.png URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Outlook-szuyb5yc.png Type: image/png Size: 528 bytes Desc: Outlook-szuyb5yc.png URL: From jabel at usbr.gov Fri Mar 21 14:49:14 2025 From: jabel at usbr.gov (Abel, Kiana) Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2025 21:49:14 +0000 Subject: [env-trinity] Lewiston Dam Flow Schedule Mar. 15 - Apr. 15 Message-ID: The California Department of Water Resources March 90% B120 declaration for the Trinity River Basin was published on Mar. 10 as ?wet? with the 90% probability of 1,415,000 acre feet of inflow to Trinity Reservoir for the water year. The hydrograph developed by the Program with the ?wet? water allocation for Mar. 15 ? Apr. 14 will commence on March 21 after Storage Management Releases from Trinity Reservoir come to a close. The schedule for this period is available here (and also attached): https://www.trrp.net/restoration/flows/current/ Post Apr. 15, commences the Snow Melt Peak and Recession Period (Apr. 15-variable). Hydrographs to match two possible 2025 water year types, "wet" and "ex. wet" were developed by the technical flow workgroup and approved by the Trinity Management Council on Mar.19. The schedule is currently awaiting regional approval as well as finalization regarding the California Department of Water Resources April B120 water year determination. We will release a recommended draft schedule for that period as soon as we are able. Cheers, Kiana Kiana Abel Public Affairs Specialist | Trinity River Restoration Program | U. S. Bureau of Reclamation 1313 S. Main St., Weaverville, CA 96093-1300 | 530-623-1804 (desk) | 530-739-9761 (cell) | jabel at usbr.gov [cid:ca642714-d3cb-4a4c-838c-ef4d7d00277d] Book time to meet with me -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Outlook-2n3lfunu.png Type: image/png Size: 528 bytes Desc: Outlook-2n3lfunu.png URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Elevated Base Flow Per 2 - WY25_Mar 15-April14_ReleaseFlyer.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 621318 bytes Desc: Elevated Base Flow Per 2 - WY25_Mar 15-April14_ReleaseFlyer.pdf URL: From Kenneth.Lindke at Wildlife.ca.gov Tue Mar 25 15:17:45 2025 From: Kenneth.Lindke at Wildlife.ca.gov (Lindke, Kenneth@Wildlife) Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2025 22:17:45 +0000 Subject: [env-trinity] 2024/25 CDFW Trinity River Project trapping summary through Julian week 10 (March 11) In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Fishy Folks, Please find attached the final Trinity River trapping summary for the 2024/25 season. The last day of steelhead spawning at Trinity River hatchery occurred on March 11th, and those numbers are included here. Thanks for tuning in this year and bearing with me as I've tried to fill the shoes of Mary Claire Kier following her retirement in December. The Junction City weir will start trapping spring Chinook likely sometime mid-June, and I'll start sending out trap summaries again shortly after. In the meantime, I hope you all have a wonderful spring and enjoy some much needed sunshine! Until next time, Ken Lindke Work Cell: (707) 672-3620 "An approximate answer to the right question is worth a great deal more than a precise answer to the wrong question." - John Tukey From: Lindke, Kenneth at Wildlife Sent: Wednesday, March 12, 2025 11:14 AM To: Knechtle, Morgan at Wildlife Subject: RE: 2024/25 CDFW Trinity River Project trapping summary through Julian week 9 (March 4) Good morning, Attached is the Trinity River trapping summary through Julian week 9, ending March 4th. You may notice that some of the numbers changed for Coho and steelhead counts at the hatchery. I corrected some errors I had made in accounting for fish that were held over in round tanks to ripen and I had missed in a couple weeks. This is a good opportunity to remind folks that these data are always preliminary and our final counts and estimates are found in our annual reports. I always appreciate when folks notice discrepancies, so feel free to reach out if you see something..... fishy, no pun intended! Ken Lindke Work Cell: (707) 672-3620 "An approximate answer to the right question is worth a great deal more than a precise answer to the wrong question." - John Tukey From: Lindke, Kenneth at Wildlife Sent: Tuesday, February 11, 2025 11:22 AM To: Knechtle, Morgan at Wildlife > Subject: RE: 2024/25 CDFW Trinity River Project trapping summary through Julian week 1 (January 7) Greetings from the Trinity River, Attached is the Trinity River trapping summary through Julian week 5, ending February 4th. One of our Weaverville biologist shared a cool anecdote that I want to pass along. On February 4th a near record steelhead returned to Trinity River hatchery, a female at 89 cm (or 35" for those that prefer SI). There have only been three years since 1990 that a fish that size or bigger returned to the hatchery, with the 35-year winner in 2010 coming in at 93 cm (36.6")! Ken Lindke Work Cell: (707) 672-3620 "An approximate answer to the right question is worth a great deal more than a precise answer to the wrong question." - John Tukey From: Lindke, Kenneth at Wildlife Sent: Wednesday, January 29, 2025 4:02 PM To: Knechtle, Morgan at Wildlife > Subject: 2024/25 CDFW Trinity River Project trapping summary through Julian week 1 (January 7) Folks, Please find attached the TRP trapping summary through JW3 (January 21). The only trapping we're still doing is at Trinity River hatchery, and spawning there is now exclusively focused on steelhead. One very late arriving fall Chinook entered the hatchery on January 14th. Otherwise it has been all steelhead which will continue into March. Ken Lindke Work Cell: (707) 672-3620 "An approximate answer to the right question is worth a great deal more than a precise answer to the wrong question." - John Tukey From: Lindke, Kenneth at Wildlife Sent: Tuesday, January 14, 2025 10:44 AM To: Knechtle, Morgan at Wildlife > Subject: 2024/25 CDFW Trinity River Project trapping summary through Julian week 1 (January 7) Hello fellow fish enthusiasts, I hope this finds you well and optimistic about a new year ahead. Please find attached the TRP trapping summary through JW1 (January 7th). For those of you who don't know me, I have worked along side Mary Claire since 2017 and I will be taking over some of her responsibilities in her retirement, including distributing this trap summary. With the exception of a few stragglers since Christmas, the salmon run to Trinity River hatchery has come to a close with lack luster returns for fall Chinook and Coho. Operations have shifted to steelhead spawning with a notable uptick in returns of half-pounders. Well, at least half-pounders as we define them to be less than 42 cm fork length, which doesn't necessarily mean they exhibit a true half-pounder life history. Ken Lindke Senior Environmental Scientist - Trinity River Restoration Program Coordinator Klamath-Trinity Program California Department of Fish and Wildlife - Northern Region Kenneth.Lindke at wildlife.ca.gov Work Cell: (707) 672-3620 "An approximate answer to the right question is worth a great deal more than a precise answer to the wrong question." - John Tukey REPORT POACHERS AND POLLUTERS: 1-888-334-2258 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 2024 TRP_ trapping_summary_through_JW10.xlsx Type: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet Size: 99795 bytes Desc: 2024 TRP_ trapping_summary_through_JW10.xlsx URL: From tstokely at att.net Thu Mar 27 08:08:23 2025 From: tstokely at att.net (Tom Stokely) Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2025 15:08:23 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [env-trinity] Grist- How the Klamath Dams Came Down References: <1827106185.2207943.1743088103255.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <1827106185.2207943.1743088103255@mail.yahoo.com> Here is a really great article from Grist on how the Klamath Dams came down.? I highly recommend reading it. How the Klamath Dams Came Down | | | | | | | | | | | How the Klamath Dams Came Down Last year, tribes in Oregon and California pulled off the largest dam removal in U.S. history. This is their story. | | | Tom Stokely?Salmon and Water Policy Consultant530-524-0315?tstokely at att.net? -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tstokely at att.net Wed Apr 9 14:36:45 2025 From: tstokely at att.net (Tom Stokely) Date: Wed, 9 Apr 2025 21:36:45 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [env-trinity] Fw: [Trinity Releases] Change Order - Lewiston Dam - REVISED In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <47156225.67178.1744234605514@mail.yahoo.com> ----- Forwarded Message ----- From: 'Patton, Thomas K' via trinity-releases Sent: Tuesday, April 8, 2025 at 12:21:18 PM PDTSubject: [Trinity Releases] Change Order - Lewiston Dam - REVISED ? Please make the following release changes to the Trinity River. ? ? ??? ???????Date? ? ??? ? ? ?? ????? ?Time??????? ????? ??? ? From (cfs)? ? ? ? To (cfs) ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | | 4/8/2025 | 0800 | 1350 | 1500 | | | 1000 | 1500 | 1750 | | | 1200 | 1750 | 2000 | | | 1400 | 2000 | 2500 | | | 1600 | 2500 | 3000 | | | 1800 | 3000 | 3500 | | | 2000 | 3500 | 4000 | | | ? | ? | | | 4/9/2025 | 0001 | 4000 | 3800 | | ? | 0400 | 3800 | 3600 | | | 0800 | 3600 | 3400 | | | 1200 | 3400 | 3200 | | | 1600 | 3200 | 3000 | | | 2000 | 3000 | 2800 | | | | | | | 4/10/2025 | 0001 | 2800 | 2600 | | ? | 0400 | 2600 | 2400 | | ? | ? | ? | ? | | 4/11/2025 | 0800 | 2400 | 2300 | | | 1000 | 2300 | 2250 | | | 1200 | 2250 | 2200 | | | 1400 | 2200 | 2150 | | | 1600 | 2150 | 2100 | | | | | | | 4/13/2025 | 0200 | 2100 | 2000 | | | | | | | 4/15/2025 | 0001 | 2000 | 2500 | | | 0200 | 2500 | 2600 | | | 0400 | 2600 | 2700 | | | 1000 | 2700 | 2800 | | | 1200 | 2800 | 3000 | | | 1400 | 3000 | 3200 | | | 1600 | 3200 | 3400 | | | 1800 | 3400 | 3600 | | | 2000 | 3600 | 3800 | | | 2200 | 3800 | 4350 | | ? | ? | ? | ? | | ? | ? | ? | ? | Comment:? Elevated baseflow ? Issued by: Tom Patton -- View online at http://www.trrp.net/restore/flows/release-email/ - -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jabel at usbr.gov Wed Apr 9 15:21:25 2025 From: jabel at usbr.gov (Abel, Kiana) Date: Wed, 9 Apr 2025 22:21:25 +0000 Subject: [env-trinity] Trinity River Restoration Program Water Year 2025 Spring Flow Release Notification Message-ID: [cid:eb1fca04-1558-4bea-bb75-02f7f80d567c] For Release: April 9, 2025 Contact: Kiana Abel, 530-623-1804, jabel at usbr.gov Trinity River Restoration Program Water Year 2025 Spring Flow Release Notification Lewiston, Calif. ? Water releases from Lewiston Dam into the Trinity River are scheduled to begin significantly increasing on Monday, Apr. 15, 2025. Each year, the Trinity Management Council recommends a spring and summer flow schedule to the Regional Directors of the Bureau of Reclamation and Fish and Wildlife Service for approval. The recommendation is developed to benefit juvenile salmonid growth, adult salmon migration, riparian plant establishment and growth, and sediment mobilization in support of Tribal, commercial and recreational harvest of adult salmon in the Trinity River watershed. The hydrograph developed is based on the California Department of Water Resources Bulletin 120 50% Exceedance Forecast declaration of a ?Wet? water year for 2025, which sets the TRRP volume release at 701,000 acre feet for the water year. Releases from Oct. 1 through Apr. 15 were scheduled at 300,777 acre feet* leaving the restoration volume at 400,223 for the remainder of the water year. The flow schedule includes day-to-day flow variability, a key component of river systems that support salmon. For the 2025 spring release, flows will peak at 8,500 cubic feet per second at noon on Apr. 16. After the peak a slow recession begins at 6 p.m, reaching 600 cubic feet per second on Jun. 30. Flows are scheduled to minimally rise again for two small peaks on Jul. 11 and again on Aug. 2 to help salmon migrate out of the lower portion of the river. Maximum Daily flow based on a ?wet? water year designation is included below. Please take appropriate precautions whenever on or near the river. Residents in the river corridor are advised to move items away from the riverbank before peak flows begin. If you have questions, please contact the Trinity River Restoration Program office at 530-623-1800 or by emailing your question to info at trrp.net. An up-to-date daily schedule of flow releases are available at: http://www.trrp.net/restoration/flows/current/ [cid:589bd680-77ab-4b9a-82cd-2347c9999503] *300,777af accounts for scheduled restoration flows between Oct. 15 through Apr. 15 and does not include reservoir management releases. Kiana Abel Public Affairs Specialist | Trinity River Restoration Program | U.S. Bureau of Reclamation 1313 S. Main St., Weaverville, CA 96093-1300 | 530-623-1804 (desk) | 530-739-9761 (cell) | jabel at usbr.gov -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image.png Type: image/png Size: 160485 bytes Desc: image.png URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image.png Type: image/jpeg Size: 1623306 bytes Desc: image.png URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Wet-WY25_APR10-Aug18_SpringReleaseFlyer.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 772267 bytes Desc: Wet-WY25_APR10-Aug18_SpringReleaseFlyer.pdf URL: From jabel at usbr.gov Wed Apr 9 15:24:58 2025 From: jabel at usbr.gov (Abel, Kiana) Date: Wed, 9 Apr 2025 22:24:58 +0000 Subject: [env-trinity] Trinity River Restoration Program Water Year 2025 Spring Flow Release Notification Message-ID: [cid:d241453c-6ac8-4881-ab84-654fce83e0f6] For Release: April 9, 2025 Contact: Kiana Abel, 530-623-1804, jabel at usbr.gov Trinity River Restoration Program Water Year 2025 Spring Flow Release Notification Lewiston, Calif. ? Water releases from Lewiston Dam into the Trinity River are scheduled to begin significantly increasing on Monday, Apr. 15, 2025. Each year, the Trinity Management Council recommends a spring and summer flow schedule to the Regional Directors of the Bureau of Reclamation and Fish and Wildlife Service for approval. The recommendation is developed to benefit juvenile salmonid growth, adult salmon migration, riparian plant establishment and growth, and sediment mobilization in support of Tribal, commercial and recreational harvest of adult salmon in the Trinity River watershed. The hydrograph developed is based on the California Department of Water Resources Bulletin 120 50% Exceedance Forecast declaration of a ?Wet? water year for 2025, which sets the TRRP volume release at 701,000 acre feet for the water year. Releases from Oct. 1 through Apr. 15 were scheduled at 300,777 acre feet* leaving the restoration volume at 400,223 for the remainder of the water year. The flow schedule includes day-to-day flow variability, a key component of river systems that support salmon. For the 2025 spring release, flows will peak at 8,500 cubic feet per second at noon on Apr. 16. After the peak a slow recession begins at 6 p.m, reaching 600 cubic feet per second on Jun. 30. Flows are scheduled to minimally rise again for two small peaks on Jul. 11 and again on Aug. 2 to help salmon migrate out of the lower portion of the river. Maximum Daily flow based on a ?wet? water year designation is included below. Please take appropriate precautions whenever on or near the river. Residents in the river corridor are advised to move items away from the riverbank before peak flows begin. If you have questions, please contact the Trinity River Restoration Program office at 530-623-1800 or by emailing your question to info at trrp.net. An up-to-date daily schedule of flow releases are available at: http://www.trrp.net/restoration/flows/current/ [cid:3f96003d-12a7-4a9e-9ed2-4a8e8ac7401f] *300,777af accounts for scheduled restoration flows between Oct. 15 through Apr. 15 and does not include reservoir management releases. Kiana Abel Public Affairs Specialist | Trinity River Restoration Program | U.S. Bureau of Reclamation 1313 S. Main St., Weaverville, CA 96093-1300 | 530-623-1804 (desk) | 530-739-9761 (cell) | jabel at usbr.gov -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image.png Type: image/png Size: 160485 bytes Desc: image.png URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image.png Type: image/jpeg Size: 1623306 bytes Desc: image.png URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Wet-WY25_APR10-Aug18_SpringReleaseFlyer.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 772267 bytes Desc: Wet-WY25_APR10-Aug18_SpringReleaseFlyer.pdf URL: From jabel at usbr.gov Tue Apr 15 10:15:55 2025 From: jabel at usbr.gov (Abel, Kiana) Date: Tue, 15 Apr 2025 17:15:55 +0000 Subject: [env-trinity] April Edition of The River Riffle - Trinity River Restoration Program Message-ID: [cid:30487213-d41d-48e2-83e1-5415494d03df] Aerial image of the Oregon Gulch restoration area winter 2025. [Aaron Martin, Yurok Tribal Fisheries Program] River Riffle Newsletter ? April (click to read on our website) Contents * Current Conditions: B120 Water Year Determination is ?Wet?, download the Flow Notice * Program Updates: Spring Quarterly TMC Meeting, Public Comment Period Open for Watershed EA * Featured Article: Fish Biologists Turned Farmers ? Growing Food for Juvenile Salmonids in a Regulated River System * Trinity River Watershed Spotlight: Common Horsetail, Equisetum Arvense * Upcoming Meetings and Events * Reading, Listening & Watching Current Conditions Water Year 2025 ? California Department of Water Resources B120 = ?Wet? [image] The California Department of Water Resources 50% Exceedance Forecast B120 declaration was published on Apr. 9 as ?wet? with the determination of inflow at 1,850,000 acre feet. The hydrograph developed by the Program with the ?wet? water allocation for the Spring Snow Melt Peak and Recession period will commence on Apr. 15. Click to download the schedule. The schedule is finalized with a change order released by Central Valley Operations. If you would like to receive those emails, please click here. Program Update [TMC Partnership Ring] Summary of the Trinity Management Council?s March Quarterly Meeting The Trinity Management Council met virtually on Wed., March 19, 9am-3pm for its spring-quarter meeting. There were seven major topics on the agenda along with two decision items. Continue Reading ... 1. Program Updates (TRRP Staff) 2. Central Valley Operations Update (Elizabeth Hadley, Reclamation) 3. Post-TAMWG public outreach options (Ty Wallin, US Fish and Wildlife) 4. Communications Workgroup Charter (Kiana Abel, TRRP) ? Decision Item 5. Hatchery Technical Team Update (Chris Laskodi, Yurok Tribe) 6. TRD Re-Consultation Update (Kristin Hiatt, Reclamation) 7. Spring hydrograph decision (Patrick Flynn, Trinity County) ? Decision Item [https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/public-comment-notice-paper-ad-03-28-25-01.jpg] Trinity River Watershed Restoration Project Environmental Assessment Public Comment Period: Mar. 28 ? May 1 Trinity River Restoration Program, U.S. Bureau of Land Management-Redding Field Office and U.S. Forest Service, Shasta-Trinity National Forest, officially announce the availability of a draft Environmental Assessment for the proposed Trinity River Watershed Restoration Project. Please click to access the EA, learn more about the project, and how to provide comment, by clicking here. Featured Article [https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/20250306_201001227_iOS.jpg] Fish Biologists Turned Farmers ? Growing Food for Juvenile Salmonids in a Regulated River System Uncover the intricate dynamics of salmon restoration in the Trinity River, where modern river science grapples with the complex interplay of habitat degradation, climate change, and ecosystem health. Despite significant strides in increasing juvenile Chinook Salmon populations, the challenge remains to boost adult returns as they face numerous survival hurdles. This article delves into the vital roles of algae and benthic macroinvertebrates, essential food sources for young salmonids, alongside the impacts of scouring floods and inundation on their growth. Explore how innovative restoration strategies are reshaping river habitats to support these keystone species and enhance aquatic ecosystems! Continue Reading ... Trinity River Watershed Spotlight [https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/20250324_184248.jpg] Equisetum, commonly known as Horsetail found along the Trinity River. [Simone Groves, Hoopa Valley Tribal Fisheries] Horsetail Equisetum Arvense, E. Hymanale, E. Laevegatum The genus Equisetum, known as horsetail, are a commonly known group of plants that thrive in wetland ecosystems. Although quite familiar, Equisetum has much to uncover, with a history dating back 375 million years! These ?living fossils? play a crucial role in riverbank stabilization and biodiversity, have multiple propagation methods, key ecological contributions, and traditional uses that have spanned cultures around the globe. Dive into the dynamic life of horsetails and uncover their importance in both nature and human history! Continue Reading ... Upcoming Meetings and Events For a full list of events, click to view the TRRP Calendar. ________________________________ Apr. 15 through May 15 Spring Wildflower Scavenger Hunt Trinity County, Ca. Our annual Spring Wildflower Scavenger Hunt checklist is here! A great way to get out and enjoy the beautiful abundance of spring and at the same time test your photography skills. If you can find 10 of the 20 you?ll win a prize of milkweed seeds, a key food source for Monarch butterflies. Plus, one lucky winner will win a gift card to Up North Confectionary (located in Weaverville). Once finished send your completed sheet and photos of the flowers you find to dmcintosh at tcrcd.net by May 15 to receive your prize and be entered into the drawing. Download the Checklist Apr. 23, 6pm Science on Tap Trinity County Brewing Company Event Details This month?s Science on Tap features a presentation from Chad Martel, Habitat Biologist with the Hoopa Valley Tribe, who will present: ?Redd to Blue: The Perilous Journey of Juvenile Chinook Salmon.? Chad obtained his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Cal Poly Humboldt where he focused his studies on marine and estuarine fish. Currently, he works with the Hoopa Valley Tribal Fisheries Department as a Habitat Biologist. His focus with Hoopa has been on smaller scale restoration projects, habitat and juvenile outmigrant monitoring both on and off the reservation. May 10, 11am ? 4pm Trinity Heritage Days Highland Art Center Meadow ? Weaverville Event Details Step back in time and experience the sights, sounds and traditions of live in 1800s Trinity. Heritage Days brings our past to life; featuring live demonstrations and hands-on activities that highlight the Nor Rel Muk Wintu Nation, Gold Rush Pioneers and the Joss House Chinese Temple. May 31, 9am ? 2pm Grass Valley Creek Watershed Tour Trinity County, Ca. More Details to Come! Join us for a guided exploration of restoration efforts and ongoing stewardship in the Grass Valley Creek Watershed. Space is limited! Early bird registration is open, please contact Duncan McIntosh (dmcintosh at tcrcd.net) at 530-623-6004 x222 for details. June 17 & 18 All Day Quarterly TMC Meeting Weitchpec, Ca. & Virtual Meeting Details Reading, Listening, Watching [https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/natdiglib_33528_medium-1.jpg] Oncorhynchus mykiss [Hagerty, Ryan, USFWS] Heart of Steel (Part II) Wellspring of a species: A steelhead origin story | Wild Salmon Center By Ramona DeNies Dive into the depths of three west coat rivers, where a remarkable yet elusive fish known as the steelhead half-pounder lurks, bright silver and packed with secrets. A half-pounder embodies the biodiversity and resilience of its species and is unique in that they return to freshwater after merely three to five months at sea. As experts unravel the complex lives of these remarkable creatures, they reveal the profound impacts on their survival. Join fisheries scientists and dedicated conservationists in a journey through the challenges and hopes for the future of steelhead, and discover why these incredible fish are worthy of our fascination. Continue Reading ? [image] 2024 Fall Salmon Redd Survey Results Reinvigorate Commitment to Instream Habitat Restoration | Watershed Research and Training Center Jan. 10, 2025 As salmon numbers dwindle to historic lows, learn about the innovative restoration efforts aimed at reviving their populations and the importance of preserving their cultural significance. Click to delve deeper into the world of salmon and the collaborative efforts that could make a difference in their survival! Continue Reading ... [cid:b7c374e5-9218-4043-a24e-5503b1ed7d9a] King County Scientists identify a potential breakthrough for treating salmon-killing tire chemical | King County Natural Resources and Parks March 27, 2025 Research by King County scientists on how to reduce the toxicity of storm water runoff is showing promising results and could offer new solutions to the longstanding problem of Coho salmon dying from exposure to pollution before they can spawn. Watch on YouTube ... Kiana Abel Public Affairs Specialist | Trinity River Restoration Program | U.S. Bureau of Reclamation 1313 S. Main St., Weaverville, CA 96093-1300 | 530-623-1804 (desk) | 530-739-9761 (cell) | jabel at usbr.gov Kiana Abel Public Affairs Specialist | Trinity River Restoration Program | U.S. Bureau of Reclamation 1313 S. Main St., Weaverville, CA 96093-1300 | 530-623-1804 (desk) | 530-739-9761 (cell) | jabel at usbr.gov -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... 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URL: From bryan at theflyshop.com Thu May 1 08:36:09 2025 From: bryan at theflyshop.com (=?utf-8?Q?The_Fly_Shop=C2=AE?=) Date: Thu, 1 May 2025 11:36:09 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [env-trinity] Fishcamp - Advance Camp Dates Message-ID: <1142169412399.1134707423161.1566604436.0.371130JL.2002@synd.ccsend.com> Email from The Fly Shop America's Fly Fishing Outfitter Since 1978 Advanced FishCamp is ideal for those campers who have previously attended FishCamp and wish to expand their knowledge and passion for the sport of fly fishing, or for older kids who may be new to FishCamp but who have a fair amount of previous experience with fly fishing, fly casting, and fly tying. In Advanced FishCamp, we review the basics learned in FishCamp, then add new concepts, including more work with advanced casting techniques such as the double haul and adding distance to the cast, accuracy and presentation casts, more knots such as the blood knot and nail knot, and advanced fly tying techniques, including spinning deer hair and imitating real insects. We spend even more time focusing on fishing at Advanced Camp, learning more advanced fly fishing skills, and improving upon fly tying techniques. Since most of our Advanced FishCampers are a little older and more experienced with fly fishing already, we?re really able to cater each camper?s individual experience to their personal skill level, teaching new concepts and skills as needed in real-time fishing applications. The highlight of Advanced FishCamp is the last day of camp, on Friday, when all of the campers join up with some of The Fly Shop?s top guides to do a full day drift boat trip on the Lower Sacramento River. The Lower Sacramento River is one of the nation?s premier tailwater rainbow trout fisheries, and our Advanced FishCamper?s enjoy a great last day of fishing on the river before meeting their parents for a picnic in the park at Anderson River Park. LODGING AT ADVANCED FISH CAMP Campers stay in our state-of-the-art walled tents on comfortable bunks, with the whispers of the wind amidst the pines lulling them to sleep at night. Healthy, well-rounded meals will be prepared and served in our outdoor kitchen by our professional camp cooks. We also have a great bathhouse, composed of two separate bathrooms complete with flush toilets and plenty of hot water for showers. We have openings for boys and girls in both the July 14-18 & July 21-25 sessions. Cost is $1,595 per camper and includes a guided day on the Lower Sacramento River here in Redding on the final day of camp! Click the link below or call us at the shop (800) 669-3474 to learn more. LEARN MORE The Fly Shop? | 4140 Churn Creek Road | Redding, CA 96002 US Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tstokely at att.net Fri May 2 14:31:36 2025 From: tstokely at att.net (Tom Stokely) Date: Fri, 2 May 2025 21:31:36 +0000 (UTC) Subject: [env-trinity] =?utf-8?q?Will_There_Be_a_Salmon_Season_=E2=80=93_E?= =?utf-8?q?ver_Again=3F?= References: <1189141658.681894.1746221496430.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <1189141658.681894.1746221496430@mail.yahoo.com> https://www.c-win.org/cwin-water-blog/2025/4/16/will-there-be-a-salmon-season-ever-again-58d5p Will There Be a Salmon Season ? Ever Again? C-WINApril 16, 2025 | | | | | | | | | | | C-WIN Water Blog ? California Water Impact Network | | | Excessive Water Diversions are Killing Salmon Runs? Spring Chinook salmon. Michael Bravo California will not have a commercial salmon season in 2025 ? the third such closure in as many years. The decision by the Pacific Fishery Management Council does authorize a few days of sport angling for Chinook salmon. But as Golden State Salmon Association executive director Scott Artis noted to the Associated Press, such a ?token? allowance will hardly compensate for the massive economic loss the closure will inflict on the commercial and recreational fishing industries. It is not hyperbolic to characterize the situation as apocalyptic for both the fish and the industries that have depended on them. Moreover, the long-term trend remains grim. It is not hyperbolic to characterize the situation as apocalyptic for both the fish and the industries that have depended on them. California has supported robust runs of salmon since the retreat of the glaciers at the end of the last Ice Age. Over the past sixty years, however, the challenges salmon have faced have been extreme: water diversions, drought, the destruction of spawning habitat, pollution, and shifting marine conditions. Still, despite these impediments ? and augmented by hatchery production ? California?s salmon were able to maintain populations sufficient to support healthy fishing and processing industries until relatively recently. But now, all of California?s salmon ? including Coho and four distinct runs of Central Valley Chinook ? are on the brink of extinction. The collapse may seem recent, but it is really the end point of decades of accumulating impacts from destructive water distribution and land use policies; collectively, they have made the physical survival of our salmon almost impossible. Sacramento River fall-run Chinook ? historically, the most important run to the commercial and sport fisheries, due to their relative abundance ? have experienced steep and steady declines during the past five years. In an assessment of California?s salmon stocks prior to the announcement of the current fishing closure, the Pacific Fishery Management Council stated 2025?s fall-run Chinook population was even lower than 2024?s disastrously small run. And the status of California?s other salmon populations is even worse. The endangered Sacramento River winter-run Chinook have recovered slightly from 2024?s catastrophic season, but the PFMC?s estimate of their 2025 numbers is about 4,500 ? an appalling decline from 1969, when 117,000 winter-run salmon returned to their spawning grounds. The Klamath/Trinity watershed ? after the Sacramento/San Joaquin River system, California?s greatest salmon-producing engine, and a major contributor to Oregon?s salmon fishery ? has also seen precipitous declines in fish. State and federal fishery agencies estimate the Klamath?s 2025 fall-run ocean Chinook stocks at 82,672, down from 180,700 in the poor 2024 season and the lowest ocean abundance figure since modern assessments began in 1997. The Klamath?s spring-run Chinook have dwindled to about 2,000 returning adults, down from an historic average of about 100,000 spawners. The Shasta River, a major tributary of the Klamath, once supported about 10,000 returning Coho salmon. Now, fewer than 50 spawning Coho return each year. Overall, the Klamath/Trinity salmon population has fallen by about 90%. By far the biggest factor in the salmon?s precipitous decline is the wholesale diversion of public trust water to corporate farms. Urban development, clear-cut logging, and occasional over-harvesting have all played roles. But by far the biggest factor in the salmon?s precipitous decline is the wholesale diversion of public trust water to corporate farms. Roughly 33 million acre-feet of water are diverted annually from the rivers of the North State and the western slope of the Sierra. About 80% of that total is devoted to agriculture, much of it to luxury export crops such as almonds and pistachios. Simply put, our salmon have been denied the single most important element requisite for their survival: cold, clean water. The flows that remain are too low and too warm to sustain spawning adults, their eggs, or the few fish that do hatch and manage to migrate seaward. The dams that impound the state?s rivers have also submerged hundreds of miles of prime spawning habitat. Further salmon mortality occurs at the gigantic state and federal pumps in the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta, which transport water south to corporate farms, grinding up millions of fish of all age classes in the process. Though our salmon are nominally protected by state and federal fish and wildlife codes, water project operational rules, and in some cases, the U.S. Endangered Species Act, these laws are honored in the breach at best ? and more typically, blatantly ignored. ? The story of our salmon?s decline is thus not a narrative of missed opportunities or ?mistakes being made.? It is more a matter of studied indifference to the law and a complete caving by government officials to the powerful Central Valley agribusiness lobby that has wielded enormous influence in Sacramento and Washington for decades. Not all that long ago, salmon generated $1.4 billion in revenues and 23,000 jobs in California. The economic and environmental impact of the salmon?s demise has been enormous. Not all that long ago, salmon generated $1.4 billion in revenues and 23,000 jobs in California. Additionally, salmon from the Klamath and Central Valley systems spurred $700 million in economic activity and created more than 10,000 jobs in Oregon. Commercial fishers, sport angling guides, fish processors and retailers, restaurants, tribes, and associated ancillary enterprises including chandleries, boat builders, and tackle manufacturers all had an enormous and profitable stake in our salmon. And unlike the profits from agribusiness ? which is concentrated in a handful of powerful growers ? salmon revenues were widely distributed through a vast network of small enterprises and their communities.? Moreover, our salmon were a critical component in ecosystem health. They were an incredibly efficient mechanism for transporting vast quantities of marine nutrients deep into California?s watersheds. The tremendous numbers of spawned-out salmon that died in the upper reaches of their natal streams annually nurtured the state?s wildlands. Their carcasses directly fertilized the rivers, feeding the planktonic organisms that form the basis of aquatic food webs. The decaying fish nurtured riparian forests directly, and their component elements fertilized upland forests over wide areas through the excretions of the scavengers and predators that fed on them. Our wildlands have degraded steadily since the demise of the salmon due in no small part to the impoverishment of watershed soils. As long as salmon had a constituency ? the people who depended on them for economic stability and the people who demanded access to them as high-quality food ? there was always an impetus for turning things around. Reliable salmon seasons ensured that our salmon had champions ? and more than that, a lobby with real political power. We saw that power flexed in the 1990s, when greater Delta flows and significant habitat improvements were approved by the U.S. Congress. But we?ve now gone three years without a salmon season. It?s bad enough that the people who depend on salmon for a livelihood, food, or recreation have been cut off at the knees, but something far worse is in play: we?re losing the institutional and social memory of salmon. A generation is coming of age that has never eaten wild California salmon, that has never fished for them, never experienced the awe of witnessing a heavy run thrashing and spawning on their redds. They won?t know what has been lost, because they will never have experienced it. And when that memory is fully eradicated, there will be no constituency for salmon nor all the benefits they confer to the people and landscapes of California. Without the collective will to preserve our salmon fisheries, the destruction of our rivers and the Bay/Delta will accelerate to its final and catastrophic conclusion. It doesn?t have to be this way, of course. ?We can restore our salmon, and we can have salmon seasons and a salmon economy again. Here?s how we do it: - Put more water down our rivers and through the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta. There is enough water for sustainable agriculture, cities and salmon. There isn?t enough to support an agribusiness sector that commandeers 80% of our water for luxury export crops. Salmon need cold, clean water at critical points of their life cycles. We must provide it. - Adjust reservoir releases and Delta pumping schedules to accommodate basic fishery needs. State and federal laws require dam and pump operators to keep ?fish in good condition.? We need to enforce the statutes that are on the books. - Establish conservation hatcheries to revive and preserve wild stocks. ?Salmon genetics are a priceless heritage, and we need to maintain genetic diversity within our populations to as great a degree as possible. The more diverse our salmon populations are, the more successful they?ll be at meeting the challenges of drought, habitat degradation, and shifting marine conditions. - Enhance production in commercial hatcheries. The fall-run Chinook has been the ?bread and butter? of the commercial and sport fisheries. We need to augment production of this run to increase and preserve our foundational constituency for salmon ? commercial fishers, sport anglers, fish processors and retailers, and consumers. - Provide improved temperature protection for Sacramento and Trinity River salmon through better regulations and rigorous enforcement by the State Water Resources Control Board. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: