[env-trinity] Trinity River Restoration Program // River Riffle Newsletter - February Edition

[Abel, Kiana]

[https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/feb-banner.png]<https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/feb-banner.png>

A popular jumping rock on the North Fork Trinity River is inundated during an early January winter storm. [Kiana Abel, Trinity River Restoration Program]

River Riffle Newsletter – February 2026 (click to read on-line)<https://www.trrp.net/river-riffle-feb26/>
Contents

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Current Conditions: Water Year 2026 – 90% chance of dry, or wetter<https://www.trrp.net/wy26/>
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Program Updates: Preliminary 2025 Escapement for Chinook and Coho Salmon<https://www.trrp.net/programupdate-run-size-estimates25/>
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Featured Article: Mushrooms of Trinity County<https://www.trrp.net/mushrooms-of-trinity-county/>
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Animal Spotlight: <https://www.trrp.net/bug-of-the-month-golden-stones/> Bug of the Month – Golden Stones<https://www.trrp.net/bug-of-the-month-golden-stones/>
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Upcoming Meetings and Events: Science on Tap <https://www.trrp.net/science-on-tap/> and more!
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Reading, Listening & Watching

Current Conditions
[https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/20250929-20250929_162531904_iOS.png]
Water Year Thus Far

Water Year 2026 – 90% chance of dry, or wetter

Water Year ’26 thus far is the product of early season rain and elevated reservoir levels at beginning of the water year. However, a lack of rain and snow in mid-January along with February’s long range weather forecast has moved conservative forecasts into drier predictions. Continue to read how reservoir storage and seasonal weather is tracked and used by the Program by clicking here.<https://www.trrp.net/wy26/>

Photo: Trinity Reservoir September 29, 2025 [Kiana Abel, Trinity River Restoration Program]
Program Updates
[https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/PXL_20250908_145055971.MP_.jpg]
Preliminary Results for Klamath Basin Natural-Origin Adult Escapement 2025

The 2025 fall-run for Klamath and Trinity River’s natural-spawning Chinook salmon was better than expected. Preliminary results indicate a significant improvement, elevating basin-wide status from “overfished” to “rebuilding” for the first time since 2018. Learn how managers use Trinity and Klamath monitoring efforts to help guide sport and commercial fishing regulations for the upcoming year. Click to read more…<https://www.trrp.net/programupdate-run-size-estimates25/>

Photo: The Willow Creek Weir [Nick Van Vleet, California Department of Fish and Wildlife]

Featured Article
[https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/High-Elevation-Conifer-Forest-SIPES.png]
Mushrooms of Trinity County

Trinity County’s forests and waterways harbor an extraordinary array of mushroom species, each contributing to the ecological integrity of their surroundings. These fungi play essential roles in nutrient cycling, habitat formation, and biodiversity preservation. This overview provides insight into foraging mushrooms based on specific forest type and the distinctive characteristics to pay attention to when hunting. This article was written from our January Science on Tap presentation featuring Kyle Sipes. Click to read more!<https://www.trrp.net/mushrooms-of-trinity-county/>

Photo: One of the highlighted forest types in the article for finding mushrooms is the high elevation conifer forests of the Trinity Alps Wilderness. [Kyle Sipes]

Animal Spotlight
[https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/20260120-1000008735.png]
Bug of the Month – Golden Stones
Stoneflies from the family Perlidae aka Golden Stones

Fly fishermen on the Trinity River know that a golden stone nymph is a top winter fly. These stoneflies, common in the river, are prevalent in winter and early spring as they near the end of their lifecycle. Check out a recent golden stone-mimic fly & it’s catch from the Trinity by clicking here.<https://www.trrp.net/bug-of-the-month-golden-stones/>

Photo: A stonefly from the family Perlidae captured in a recent benthic macroinvertebrate sampling on the Trinity River. [Chris Laskodi, Yurok Tribal Fisheries Department]
Upcoming Meetings and Events

For a full list of events, click to view the TRRP Calendar<https://www.trrp.net/calendar/>.

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[https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Feb_SOT-Social-Square.png]
Feb. 25, 6pm – Science on Tap

Trinity County Brewing Co. – Weaverville

Unusually large and severe wildfires in Northern California create new challenges for understanding and managing post-fire landscapes. This presentation examines when fire-killed trees fall, how fuels accumulate over time, and when reburn becomes likely. Drawing from field research across the Klamath Mountains, we’ll discuss how to apply this knowledge to support ecosystem resilience and community safety in an era of increasingly large and destructive fires.

Join us as we explore local ecosystems, conservation, and the dynamics of severe wildfire in the Klamath Mountains. Event Details<https://www.facebook.com/events/3941873679438658>

[TMC Partnership Ring]
March 25 & 26 – All Day Quarterly TMC Meeting
In Person: Yurok Tribe Willow Creek Tribal Office
39171 CA-299, Willow Creek, CA 95573

Click here to join the meeting<https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_NzY5OWVmNjQtMTI1Ni00MmVlLTgxZTItYmQ3NjM5ZTgzMDQ5%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%220693b5ba-4b18-4d7b-9341-f32f400a5494%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%2229f49e42-b75e-4f91-a28f-c599a103a13b%22%7d>

Meeting ID: 279 462 878 014 93

Passcode: tS9Li229

Download Teams<https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/download-app> | Find a local number<https://dialin.teams.microsoft.com/4c997179-2249-4e53-b877-e71d83c10c7a?id=693259531>

Reading, Listening, Watching
[https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/626103913_1354393650051099_649855889732393701_n.jpg]
January Snow Surveys: There’s snow, but less than past years<https://www.facebook.com/HayforkWatershedCenter>

Watershed Research and Training Center | Feb. 4 2026

Snow surveys are conducted January through April on three different snow courses located in the Trinity Alps Wilderness. These sites have been measured in exactly the same locations since the 1940s and data from measuring the water content of the snowpack is used to make informed decisions that fluctuate depending on annual water year type. Click here to read more about the program<http://www.thewatershedcenter.com/snow-surveys>

Photo 1: A surveyor crosses a stream in hiking boots. Snowshoes are strapped to his pack. [Watershed Research and Training Center/Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/HayforkWatershedCenter>]

[https://www.trrp.net/wordterrain/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-04-114603.png]
Not dry, but drought remains an issue, mid-wet season 2026<https://californiawaterblog.com/2026/01/25/not-dry-but-drought-remains-an-issue-mid-wet-season-2026/>

California Water Blog | by Jay Lund | Jan. 25 2026

The recent SnowEx campaign and the new NISAR satellite mission are lighting the way to high-resolution snowpack monitoring and improved decision making in critical river basins around the world. Continue Reading<https://mavensnotebook.com/2026/01/06/eos-satellite-radar-advances-could-transform-global-snow-monitoring/>

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Contact Us

Call Us: 530-623-1800 Email Us: info at trrp.net<mailto:info at trrp.net>


Kiana Abel
Public Affairs Specialist | Trinity River Restoration Program<http://www.trrp.net/> | U.S. Bureau of Reclamation<https://www.usbr.gov/>
1313 S. Main St., Weaverville, CA 96093-1300 | 530-623-1804 (desk) | 530-739-9761 (cell) | jabel at usbr.gov
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