The recent winter storms have been destructive, but they are also doing some good for at least the salmon population.
In response to good habitat conditions caused by the historic rain and snowfall in the state, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will release both spring and fall-run Chinook salmon into the Sacramento River and tributaries. The CDFW has already released 1.1 million fall-run Chinook salmon fry into the American River, with plans for more releases in the coming weeks. These releases will take advantage of natural high-flow events and good in-river habitat conditions. The CDFW also plans to release 250,000 fall-run Chinook salmon from the Feather River Hatchery into the Sutter Bypass for rearing before entering the Delta and heading towards the ocean. Additionally, the hatchery will release two million spring-run Chinook salmon into the Feather River. The CDFW expects high survival rates for these salmon due to the favorable conditions and increased flows caused by the recent storms.
The benefits of these releases will be seen in three years when the adult salmon return to complete their lifecycle.
